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Law News

Court action on Texas’ migrant arrest law leads to confusion at US-Mexico border

McALLEN, Texas (AP) — A dizzying volley of courtroom maneuvers over a Texas law that would allow the state to arrest and deport people who entered the US illegally sowed confusion at the nation’s border with Mexico on Wednesday as sheriffs, police chiefs and migrants waited for direction.

Texas faced skeptical questioning during a hearing before a three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that ended without a ruling, leaving the new law on hold for now. It was part of a flurry of activity that included a decision from the US Supreme Court that allowed the law to take effect for several hours Tuesday. And regardless of how the three-judge panel rules, the legal saga over Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s latest escalation to prevent illegal border crossings won’t be over.

Yolanis Campo, 42, who traveled from Colombia and crossed the Rio Grande to enter the US from Mexico with her 16-year-old daughter, recommended other migrants take another route because of the confusion over Texas’ law. She was processed by Border Patrol agents who released her with an ankle bracelet to pursue her immigration case.

“It’s more complicated because (federal authorities) tell us we can move

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Law Firm

I’m a City lawyer with autism. Here’s how I made the job work

Jonathan Andrews is an associate in law firm Reed Smith’s entertainment and media industry group. Neurodiversity Celebration Week runs March 18 to 24, and Financial News is featuring a host of stories from financial services to mark the occasion. Sign up to our newsletters for more.

Neurodiversity Celebration Week didn’t even exist when I first started my training contract back in 2017. It seems an opportunity to reflect on my journey through the legal profession to date.

Aged nine, I was diagnosed as being on the autistic spectrum. But I was never raised to believe that this was something not to be discussed, or that made me less than anyone else. While it would of course bring challenges, being autistic should not hold me back from achieving what I set out to achieve.

It was in that vein that, when it came for me to consider my future career while at university, and I began applying to law firm events and open days, I also applied to open days specifically for applicants with disabilities (the term ‘neurodiversity’ not yet being widespread). Here, attendees were able to discuss adjustments and support on offer at law firms, and to hear directly from

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Law News

MEPs adopt new law banning greenwashing and misleading product information | News

The directive adopted today with 593 votes in favor, 21 against and 14 abstentions seeks to protect consumers from misleading marketing practices and help them make better purchasing choices. To achieve this, a number of problematic marketing habits related to greenwashing and the early obsolescence of goods will be added to the EU list of prohibited commercial practices.

More accurate and reliable advertising

Most importantly, the new rules aim to make product labeling clearer and more trustworthy by banning the use of general environmental claims like “environmentally friendly”, “natural”, “biodegradable”, “climate neutral” or “eco” without proof.

The use of sustainability labels will also now be regulated, given the confusion caused by their proliferation and failure to use comparative data. In the future, only sustainability labels based on official certification schemes or established by public authorities will be allowed in the EU.

Additionally, the directive will ban claims that a product has a neutral, reduced or positive impact on the environment because of emissions offsetting schemes.

Durability in focus

Another important objective of the new law is making producers and consumers focus more on the durability of goods. In the future, guarantee information has to be more visible and a new,

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Law News

Is Law News Still Relevant? 15 Crucial Facts You Need to Know

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Is Law News Still Relevant? 15 Crucial Facts You Need to Know

In an era of 24-hour news cycles and social media dominance, the way we consume information has changed drastically. Among the noise of viral trends and political pundits, a common question arises: Is law news still relevant? For many, legal updates feel like dry, dense information reserved only for those in suits and mahogany offices. However, the reality is quite the opposite.

Legal journalism serves as the bridge between complex legislative shifts and the daily lives of citizens, business owners, and professionals. From the protection of digital privacy to the shifts in employment rights, law news is the heartbeat of a functioning society. Here are 15 facts that prove law news is not only relevant but more vital today than ever before.

1. It Acts as an Early Warning System for Businesses

For entrepreneurs and corporate executives, law news is a form of risk management. Regulatory changes often come with “grace periods” before enforcement begins. By staying updated on legal news, businesses can pivot their operations to comply with new standards—such as updated labor laws or environmental regulations—avoiding massive fines and litigation before they even start.

2. The

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Legal Update

Legal updates for landlords: August 2023

Industry News James Wood 02/08/2023

Our Head of Policy James Wood explains more about recent legislative changes, including a new Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service and advance notice of a new version of the How to Rent guide.

While the Renters (Reform) Bill is likely to be the main legislation affecting the private rented sector over the next year, it is not the only change that landlords should be aware of.

As of this week, the Government has launched the Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service, and later in the year there will be new fire safety requirements for some HMO landlords and owners of blocks of flats.

Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service

This week, the Government launched the Housing Loss Prevention Advice Service. This service replaces the Housing Possession Court Duty Schemes (HCPDS).

The new service allows tenants to access legal advice where they are at risk of losing their home. This advice can be provided once the tenant has evidence they are at risk of possession proceedings.

The legal advice can cover a range of including:

• repossession claims
• rent arrears
• issues with welfare benefits payments
• debt concerns
• repair and other problems with housing conditions

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Legal Update

UK Legal Update – July 2023 – Contracts and Commercial Law

Our round-up of recent and forthcoming developments in UK law
and practice for our international stakeholders.

