THIS ISSUE
Theo Huckle QC, Nick Brown and Frederick Powell
Geoffrey Bindman reflects on the future for remote justice after the pandemic
Judges suffering eyestrain, headaches and tiredness from hours in front of a screen is one ‘unanticipated’ disadvantage of the remote access family court, Sir Alistair MacDonald has revealed
The Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) is seeking approval for a revised accounts code that authorises the use of third-party managed accounts (TPMAs) and makes it easier to deal with aged balances up to £50
COVID-19 cleanliness concerns
HM Courts & Tribunals Service has published an organisational risk assessment and assessment tool to help it regularly review the safety of its buildings
There will be many ‘forgotten victims’ of the COVID-19 pandemic in need of compensation, Doughty Street Chambers’ barristers have said
Local authorities have the power to arrange routine vaccinations for healthy children in their care despite the parents’ opposition, the Court of Appeal has held
LexisNexis is offering charities gratis access as part of its commitment to the rule of law
With the end of June deadline on the horizon & COVID-19 dominating national agendas, the EU & UK must soon decide on whether to extend the transition period or not…David Greene reports
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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