Issue: Vol 160, Issue 7400

Aventis Pasteur SA v OB; sub nom O’Byrne v Aventis Pasteur SA C-358/08, [2009] All ER (D) 228 (Dec)

British Telecommunications plc v Royal Mail Group Ltd [2010] EWHC 8 (QB), [2010] All ER (D) 10 (Jan)

European Commission v Ireland and others C-89/08 P, [2009] All ER (D) 230 (Dec)

I vowed when I took up office as president of the Association of Her Majesty’s District Judges last March that my mission was to persuade the government to return to funding our civil courts to a realistic level and, as the recession brings more and more individuals to the county courts, to ensure that all of those who need it have access to free and efficient expert advice and assistance from a duty solicitor or CAB or other advice agency which is independent of HM Courts Service.

Professor Mark Hill QC & Spencer Keen investigate a legal minefield

Rebecca Dziobon delves into retention of jurisdiction in cases extending overseas

The Supreme Court’s decision in R (on the application of E) v Governing Body of JFS [2009] UKSC 15, [2009] All ER (D) 163 (Dec) provides a fine example of the law of unintended consequences.

Mark Bowman suggests when to see beyond an Act of God

Eleanor Morgan & Jonathan Pratt explore the doctrine of benefit & burden

Professor Susan Nash provides an update on recent human rights cases