An important reminder (that there are insights to be gleaned from the UK's different jurisdictions as the UKSC is due to hear the Campbell appeal later this year) from one of the leading authorities on UK Law Officers ๐
25.02.2026 12:04 โ
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I once almost returned proofs with "pubic law".
20.02.2026 11:42 โ
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I'd add: Roger looks incredibly happy to be a part of this high octane adventure.
04.02.2026 12:29 โ
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Watch this space!
03.02.2026 10:41 โ
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The judgment I was specifically asked to address the tribunal on was R(O) v Home Secretary [2022] UKSC 3. Specifically Lord Hodge at para 29. 2/2
03.02.2026 10:40 โ
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It was a social security appeal around the issue of a specific type of payment the appellant had received and whether the statutory scheme exempted that payment from being considered income. I said yes, the department said no, and the tribunal agreed with me (thankfully!) 1/
03.02.2026 10:40 โ
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Apparently we've reached the nostalgia phase of meme usage, so this is an ideal time for the legal academy to use more memes in scholarship. We've only really explored copyright issues. We haven't even begun to imagine the fun Public Law (the field + the journal) would have with memes.
03.02.2026 09:27 โ
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Thanks! As for publication, I'll take the lawyerly route and say "it depends" ๐
30.01.2026 12:50 โ
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(Nervously) excited to say that I'll be leaving legal practice after almost 12 years to join the NI Assembly as a research officer in European Affairs. Out with briefing counsel and in with briefing committees + legislators.
30.01.2026 12:44 โ
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Waves on the shore at Ostia, Italy.
Today's view from the office
07.01.2026 10:19 โ
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Hall of the Horatii and the Curiatii, Appartamento dei Conservatori, Palazzi del Campidoglio, Rome. The Treaties of Rome were signed here, establishing the European Communities in 1957.
The birthplace of the European Union*
*before it was the EU.
06.01.2026 21:49 โ
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I once fell asleep (drunk) on a train from Den Haag, intending to get off at Rotterdam. I was woken up by railway staff in Eindhoven.
30.12.2025 11:46 โ
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"interest in history"
29.12.2025 09:29 โ
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New NI High Court judge appointed
A new High Court judge has been appointed to serve in Northern Ireland.
The third woman (Mrs Justice Smyth) joins the senior judiciary in NI, over a decade after the first two women (including the present Lady Chief Justice): m.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/norther...
19.12.2025 09:21 โ
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Also featuring reflections on some difficult to follow reasoning on merits review in natsec contexts. Is it merits review? Is it reasonableness review? Does the court only care about whether executive decisions have been rubber stamped? ๐คท
18.12.2025 14:39 โ
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The Supreme Court has made a huge mess when it comes to the approach to be adopted in appeals to and from SIAC
The position is now so convoluted that it should be fundamentally reconsidered. How is anyone meant to apply the following? (Taken from todayโs decision in Kolicaj [2025] UKSC 49):
18.12.2025 13:09 โ
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Photo of รilis Haughey, Director of NIHRCโs Human Rights after EU Withdrawal unit.
Closing remarks for the event are now being delivered by รilis Haughey, Director of NIHRCโs Human Rights after EU Withdrawal unit.
16.12.2025 12:38 โ
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Photo of panellists Anurag Deb, Dr Sylvia de Mars, Professor Colin Murray, Professor Aoife OโDonoghue and Dr Claire McCann, Senior Policy and Research Officer at the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. Rhys Davies and โฏMonye Anyadike-Danes appear on the large screen behind them.
Weโre now hearing from Rhys Davies, General Counsel at @ima-citrights.bsky.social,โฏandโฏMonye Anyadike-DanesโฏKC, who are offering their reflections on the report.
16.12.2025 12:27 โ
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Photo of panellists Anurag Deb, Dr Sylvia de Mars, Professor Colin Murray, Professor Aoife OโDonoghue and Dr Claire McCann, Senior Policy and Research Officer at the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission.
Weโve now opened the floor to a Q&A with the report authors Anurag Deb, Dr Sylvia de Mars, Professor Colin Murray and Professor Aoife OโDonoghue, chaired by NIHRC Chief Commissioner Alyson Kilpatrick. They are joined by Dr Claire McCann, Senior Policy and Research Officer at the NIHRC.
16.12.2025 12:24 โ
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Photo of Alyson Kilpatrick speaking at the launch event of the โWindsor Framework Article 2: Enforcement and Remediesโ research report.
NIHRC Chief Commissioner Alyson Kilpatrick is introducing the research by outlining its analysis of how the EU WithdrawalโฏAgreementโฏand the Windsor Frameworkโฏoperateโฏin practice to ensure the enforcement of, and remedies for breach of Windsor Framework Article 2.
16.12.2025 11:20 โ
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Photo of Dr David Russell speaking at the launch event of the โWindsor Framework Article 2: Enforcement and Remediesโ research report.
The launch event for our research, โWindsor Framework Article 2: Enforcement and Remediesโ has started with a welcome from Dr David Russell, Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission.
16.12.2025 11:13 โ
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The @nihrc.bsky.social are today launching a major new report, by @anuragdeb.bsky.social, @sylviademars.me, @aoifemod.bsky.social, Eleni Frantziou and me, on the novel arrangements for remedying breaches of the UK's obligations for rights and equality in NI under Art 2 WF:
nihrc.org/assets/uploa...
16.12.2025 09:57 โ
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๐ญ
15.12.2025 15:31 โ
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I would like to know what are the inhumane and degrading treatments the Minister believes should be legal.
10.12.2025 22:45 โ
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So much of the commentary on the FWS judgment has been driven by reflexive responses to the outcome, but there are so many gaps and leaps in its reasoning that it will spawn litigation for years to come - @aoifemod.bsky.social and I flag some failings in judge craft:
nilq.qub.ac.uk/index.php/ni...
15.12.2025 10:02 โ
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A grey cat with text: โOur beloved Ernie is missing. Richmond road/clonliffe road. Reward if found, call 0892533727 Please shareโ
#speirgorm if you are in the Clonliffe Road area please keep an eye out for our lovely former foster boy Ernie
13.12.2025 17:19 โ
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I once made a tepid joke about a particular Harvard Law Review "article" being over 100 pages and of course a few US law profs rushed to defend that nightmare. Entire pages of just footnotes. WHY?
13.12.2025 14:23 โ
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And to think people say academia is dry.
12.12.2025 12:16 โ
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