In January 2019, Apple CEO Tim Cook stated that health will be the technology company’s “greatest contribution to mankind”.1 Two years later and the already existing trend towards digital health seems even more relevant, highlighted by a global pandemic that has turned the world on its head.
In recent years populism has been the centre of much debate. Despite extensive media coverage and academic scholarship, its definition is still disputed.
With US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris having been sworn into office on 20 January 2021, one could be forgiven for thinking that former President Donald Trump’s time in the spotlight is over. Nothing, however, could be further from the truth.
Since the Covid-19 outbreak began in December 2019 information about the virus has spread online at an unprecedented rate. However, not all of it has been reliable. The WHO believes we are in the middle of an “infodemic” which it defines as “an abundance of information, some accurate and some not, occurring during an epidemic.1 With such a vast volume of information available it is hard to distinguish between facts and outright misinformation. There are now widespread concerns that the prevalence of misinformation will dissuade people from receiving the recently approved Pfizer vaccine. The government is working with social media sites and considering fast tracking digital media laws to clamp down on harmful misinformation. The not-so-new skill being deployed is Emotional Intelligence (or “EI”), the ethos of the new lawyer is O Shaped... and the power of this combination is undeniable.
Coming soon to a law firm near you, is a brand new breed of lawyer. One that’s fully equipped with an arsenal of unconventional and previously overlooked “legal” skills, essential for success in a post-Covid world. The not-so-new skill being deployed is Emotional Intelligence (or “EI”), the ethos of the new lawyer is O Shaped... and the power of this combination is undeniable.
The Coronavirus pandemic has undeniably impacted all our lives in one way or another. One of the biggest impacts has been the swift move to home working across multiple industries. Working from home has now become the norm for many workers.
Page 48 of the 2019 Conservative manifesto contains this promise: “in our first year we will set up a Constitution, Democracy & Rights Commission”. When it was first written, the promise was, debatably, a precaution that Conservatives wanted to take in order to ensure that they could “get Brexit done” in the face of legal difficulties. The previous government had been overruled twice by the UK Supreme Court (UKSC) in relation to triggering Article 50 and the attempted prorogation (suspension) of parliament. Now, however, with a large Conservative majority, it is unknown what form this Commission will take. Some fear that the government will use it as a move to take revenge on the courts for these Brexit legal difficulties. Others consider it a necessary change in testing times.
Over the years, high-profile incidents such as the USS Cole bombing and Achille Lauro have led maritime security to be placed at the forefront of international concern, in order to protect trade, national security and retain stability across the global economy. However, despite significant efforts to address criminal activities across the maritime domain, the increased sophistication and capabilities of technology render the new threat of cyber-attacks a significant problem for global business. After a quick look at cybersecurity as a whole, we will delve into three key issues in the maritime security world. Firstly, we will consider the commercial impact of cyber-attacks upon global businesses. Secondly, the increasing demand for maritime insurance in this area and thirdly, how Astaara Company Limited (a maritime insurance company) has accepted the challenge to fulfil these growing demands by providing “game-changing” cybersecurity insurance services across the maritime domain. Where cybersecurity attacks are continuing to grow in sophistication and frequency, the future of maritime security law and insurance resides in protecting against such threats.
Murder, 1st degree, 2nd degree... They seem to be everywhere, whether in US detective thrillers or more recently in the media regarding the sentences given to the officers responsible for the death of George Floyd. But what do they equate to in “real” (English and Welsh) law?
On 11 December 2019, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, hailed “Europe’s man on the moon moment”. She was referring to the European Green Deal. The deal is an unprecedented plan, spearheaded by von der Leyen and her Vice-President Frans Timmermans, to transform the EU’s 27 Member States into a region defined by its sustainable development and low carbon economy. It charts a course for the EU bloc to be carbon neutral by 2050. But for this to happen, a lot will have to change.