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From oligarchs to cosmetic clinics, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) target journalists, activists and ordinary citizens with intimidating legal tactics. Writing in NLJ this week, Sadie Whittam of Lancaster University explores the weaponisation of litigation to silence critics
Sadie Whittam considers the growing use of SLAPPs & the abuse of the litigation process
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has said a further five LIBOR convictions may be unsafe, following the Supreme Court appeals in July that quashed the 2015 convictions of former traders Tom Hayes and Carlo Palombo
Large companies and organisations risk hefty fines if their compliance procedures are not up to scratch, as of this week
The Leveson review proposes mandatory judge-alone trials in serious & complex fraud cases: Lloyd Firth argues this runs counter to the interests of justice
Writing in NLJ this week, Lloyd Firth of WilmerHale critiques Recommendation 44 of the Leveson Review, which proposes mandatory judge-alone trials for serious and complex fraud cases
The Supreme Court has quashed the Libor and Euribor convictions of bankers Tom Hayes and Carlo Palombo, on the basis the jury was misdirected
Jonathan Fisher KC was asked to lead an independent review into disclosure and fraud offences in the paper-heavy digital era, following the collapse of high-profile fraud prosecutions due to disclosure failings. In this week’s NLJ, Neil Swift, partner, Fred Kelly, senior associate, and Zainab Bhadelia, associate, Peters & Peters, present a thorough analysis and critique of Fisher KC’s findings and recommendations
It’s been a slow process, but anti-SLAPP legislation is finally on the statute book (although not yet in force). In this week’s NLJ, Michael Bundock, barrister, dispute resolution, Lexis+AI, explores the potential impact of the new measures, which are designed to stop legitimate comment being stifled by ‘strategic litigation against public participation’ (SLAPP)
Michael Bundock gives a muted welcome to the new rules
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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Cripps—Radius Law

Cripps—Radius Law

Commercial and technology practice boosted by team hire

Switalskis—Grimsby

Switalskis—Grimsby

Firm expands with new Grimsby office to serve North East Lincolnshire

Slater Heelis—Will Newman & Lucy Spilsbury

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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