Editor, Solicitors Journal

[print only title} China sanctions [date] 26 March 2021

Chinese sanctions on British lawyers soundly condemned

29 Mar 2021News

China has imposed sanctions on Baroness Helena Kennedy QC, Sir Geoffrey Nice QC and Essex Court Chambers in a ‘tit for tat’, after the UK implemented measures against four Chinese officials. China said the lawyers had “maliciously spread lies and disinformation” about the treatment of Uyghurs in Zinjiang. Law Society president I.Stephanie Boyce condemned the move, saying: “Singling out lawyers… for doing their jobs undermines the rule of law and the independence of the legal profession.” Sanctions were also imposed on MPs, MEPs and other organisations.

Legal News desk contact: editorial@solicitorsjournal.com

Latest Articles

Preparing for the Great Wealth transfer

As wealth passes between generations, early planning and cross-generational engagement are becoming critical to effective estate administration.

Lawyers highlight issues with new FRCs

The extended fixed recoverable costs system raises significant issues for injured individuals and legal practitioners

Deceit, awareness and the Ivanishvili decision

The Privy Council clarifies the level of awareness required for reliance in deceit, rejecting the Marme “contemporaneous consciousness” gloss

DCB Legal achieves landmark court decision

DCB Legal has set a new precedent at the High Court, securing a favourable outcome for a client involved in commercial property litigation.

Nick Ephgrave’s SFO: reform, results and uncertainty

Nick Ephgrave’s surprise departure prompts reflection on his reforms, achievements and what lies ahead for the Serious Fraud Office

Attorney General to address sub judice inquiry

The Procedure Committee will hear from Lord Hermer on the implications of the sub judice rule in Parliament

Free access for crime victims now

Victims of crime in the Crown Court will gain free access to judges’ sentencing remarks

Lord Reed announces retirement from court

Lord Reed of Allermuir, President of the UK Supreme Court, has announced plans to retire in 2027

Audrey Ludwig honoured with MBE award

Audrey Ludwig, a solicitor and charity trustee, received an MBE for her dedication to legal aid in Suffolk

Howard League for Penal Reform v Secretary of State for Justice: High Court upholds PAVA deployment decision

Judicial review challenges deployment of incapacitant spray in Young Offender Institutions dismissed.

Pal v Accenture: EAT clarifies Polkey reductions and disability discrimination assessment

EAT examines unfair dismissal, Polkey principles, and disability discrimination in performance management cases.

Christopher Isaac Singh v Dr Prakashbhan Persad: Consultant obstetrician's duty to monitor foetal heart rate

Failure to ensure monitoring during emergency caesarean section constitutes medical negligence.

Resolving contested estates in the Court of Protection

As Baby Boomer wealth transfers accelerate, the Court of Protection is increasingly used to resolve inheritance disputes during lifetime

R (JSC) v Cambridgeshire County Council: High Court grants declaration for systemic SEND failures

Delays in EHC assessments breached statutory duties despite eventual completion

Município de Mariana v BHP Group: High Court awards £43m costs following liability victory

Brazilian claimants secure substantial interim costs order in dam collapse litigation

SJ Interview: Joelle Grogan

Dr Joelle Grogan is a legal scholar specialising in the rule of law in times of crisis. She presents The Law Show on BBC Radio 4, and is Co-Academic Director of the Rule of Law Clinic at the CEU Democracy Institute (Budapest), and a Senior Research Fellow at the UCD Sutherland School of Law. Her work focuses on constitutional accountability, emergency powers, and legal misinformation. In this interview, she examines the pressures facing the rule of law in the UK, from executive power and court delays to media narratives, emergencies, and the impact of AI on legal practice.

Justice reform risks targeting the wrong fix

As 2026 approaches, ministers eye jury trials while ignoring deeper causes of England’s criminal justice crisis