Archived News

Civitas Law is delighted to announce that First Minister Carwyn Jones has appointed Theodore Huckle QC to the position of Counsel General-designate for the Welsh Government.

Members of Civitas Law recently delivered important training to lawyers, managers and HR professionals from the Welsh Assembly Government and the Welsh Assembly Commission in relation to the Equality Act 2010. The event was held in the Senedd in Cardiff Bay.

Civitas Law recently led by example at the recent Annual Legal Wales Conference, held at Caernarfon Criminal Justice Centre. High on the agenda were innovation in legal services and specialism at the Bar.

Mair Coombes Davies, barrister and Head of the Dispute Resolution Division, has represented residents in Llanrumney who face a long wait for the verdict on their beloved recreation ground - described as a 'law-changing' case in The Guardian.

Civitas Law barrister Nick Thomas-Symonds has been featured in the latest edition of the Solicitors Journal where he highlights the key outcomes of Rohit Kulkarni v Manor Credit (Davenham) Limited [2010] EWCA Civ 69. This case raised the issue of when a vehicle legally becomes owned by the purchaser and also held wider implications for motor fraud claims.

Civitas Law, Wales’ first specialist Civil & Public law barristers’ chambers, is celebrating a national success after becoming the only set in Wales to hold the highly coveted BARMARK® standard of excellence. The Bar Council’s BARMARK® standard was also achieved by Civitas Law in just three months - a record first for the process.

Civitas Law has released new Terms & Conditions for its Conditional Fee Agreements (CFAs). Claimant work undertaken by barristers in the Personal Injuries and Clinical Negligence group will, in appropriate cases, be received on a conditional fee or collective CFA basis.

Civitas Law has again recieved a First Tier chambers rating in the new Legal 500 directory (2011). As well as a raft of highly recommended entries for Civitas Law counsel, the directory noted that the “the market has already responded well to the sets brave enough to break the mould: Civitas Law, Wales’ first civil and public law set, ‘has a focused approach which has led to higher standards of service’.”

Civitas Law is attending, hosting and supporting a number of key industry events and CPD training sessions across Wales. Find out where our counsel and professionals are this autumn and how Chambers can assist you and your organisation.

Members of Civitas Law’s Dispute Resolution Division have responded to the Welsh Assembly Government Consultation Document, ‘Putting Things Right: A better way of dealing with concerns about health services’.

Nicklaus Thomas-Symonds had reason to celebrate recently as the launch of his political biography of Clement Attlee. His publication, Attlee: A life in politics, was a complete sell-out at the events in Civitas Law’s Chambers and in Blaenavon.

Civitas Law has been approved as a Workplace Mediation Provider by the Civil Mediation Council (CMC) – the main access channel for users of workplace related mediation services in Great Britain.

Bryan Thomas, Barrister, Arbitrator, Adjudicator and Mediator, successfully appealed against the dismissal of a claim of noise exposure, made against a ship owner. The claim highlighted an issue of negligence in the breach of duty of care by a ship owner to take measurements of noise levels in its ships.

Civitas Law celebrated its second successful year in developing the leading specialist Civil set in Wales with a gala summer party at the Welsh Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay.

Civitas Law is delighted to welcome Christopher Howells (1999), previously of Pendragon Chambers, after he accepted an invitation to join Chambers.

Civitas Law facilitated the successful resolution of a difficult and potentially costly appeal regarding the recoverability of a company's losses that arose out of a road traffic accident in the United States. The appeal was recently resolved through mediation by a Court Appointed Mediator at Civitas Law's accessible and fully-serviced offices in Cardiff Bay.

Civitas Law has appointed Emma Waddingham as its new Business Development Manager. Emma brings to Chambers her experience in marketing, commercial and corporate PR and journalism in the legal and property sectors, working with law firms, FTSEs, local authorities and trade associations in the UK and abroad.

Brian Thomas advises in case of Regina v Upper Bay Ltd.

Civitas' DR Division has received some excellent feedback from delegates at the recent PI Seminar.

On Thursday the 4th March 2010, Civitas Law was delighted to host the quarterly annual meeting of the Advocacy Training Council under the chairmanship of Charles Haddon Cave QC.

