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26 April 2012 / Ann Collier , Tamsin Kennie
Issue: 7511 / Categories: Features , Training & education , Profession
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Total immersion

Ann Collier & Tamsin Kennie explain the benefits & challenges behind “real time” learning

Knowing that on-the-spot investigations by regulators are an increasing concern for corporate clients, SJ Berwin teamed up with the Pacifico Partnership, an innovative legal training company, last year to develop an experiential learning programme to help us prepare our lawyers to be ready for action when a client faces a dawn raid scenario. Applying the types of training more commonly used by emergency services incident response teams, together we developed a simulation exercise to “immerse” participants in a real time dawn raid crisis and give them an opportunity to rehearse their response in a challenging but supportive learning environment.

Preparation

Phone calls from the “client” were scripted and filmed, as well as door-step interviews with TV reporters and clips showing the raid happening at the “client’s” offices that had ostensibly been uploaded onto YouTube by an employee. By way of additional preparation, entries were made on SJ Berwin’s client contact database, conflicts checks were carried out for the

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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
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
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