THIS ISSUE
Alarming testimonies of sexual abuse suffered at school have surfaced on the internet and in various forums in recent months
Suspicious minds or stifling bureaucracy? Whatever the reasons for the Legal Aid Agency’s lack of trust in providers, the end result is often dire for those denied access to justice
In an update on the latest in employment law, Ian Smith, considers a raft of recent cases covering issues, some of which will be familiar to lawyers
How much is a goalkeeper worth? The answer can be difficult to work out, not least because clubs want to keep such matters confidential
Ministers have launched an eight-week call for evidence on the best ways to settle family, business and civil disputes outside the courtroom
Virtual hearings have been a good experience for most participants, according to Bar Standards Board (BSB) research into clients’ expectations and experience of barristers
Central government should set out what it needs from local government on climate change, a public lawyer has urged after the IPCC issued a dire warning
Hundreds of criminal solicitors and barristers are refusing to attend evening and weekend courts
The High Court has ordered the government to consult on its ‘unspent conviction rule’ for criminal injuries compensation
A third Extinction Rebellion protester has had her conviction overturned, following a Supreme Court ruling that obstruction of the highway is a valid protest
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
Copyright © 2026 LexisNexis
