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
JOYS to the world (of administrative law): Nicholas Dobson praises the invaluable guidance provided by The Judge Over Your Shoulder
The best things in life cannot always be free: Nicholas Dobson dives into the ruling on a controversial fee uplift at the Hampstead Heath swimming ponds
Nicholas Dobson examines the courts’ treatment of recent pilot schemes requiring voter identification in local elections
Nicholas Dobson reports on the burning issue of privacy for those under criminal investigation & freedom of expression for those reporting on it
Shakespearean lawyers, Kiss me Kate & Vladimir Putin: Nicholas Dobson considers whether the human condition is any different 400 years on
Nicholas Dobson reviews the recent challenge to the appointment of Dido Harding as chair of Test & Trace
Gender identity in the spotlight: Nicholas Dobson analyses the Supreme Court’s reasoning in Elan-Cane
Nicholas Dobson reflects on lessons learnt from the Harry Miller case & discusses the perception-based recording of non-crime hate incidents
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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