Bryan Thomas represented West Wales RTA victim Wynn Davies in the Queen’s Bench Division, Cardiff, on 10th February 2010.

Civitas Law is proud to support the annual Public Law and Judicial Review Conference organised by the Public Law Project which will be held on 30th March 2010 at Cardiff University.

The Appellant in Rohit Kulkarni – and - Manor Credit (Davenham) Ltd [2010] EWCA Civ 69, represented by Nick Thomas-Symonds, led by Christopher Purchas, QC, won a significant victory for purchasers of motor vehicles in good faith.

The Civil Mediation Council were pleased to confirm the reaccreditation of Civitas Law for 2010 as a mediator provider. Civitas Law provides mediators for Her Majesty’s Court Service Mediation Helpline.

Civitas Law are pleased to announce the appointment of David Jones as Chambers Director.

Mair Coombes Davies has been made a professional member of the Dispute Board Federation based in Geneva which deals with major international disputes worldwide.

Lord Justice Ward has granted permission to appeal in the case of McGrath v Tucker in which Robert O’Leary represents the Appellant, Mr. Tucker.

Theo Huckle and Robert O’Leary have conducted a successful day’s training for the disease group at Irwin Mitchell’s Newcastle office.

The Times reports important intellectual property and public protection case.

On 11th January 2010, Civitas Law acted as hosts to Nicholas Green QC, Chairman of the Bar, and the Leader of the Circuit, Winston Roddick QC, in order to discuss the rapidly changing landscape of the legal profession.

Despite the adverse weather conditions Civitas were bright-eyed and ready to go as usual!

Mona Bayoumi provides an update of recent employment cases.

Cathrine Grubb reports on recent notable cases.

The potential conflict between an individual’s religious beliefs and their duty to act in a non-discriminatory way towards gay and lesbian people has led to two decisions of the Employment Appeal Tribunal and the upholding of the earlier of the two decisions by the Court of Appeal.

Robert O'Leary successfully represents train drivers in claims for damages for upper limb disorders.

Civitas receives excellent press in the new edition of Chambers and Partners as 8 members are recommended.

Anthony Vines in important Court of Appeal win for local authority

Civitas Law Chambers was delighted to support this year’s annual 3 Court’s Charity walk in Cardiff.

The landmark decision of the Court of Appeal in Baker v Quantum [2009] EWCA Civ 499 in which Theo Huckle and Robert O’Leary led by John Hendy QC represented the Claimant has been referred to the Supreme Court for a decision by the judicial committee as to whether or not grant the Respondents leave to appeal from the Court of Appeal. A decision is expected towards the end of the year.

Prosecutions for modchips for game consoles appear to be set to proceed following an important copyright decision by the Court of Appeal in favour of local authorities and manufacturers.

Civitas Law Employment Team demonstrated their breadth of knowledge by scooping first and third places in the recent Employment Lawyers Association quiz held on the 21st October 2009 at O’Neil’s pub in Trinity Street Cardiff.

Civitas is pleased to announce that it has joined the Welsh National Opera’s Sponsors Group, an initiative which allows businesses to come together as a corporate syndicate to sponsor a particular production.

Members of the Dispute Resolution division of Civitas this Thursday 15th at the National Assembly are leading an important seminar on Mediation in Public Law. The idea of Mair Coombes-Davies, the seminar, which is already over-subscribed, seeks to address how mediation can be used more in the context of public law.

A significant alternative dispute resolution, in house, Master Class was held by Civitas Law on 22nd September, 2009.

Members of Civitas’ Public Law and Employment Groups were invited to this year’s Solicitors in Local Government Welsh Conference.

The editors of the 2009 edition of The Legal 500 have confirmed Chambers’ expertise in civil and public law by recommending ten members of Civitas Law.

In the July / August edition of the Personal Injury Law Journal, Theo Huckle considers the Nottingham and Derbyshire deafness litigation appeal and its implications for noise-induced hearing loss cases and the law of industrial disease claims.

Nick Thomas-Symonds will end the year in the Court of Appeal, appearing for the Appellant in Kulkarni v Manor Credit on 1 and 2 December.

