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24 April 2015 / Roger Smith
Issue: 7649 / Categories: Opinion
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The end of the line?

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Adjusting to the legal aid cuts might be the new normal, says Roger Smith

The bulk of the cuts to legal aid are likely to remain. Public opposition to these outrageous reductions in the entitlement of the poorest in society must continue. However, privately, there are signs of adaptation to what is likely to be the “new normal”.

Labour: look away

The Labour Party manifesto at least contains some hopeful words: “We will make sure that access to legal representation, a cornerstone of our democracy, is not determined by personal wealth but remains available to all that need it.” But, if you thought that this meant a commitment to reinstate legal aid for poverty or family law, think again. Labour would widen the test for domestic violence and rescind the hike in employment tribunal fees. It also expressly commits itself to the Human Rights Act which at least protects criminal and some civil legal aid provision. Sadiq Khan, Labour’s shadow Lord Chancellor, spelt out detail to The Guardian (2 March) uncompromisingly headlined “Labour

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

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Bellevue Law—Lianne Craig

Bellevue Law—Lianne Craig

Workplace law firm expands commercial disputes team with senior consultant hire

EIP—Rob Barker

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IP firm promotes patent attorney to partner

Muckle LLP—Ryan Butler

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Banking and restructuring team bolstered by insolvency specialist

NEWS
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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
NLJ this week: Old rules, fresh warnings in employment law
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
NLJ this week: The rise of the ‘ChatGPT client’ rattles the profession
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
NLJ this week: Surrogacy children caught in succession gap
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’
NLJ this week: Online safety law at a crossroads
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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