THIS ISSUE
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On 31 July, as the coronavirus pandemic continued its destructive journey, SAGE (the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies) warned of the risk that public disorder could make the management of COVID-19 ‘all but impossible’
‘The growth of surrogacy arrangements has increased dramatically over recent years, with the oldest recorded surrogate being aged 61 who gave birth to her own grandchild,’ writes Fiona Lyon, partner, Anthony Gold, in this week’s NLJ
Calls for action on ethnicity pay reporting are growing, writes Charles Pigott, professional support lawyer at Mills & Reeve, in this week’s NLJ
‘Three days before lift-off’, the Lord Chancellor extended the stay on possession proceedings until 20 September, columnist Stephen Gold writes in this week’s Civil Way.
The Justice First Fellowship scheme has funded 88 training posts for solicitors and barristers since 2014 and is currently offering trainee posts at 19 social justice organisations across the UK
Possession stay by a majority; Possession notices upped to six months; Contempt smartened up; Revising your budget
Paths to social justice law: Fiona Bawdon explains why Justice First Fellows sign up to change the world
In the light of the latest failed appeal against the conviction of Gordon Park for his wife’s murder, Jon Robins reviews the evidence
Fiona Lyon discusses the legal & practical steps for modern families in surrogacy arrangements
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Bellevue Law—Lianne Craig
Workplace law firm expands commercial disputes team with senior consultant hire
EIP—Rob Barker
IP firm promotes patent attorney to partner
Muckle LLP—Ryan Butler
Banking and restructuring team bolstered by insolvency specialist
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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