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The lay of the land

31 January 2014 / Martin Dray
Issue: 7592 / Categories: Features , Property
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What does the year have in store for property law asks Martin Dray

“There are known knowns; there are things we know that we know. There are known unknowns; that is to say, there are things that we now know we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns—there are things we do not know we don't know.”

So said Donald Rumsfeld about weapons of mass destruction in 2002. Property law may be less controversial but for the large part it is no easier to predict. What will make the headlines in 2014? Here are some clues.

Known knowns

Here one is on the surest footing.

One 6 April will see the abolition of distress for rent. Effectively confined to commercial property for years now, a remedy favoured by landlords as a cheap and effective means of recovering rent arrears will be swept away when Pt 3 of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007—a long time in the gestation— is brought into force along with the Taking Control of Goods Regulations

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Hugh James—Phil Edwards

Hugh James—Phil Edwards

Serious injury teambolstered by high-profile partner hire

Freeths—Melanie Stancliffe

Freeths—Melanie Stancliffe

Firm strengthens employment team with partner hire

DAC Beachcroft—Tim Barr

DAC Beachcroft—Tim Barr

Lawyers’ liability practice strengthened with partner appointment in London

NEWS
Ceri Morgan, knowledge counsel at Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP, analyses the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in Johnson v FirstRand Bank Ltd, which reshapes the law of fiduciary relationships and common law bribery
The boundaries of media access in family law are scrutinised by Nicholas Dobson in NLJ this week
Reflecting on personal experience, Professor Graham Zellick KC, Senior Master of the Bench and former Reader of the Middle Temple, questions the unchecked power of parliamentary privilege
Geoff Dover, managing director at Heirloom Fair Legal, sets out a blueprint for ethical litigation funding in the wake of high-profile law firm collapses
James Grice, head of innovation and AI at Lawfront, explores how artificial intelligence is transforming the legal sector
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