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The Commercial Court has transitioned ‘smoothly’ from physical to remote hearings during lockdown, with ‘almost no backlog of work’, according to the minutes from the Commercial Group User Committee meeting on 15 June
The Bar Council and Law Society have given a cautious welcome to government investment of £142m in digital upgrades and maintenance for about 100 courts this year
The silk round for this year is going ahead despite the COVID-19 pandemic
Criminal barristers have voted against cutting jury trials and overwhelmingly in favour of converting more buildings into courts
Barristers suffering financially by the reduction in court work during the COVID-19 crisis have complained that cases are being adjourned unnecessarily
Tax breaks for lawtech could form part of a COVID-19 recovery package, the Law Society has said
The backlog of criminal cases could take a decade to clear, a report by HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI) has warned
A further seven courts have been cleared as safe for jury trials to resume
Pensions lawyers can expect a busy time ahead, journalist Stephanie Hawthorne writes in this week’s NLJ
Confused by the lockdown laws? You’re not alone. Writing in this week’s NLJ, Peter Thompson QC takes a tongue-in-cheek but informative look at COVID-19 rule
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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Taylor Rose—Jessica Draganescu & Emily Hewlett

Taylor Rose—Jessica Draganescu & Emily Hewlett

Firm strengthens growth strategy and group litigation capability with senior hires

Farrer & Co—Richard Lane

Farrer & Co—Richard Lane

Londstanding London firm appoints new senior partner

Bird & Bird—Sue McLean

Bird & Bird—Sue McLean

Commercial team in London welcomes technology specialist as partner

NEWS
The legal profession’s claim to be a ‘guardian of fairness’ is under scrutiny after stark findings on gender imbalance and opaque progression. Writing in NLJ this week, Joshua Purser of No5 Barristers’ Chambers and Govindi Deerasinghe of Global 50/50 warn that leadership remains dominated by a narrow elite, with men holding 71% of top court roles
A legal challenge to police disclosure rules has failed, reinforcing a push for transparency in policing. In NLJ this week, Neil Parpworth examines a case where the Metropolitan Police required officers to declare membership of groups like the Freemasons
Bereavement leave is undergoing a quiet but profound transformation. Writing in NLJ this week, Robert Hargreaves of York St John University explains how the Employment Rights Act 2025 introduces a day-one right to leave for a wider range of losses, alongside new provisions for pregnancy loss and bereaved partners
Courts are beginning to grapple with whether AI-generated material is legally privileged—and the answers are mixed. In this week's issue of NLJ, Stacie Bourton, Tom Whittaker & Beata Kolodziej of Burges Salmon examine US rulings showing how easily privilege can be lost
New guidance seeks to bring order to the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in expert evidence. Writing in NLJ this week, Minesh Tanna and David Bridge of Simmons & Simmons set out a framework stressing ‘transparency’, ‘explainability’ and ‘reliability’
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