THIS ISSUE
‘Show me someone who says they have never lied and I’ll show you a liar,’ writes John Gould, senior partner, Russell Cooke, in NLJ this week
Property buyers may be overpaying millions of pounds of stamp duty land tax (SDLT) each year, tax specialists Cornerstone has warned
The stresses and strains of lockdown appear to have provoked a surge in couples wanting to separate, Linda Lamb, solicitor and director of LSL Family Law, writes in NLJ this week
Firm appoints new associate
White v White was a landmark in divorce law, ushering in a more equal playing field for couples where one spouse works and the other stays home
Athelstane Aamodt reflects on ‘originalist’ Amy Coney Barrett’s appointment to the US Supreme Court
Got a post-verdict…what next?: Cathál MacPartholán provides judicial review advice for junior crime counsel in the magistrates’ court
John Gould considers the characteristics which should mark outside conduct as professional misconduct
Anthony Tanney & Catherine Taskis assess some of the broader questions regarding frustration of leases & examine where the law might go next
Two decades on from White v White, Abby Buckland questions how much progress has been made in gender equality
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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