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Civil way: 27 June 2025

CFO not so special; whiplash pain; abusive legal aid; NDA reform

LAW BITES

Have mercy They’ve done it again. The Court Funds Office’s (CFO’s) special account rate has predictably dropped in response to the last Bank of England’s base rate reduction, from 4.50% to 4.25% as from 30 May 2025. Revise interest calculations for personal injury specials accordingly. The NLJ scissors remain mislaid and so you might take a look at ‘Civil way’, NLJ, 17 January 2025, p15. Should CFO special account invested funds be transferred over to an outside investment by the litigation friend, subject to court agreement? It is unlikely that a fixed-term ISA would currently yield a better rate of return. A fixed-term non-ISA might do so.

Whiplash cash Over six months after the outcome of the Lord Chancellor’s statutory review of the whiplash reforms was announced (see ‘Civil way’, 174 NLJ 8098, p15), there is legislation which gives effect to her conclusions. To the chagrin of the personal injury claimant

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Bellevue Law—Lianne Craig

Bellevue Law—Lianne Craig

Workplace law firm expands commercial disputes team with senior consultant hire

EIP—Rob Barker

EIP—Rob Barker

IP firm promotes patent attorney to partner

Muckle LLP—Ryan Butler

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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