THIS ISSUE
Sir Geoffrey Bindman QC writes in NLJ this week on human rights and the rule of law worldwide, finding some optimism as well as weaknesses and failures
Lawyers have been turning detective to investigate insurance fraud claims
‘In the open market, it is standard practice to grant to an incoming tenant a rent-free period for a minimum period of three months,’ Catherine Taskis QC and Anthony Tanney write in NLJ this week
Family law solicitor advocate David Burrows laments the opportunities missed in the Civil Justice Council’s recent report on compulsory ADR, in this week’s NLJ
Inquests can be high-profile, are conducted in a similar way to trials and are of fundamental importance to the families and friends of the deceased
Counterfeiters who run a sophisticated operation or risk significant harm will receive tougher sentences up to a maximum of ten years or an unlimited fine, under Sentencing Council guidelines
The Disclosure Pilot has been extended until 31 December 2022 to allow the amendments to ‘bed down’, following feedback from lawyers
Intellectual property (IP) officials in South Africa have made history by awarding a patent that names an artificial intelligence (AI) as the inventor
Barristers have warned of ‘serious shortcomings’ in Home Office plans to counter state threats
Testing laboratory AlphaBiolabs has chosen four charities for the first round of its Giving Back donations
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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