Employment Appeal Tribunal (HHJ McMullen Q.C. presiding) in Opportunity Housing Trust Ltd v Harrison considered again the test to be applied when an employment tribunal is asked to recuse itself for apparent bias.

Eversheds Cardiff office, invited Civitas Dispute Resolution Division to present a seminar on mediation.

Nicholas David Jones secures judgement on behalf of a Claimant, in the sum of £2,838,017.10, against the owner of a night club.

The commitment of the members of Civitas Law to provide specialist legal services to the whole of Wales was demonstrated recently by a series of seminars given to solicitors by four members of Chambers’ Employment team in Llandudno.

The evening of Friday 12th June saw the official opening of Civitas Law’s new offices in Cardiff Bay.

Civitas are delighted to announce that Alistair Adams has joined as Chambers Director.

5th June 2009: The Court of Appeal in Baker v Quantum Clothing Group (No. 4) ruled on the Respondents' application that the Court should recuse itself due to the apparent bias of Sedley L.J., rejecting the application and setting out the test for recusal.

Mair Coombes Davies examines adjudication, mediation and arbitration issues relating to contract disputes.

Theo Huckle and Robert O’Leary are pleased to report the Court of Appeal Decision on the case of Baker v Quantum Clothing Group [2009] EWCA Civ 499 (22 May 2009).

Civitas Law are delighted to announce that Dr Mair Coombes Davies (1988) previously of 30 Park Place, has accepted an invitation to join chambers.

A former North Wales Police inspector has been jailed for a year for illegally dumping 175,000 used tyres. Geraint Evans, 51, from Caernarfon, Gwynedd, his partner Marilyn Hanks, 37, and Norman Cassidy, 58, were all sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court. Cassidy, of Clacton on Sea, Essex, was jailed for eight months. Hanks, a former civilian police employee, was ordered to do 240 hours community work. They admitted illegally disposing of tyres at sites in England and Wales contrary to s. 33 Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Each month we will be providing an e-Bulletin service to you which we hope will assist in that much loved task of keeping up to date in this fast changing legal field. If you have already agreed to receive the new employment e-Bulletin from Civitas Law then thank you.

The court has now approved the settlement in the case of X v Y NHS Trust, a £5m settlement (lump sum equivalent) with periodic payments of £140,000 per annum for future care.

Professor Pennington has published his Report following the E. coli Public Inquiry. The 24 recommendations which he has made, which are set out below, are of significant importance to those linked with the food industry and local authorities across England and Wales.

Following Civitas Law’s successful launch in October of last year as the first specialist Civil & Public Law chambers in Wales, we have now moved to our brand new premises at Global Reach in Cardiff Bay.

This week Theo Huckle and Robert O'Leary are in the Court of Appeal, arguing wide ranging employers' liability issues in the Notts and Derby Deafness Test litigation. Watch out for our detailed analysis in due course.

You can now download our new Brochure and CFA documents from the Useful Information section of the website.

We are pleased to announce that on 16th March we will be moving to a brand new, spacious and modern office in Cardiff Bay.

We are pleased to announce the dates for Gareth Jones' upcoming Law Society Lectures.

Civitas is delighted to announce that five members of chambers have been appointed to the Welsh Assembly Government’s Junior Counsel Panel.

Civitas are delighted to announce that Andrea McLean has joined chambers as a Senior Clerk. Andrea has a wealth of experience, clerking in all aspects of civil law and joins us from 30 Park Place. Andrea can be reached on 0845 0713 007.

Andrew Arentsen reports the successful outcome of a major and long-running case.

Civitas has enjoyed major successes this year in the deafness limitation appeals in Furniss v Firth Brown Tools [2008] EWCA Civ 182 (Theo Huckle / Robert O’Leary) and Field v British Coal (DBERR) [2008] EWCA Civ 912 (Theo Huckle).

Saturday 22nd November saw Cardiff Law School hosting its annual prize giving event at a packed auditorium at City Hall.

Lord Justice Thomas delivers Cardiff Law School’s inaugural Annual Public Lecture.

On 5th November, Chambers & Partners launched the 2009 edition of their guide to the UK Bar.