*/
Personal Injury – Contaminated land – Negligence – Breach of statutory duty. Court of Session: In an action in which the pursuers averred that they had lived at addresses at a housing development which, before the site was developed, was contaminated with harmful chemicals, that they inhaled vapours given off by the chemicals, became ill and had suffered loss, the court held that the pursuers' common law case against the first defenders, the developers, was irrelevant; the pursuers had pled a relevant common law case against the second defenders (who they said acted throughout as environmental consultants), and were entitled to a proof of their averments; their case against the third defenders, their housing association landlords, fell to be dismissed; neither the first nor the second defenders were in breach of s 33(1)(a) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990; and on the face of it the pursuers' right of action had expired but the case would be put out by order to give the pursuers' advisers the opportunity to consider the sufficiency of their pleadings as regards limitation.
Personal Injury – Contaminated land – Negligence – Breach of statutory duty. Court of Session: In an action in which the pursuers averred that they had lived at addresses at a housing development which, before the site was developed, was contaminated with harmful chemicals, that they inhaled vapours given off by the chemicals, became ill and had suffered loss, the court held that the pursuers' common law case against the first defenders, the developers, was irrelevant; the pursuers had pled a relevant common law case against the second defenders (who they said acted throughout as environmental consultants), and were entitled to a proof of their averments; their case against the third defenders, their housing association landlords, fell to be dismissed; neither the first nor the second defenders were in breach of s 33(1)(a) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990; and on the face of it the pursuers' right of action had expired but the case would be put out by order to give the pursuers' advisers the opportunity to consider the sufficiency of their pleadings as regards limitation.
The Bar Council is ready to support a turn to the efficiencies that will make a difference
By Louise Crush of Westgate Wealth Management
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs, examines the latest ONS data on drug misuse and its implications for toxicology testing in family law cases
An interview with Rob Wagg, CEO of New Park Court Chambers
What meaningful steps can you take in 2026 to advance your legal career? asks Thomas Cowan of St Pauls Chambers
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs, explains why drugs may appear in test results, despite the donor denying use of them
Ever wondered what a pupillage is like at the CPS? This Q and A provides an insight into the training, experience and next steps
The appointments of 96 new King’s Counsel (also known as silk) are announced today
Ready for the new way to do tax returns? David Southern KC continues his series explaining the impact on barristers. In part 2, a worked example shows the specific practicalities of adapting to the new system
Resolution of the criminal justice crisis does not lie in reheating old ideas that have been roundly rejected before, say Ed Vickers KC, Faras Baloch and Katie Bacon
With pupillage application season under way, Laura Wright reflects on her route to ‘tech barrister’ and offers advice for those aiming at a career at the Bar
