header-logo header-logo

17 March 2025
Issue: 8109 / Categories: Legal News , Profession , Rule of law
printer mail-detail

LLA2025: meet the winners

A leading expert’s five decades of expertise in industrial and discrimination law was among the winners at the 2025 LexisNexis Legal Awards

Michael Rubenstein (pictured centre), founder and editor of the Industrial Relations Law Reports since their inception in 1972, received the lifetime contribution award at the ceremony in London last week. Rubenstein’s work on this and other titles marks him out as a pioneer in legal publishing. He was also the key drafter of the European Commission’s Code of Practice on combating sexual harassment at work.

The accolade of legal personality of the year went to John Schorah, managing partner, Weightmans, whose achievements include a successful merger and launching the Leadership Academy and apprenticeship scheme. Schorah said: ‘I am so proud of our people and the hard work they have put in.’

Cripps took home the prize for law firm of the year, while New Park Court won the chambers category and Kone won in-house. The Halsbury Award for Rule of Law went to litigation funder Therium. See a full list here

Issue: 8109 / Categories: Legal News , Profession , Rule of law
printer mail-details

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
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
Recent allegations surrounding Peter Mandelson and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor have reignited scrutiny of the ancient common law offence of misconduct in public office. Writing in NLJ this week, Simon Parsons, teaching fellow at Bath Spa University, asks whether their conduct could clear a notoriously high legal hurdle
A landmark ruling has reshaped child clinical negligence claims. Writing in NLJ this week, Jodi Newton, head of birth and paediatric negligence at Osbornes Law, explains how the Supreme Court in CCC v Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust [2026] UKSC 5 has overturned Croke v Wiseman, ending the long-standing bar on children recovering ‘lost years’ earnings
A Court of Appeal ruling has drawn a firm line under party autonomy in arbitration. Writing in NLJ this week, Masood Ahmed, associate professor at the University of Leicester, analyses Gluck v Endzweig [2026] EWCA Civ 145, where a clause allowing arbitrators to amend an award ‘at any time’ was held incompatible with the Arbitration Act 1996
back-to-top-scroll