THIS ISSUE
What does this term of Parliament have in store?
The shocking, lurid reporting of British backpacker Grace Millane’s murder trial serves as a reminder that the ‘rough sex’ defence continues to be used to trivialise violence against women and deny victims justice.
Lady Hale retires from the Supreme Court this month, leaving a trove of case law with ‘massive breadth’, writes family lawyer & NLJ columnist David Burrows in this week’s NLJ
Irrelevant details about a victim’s sexual history are not a defence to murder or assault, says Claire Christopholus
The Law Commission has launched its proposals for reform of leasehold, which it claims could potentially save homeowners millions of pounds
Nottingham Law School has won a contract to provide solicitor apprenticeships to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS)
David Cooper breaks down the costs ruling in Monex
Malicious prosecution of civil claims—a difficult claim to pursue. Kathryn Garbett & Mehmet Karagoz report
With a new Government sworn in, Michael Zander provides an update on what has changed from the No 1 Bill
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Cripps—Radius Law
Commercial and technology practice boosted by team hire
Switalskis—Grimsby
Firm expands with new Grimsby office to serve North East Lincolnshire
Slater Heelis—Will Newman & Lucy Spilsbury
Property team boosted by two solicitor appointments
NEWS
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
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
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
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
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