Highlights

  • Beyond Brexit – what’s the latest on
    importing EU goods into the UK? What do The Windsor Framework and
    the 2019 Hague Judgments Convention mean? And where are we on the
    revocation of retained EU Law?


  • ESG – one of the defining issues of our
    time and at the top of our clients’ agenda across all sectors;
    we discuss mandatory climate-related disclosures and reporting
    standards, the UK’s 2023 Green Finance Strategy and measures to
    promote ethical practices in the workplace


  • Digital regulation – reforming UK data
    protection, strengthening cybersecurity and regulating AI


  • Employment Law – post-Brexit changes on
    business transfers, ethical workplace issues and reform of
    non-compete covenants


  • Competition and consumer protection –
    the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Bill, a tougher
    regulatory environment for consumer-facing businesses operating in
    the UK


  • UK cases round-up – the latest cases
    affecting UK-based commercial and M&A-related contracts


  • Preparing for the next Silicon Valley Bank UK
    Limited     – what happens when a lender fails to fund? And
    the end of Sterling LIBOR


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Law News

Knock-back for Nature Restoration Law in last-minute political wrangling

The law, which would apply to all EU member states, was voted through by a majority of MEPs last month.

It was due to be formally approved by environment ministers at a Council of Ministers meeting in Brussels next Monday.

However, what was expected to be a rubber-stamping exercise has turned into a bitter row with several member states declaring in pre-Council talks this week that they will not accept it and others abstaining.

Hungary, which previously supported the law, wavered during the week and despite being given extra time to finalize its stance by today, has still not declared one way or the other.

Finalization of the law has now been taken off Monday’s agenda..

While that does necessarily mean the legislation is dead, Monday is the last scheduled meeting of environment ministers before the European elections in June and unless the issue can be resolved over the weekend, the prospects for it look bleak.

Environmental organizations expressed shock and dismay, saying the law had been “held hostage by last-minute political maneuvers”.

“This law, the most significant piece of natural legislation in the EU since the 1990s, now faces an uncertain future, contradicting the EU’s stated commitment to biodiversity

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Law Firm

CMS and Slaughters latest firms to withdraw TC offers

SQE fallout continues


CMS and Slaughter and May have become the latest law firms to rescind the training contract offers of future trainees who failed to pass the SQE at the first time of asking. It comes just days after we revealed Clifford Chance had let go of around four offer holders under similar circumstances.

CMS, which takes on 95 trainees each year on a starting salary of £50,000 in London, has confirmed a number of training contracts offered have been revoked following the most recent batch of SQE1 results.

A spokesperson for the firm told Legal Cheek:

“While we hold the hope for successful completion of the SQE examinations on the first attempt, we understand that occasional setbacks may occur. Considering the recent SQE1 results, we have regretfully withdrawn certain training contract offers; however, we have diligently evaluated each circumstance individually. We maintain ongoing communication with all our students to ensure they are informed about and utilizing the additional support resources at their disposal, should the need arise.”

The SQE Hub: Your ultimate resource for all things SQE

Meanwhile it’s understood that Slaughters have also taken similar action.

A spokesperson for the firm, which also recruits around 95

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Legal Update

Minnesota DFL seeks to end Legal Marijuana Now’s major party status

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota’s DFL Party has officially challenged the status of the Legal Marijuana Now Party.

DFL officials filed a petition Tuesday with the Minnesota Supreme Court in the wake of LMNP filing what they believe are dubious certifications following two rejections by the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Office.

A new law passed by the Democratic majority last legislative session requires these conditions to be met for major party status to be granted:

  • A party must have held a convention in 2022 “in all state congressional districts and at least 45 counties or legislative districts.”
  • A party had “an executive committee consisting of a chair and officers for each congressional district and at least 45 counties or legislative districts.”
  • A party had “obtained sufficient support from the voters in prior elections.”

DFL officials alleged LMNP, in its resubmitted status certification, claimed to have “implausibly” held 76 conventions in a single hour on June 8, 2023.

In the petition, the DFL also points to a Star Tribune article from last month about Krystal Gabel, a Colorado woman who said she was surprised to find out she was LMNP’s candidate on Minnesota’s presidential primary ballot.

RELATED: How Minnesota will embrace

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Law News

Portion of sentence reform law ruled unconstitutional, but sponsor sees fix this session

LINCOLN, Neb. (Nebraska Examiner) – A district court judge has ruled that a portion of a sentencing reform law passed by the State Legislature last year is unconstitutional.

But the author of the bill, State Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha, said Thursday that there’s still time in the 2024 session to remedy the problem.

The law, Legislative Bill 50, was part of an effort by Wayne to provide more incentives for inmates to engage in rehabilitation programming and perhaps get released on parole earlier. The larger goal was to reduce the state’s chronic prison overcrowding and perhaps avoid the need to build a second new prison, besides one already planned in Lincoln.

LB 50 was a wide-ranging bill that included clauses to allow “geriatric parole” under some circumstances, for inmates 75 years of age or older, and allowed for a “streamlined,” early parole process, granting additional “good time” for well -behaved inmates who participate in rehabilitation programming.

Some of the provisions of LB 50 came out of a review of the state’s prison overcrowding issues led by the nonprofit Crime and Justice Institute. Nebraska’s prisons last year held nearly 1,900 more inmates than they were designed to house.

In October,

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