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
Exactly how thick-skinned do local politicians need to be? Nicholas Dobson looks at recent case law
Nicholas Dobson surveys recent case law on the redaction of civil servants’ names
Nicholas Dobson considers the debate on the extension of the duty of care to patients’ relatives
Nicholas Dobson expertly dissects the allocation of financial responsibility for aftercare in a recent case
Nicholas Dobson reviews a recent case involving wrongdoing during a one-week work experience stint
Nicholas Dobson gets up to speed on statutory nuisance
Where is the line between the right to freedom of religion & the lawful expression of that right? Nicholas Dobson examines a complex question for the Employment Appeal Tribunal
Should a charity’s entire premises attract business rate relief, or just those that benefit the public directly? Nicholas Dobson examines a recent case
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Cripps—Radius Law
Commercial and technology practice boosted by team hire
Switalskis—Grimsby
Firm expands with new Grimsby office to serve North East Lincolnshire
Slater Heelis—Will Newman & Lucy Spilsbury
Property team boosted by two solicitor appointments
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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