THIS ISSUE
More than half of legal and compliance leaders are concerned about cybersecurity risks emerging during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a survey by global IT specialists Gartner
The grim news that more than 4,000 arrests for domestic abuse have been made in London alone in the past six weeks has increased calls for victims to be given more help
Costs lawyers have produced guidance on assessing costs for remote hearings, with the support of the regional costs bench
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is to formally split from the Law Society in order to comply with Legal Services Board governance rules due to take effect in July
Firm expands team with new corporate partner
Lawyers should welcome Sir Keir Starmer’s appointment as Leader of HM Opposition, solicitor Patrick Allen writes in NLJ.
Dominic Regan presents a Zoomer’s dozen for a polished videoconferencing performance
The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb), the world’s leading qualifications and professional body for the promotion of alternative dispute resolution, is pleased to announce the appointment of Catherine Dixon as Director General with effect from 1 May 2020. Catherine will succeed Anthony Abrahams who has retired following 8 years in post.
Embracing remote access to the courts will see us all benefit, says Philip Barden
The Sentencing Council consultation on what its future priorities and objectives should be is now open until 9 September
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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