THIS ISSUE
E-sports is the next frontier in sports law, an industry worth US$1.5bn in the US and growing, write Hailsham Chambers barrister Theo Barclay & RISQ financial analyst Harry Burley in this week’s NLJ
Matthew Kay highlights the opportunities presented by the ‘new normal’ of the post-lockdown legal landscape
In celebrating his legal hero, Geoffrey Bindman highlights the importance of jury trials
Georgina Squire reflects on the judicial evolution in the approach to the Arkin cap & the rise of start-ups
Hannah Williams & Samantha Ball look at the potential criminal offences that could be charged in respect of the deliberate or reckless transmission of the COVID-19 virus
Nicholas Dobson reports on housing deception & the public sector equality duty
Theo Barclay & Harry Burley report on the next frontier for sports litigation
Cecily Crampin & Tricia Hemans investigate reviving disclaimed property
Jon Robins highlights the clashes between government & ‘activist lawyers’ over the treatment of migrants
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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