THIS ISSUE
For those living with poverty, illness or addiction issues, the impact of the pandemic and resulting lockdowns was deeply damaging. The charities which provide a vital lifeline to those in need are now facing the hurdles of increased demand and reduced funding, despite their services being more important than ever.
Mastercard v Merricks—Henry Warwick QC & Jack Castle report on an important year for collective proceedings & representative actions
Richard Scorer & Kim Harrison examine the work done & challenges faced by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse
Nick Leigh reports on the occasional eyebrow-raising qualities of tax law
The Law Commission needs your help to decide what its next law reform projects should be, says chair Sir Nicholas Green
Late L&T notice change; appeal route in finance cases; case management disorder; on-road removal unlawful; summary judgment beats default.
Mark Pawlowski considers whether English law recognises property rights in a dead body or bodily parts
Public processions, public assemblies & extending police powers. Neil Parpworth discusses proposed changes to the provisions in the Public Order Act 1986
"This new area of law will not be temporary, nor will it get simpler. This is an invaluable practical guide."
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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