Nicholas Dobson
Consultant
Nicholas Dobson writes (among other things) on local government, public law and governance. Newlawjournal.co.uk
Consultant
Nicholas Dobson writes (among other things) on local government, public law and governance. Newlawjournal.co.uk
A recent case has provided a timely reminder of the key ingredients of the tort of misfeasance in public office: Nicholas Dobson reports
Nicholas Dobson examines the case of a school ski trip, a confiscated mobile phone & a permanent exclusion
Defamation matters, but claimants need to prove they have suffered serious reputational harm: Nicholas Dobson
Care proceedings and public interest were centre stage in a recent case involving the BBC. Nicholas Dobson reports
Nicholas Dobson analyses the Supreme Court ruling on the public right to camp in Dartmoor National Park
Nicholas Dobson follows up on Higgs v Farmor’s School, examining the Court of Appeal judgment on a gross misconduct dismissal
Nicholas Dobson examines the reasoning behind the Supreme Court’s recent decision on sex & gender
Is there any room for habeas corpus in the modern regime surrounding care orders? Only very exceptionally, the Supreme Court has ruled: Nicholas Dobson reports
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Bellevue Law—Lianne Craig
Workplace law firm expands commercial disputes team with senior consultant hire
EIP—Rob Barker
IP firm promotes patent attorney to partner
Muckle LLP—Ryan Butler
Banking and restructuring team bolstered by insolvency specialist
NEWS
The Supreme Court has delivered a decisive ruling on termination under the JCT Design & Build form. Writing in NLJ this week, Andrew Singer KC and Jonathan Ward, of Kings Chambers, analyse Providence Building Services v Hexagon Housing Association [2026] UKSC 1, which restores the first-instance decision and curbs contractors’ termination rights for repeated late payment
Secondments, disciplinary procedures and appeal chaos all feature in a quartet of recent rulings. Writing in NLJ this week, Ian Smith, barrister and emeritus professor of employment law at UEA, examines how established principles are being tested in modern disputes
The AI revolution is no longer a distant murmur—it’s at the client’s desk. Writing in NLJ this week, Peter Ambrose, CEO of The Partnership and Legalito, warns that the ‘AI chickens’ have ‘come home to roost’, transforming not just legal practice but the lawyer–client relationship itself
A High Court ruling involving the Longleat estate has exposed the fault line between modern family building and historic trust drafting. Writing in NLJ this week, Charlotte Coyle, director and family law expert at Freeths, examines Cator v Thynn [2026] EWHC 209 (Ch), where trustees sought approval to modernise trusts that retain pre-1970 definitions of ‘child’, ‘grandchild’ and ‘issue’
Fresh proposals to criminalise ‘nudification’ apps, prioritise cyberflashing and non-consensual intimate images, and even ban under-16s from social media have reignited debate over whether the Online Safety Act 2023 (OSA 2023) is fit for purpose. Writing in NLJ this week, Alexander Brown, head of technology, media and telecommunications, and Alexandra Webster, managing associate, Simmons & Simmons, caution against reactive law-making that could undermine the Act’s ‘risk-based and outcomes-focused’ design
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