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NLJ this week: Costs, Horizon and careless talk by judges

25 February 2022
Issue: 7968 / Categories: Legal News , Constitutional law , Profession
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NLJ columnist Professor Dominic Regan looks into his crystal ball this week, predicting a timescale for fixed costs reforms as well as recounting an unfortunate disclosure by a judge

He points out sub-£25,000 claims against private healthcare are captured, which will have a ‘significant’ impact since ‘claims against aesthetic clinics are rife and much dental work today is outside the NHS’. And while the government maintains claimant compensation will not suffer, Regan says he knows some major firms have already decided to abandon such cases.

He also recounts a further twist in the ‘murky’ Post Office Horizon scandal, involving a former senior judge. See p7.

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
Tech companies will be legally required to prevent material that encourages or assists serious self-harm appearing on their platforms, under Online Safety Act 2023 regulations due to come into force in the autumn
Commercial leasehold, the defence of insanity and ‘consent’ in the criminal law are among the next tranche of projects for the Law Commission
The Bar has a culture of ‘impunity’ and ‘collusive bystanding’ in which making a complaint is deemed career-ending due to a ‘cohort of untouchables’ at the top, Baroness Harriet Harman KC has found
Lawyers have broadly welcomed plans to electronically tag up to 22,000 more offenders, scrap most prison terms below a year and make prisoners ‘earn’ early release
David Lammy, Ellie Reeves and Baroness Levitt have taken up office at the Ministry of Justice, following the cabinet reshuffle
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