THIS ISSUE
Tony Allen, solicitor and CEDR Chambers mediator, continues his series of articles on whether mediation can be compulsorily ordered, in this week’s NLJ
Mark Pawlowski, barrister and professor at School of Law, University of Greenwich, sets out what and what not to do if you want to win a moot, in this week’s NLJ. Keep it ‘simple and intelligible’, he cautions
Could the government have used the pandemic as cover for attacks on trial by jury or even the criminal justice system as a whole?
Seconds out over statements; B&PC disclosure lite; Landlords at the double; Insolvency PD; Land Registry fees up
The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) could take legal action against the government over changes to its pension scheme, which it says will make firefighters pay the cost of age discrimination introduced by the government into the scheme
Lawyers have welcomed the opening of the second ‘super courtroom’ for criminal cases
Law firm BLM has launched a subscription-based legal support service, which offers clients an alternative way to buy legal services
Barristers from ethnic minority backgrounds find it harder to secure pupillage and face systemic obstacles throughout their career, according to a report by the Bar Council’s Race Working Group
Provision of s 20 accommodation under the Children Act 1989 does not automatically give a local authority a general duty of care, the High Court has confirmed
The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) blocked three people who were sleeping rough from challenging deportation orders, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) has found
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
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
Recent allegations surrounding Peter Mandelson and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor have reignited scrutiny of the ancient common law offence of misconduct in public office. Writing in NLJ this week, Simon Parsons, teaching fellow at Bath Spa University, asks whether their conduct could clear a notoriously high legal hurdle
A landmark ruling has reshaped child clinical negligence claims. Writing in NLJ this week, Jodi Newton, head of birth and paediatric negligence at Osbornes Law, explains how the Supreme Court in CCC v Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust [2026] UKSC 5 has overturned Croke v Wiseman, ending the long-standing bar on children recovering ‘lost years’ earnings
A Court of Appeal ruling has drawn a firm line under party autonomy in arbitration. Writing in NLJ this week, Masood Ahmed, associate professor at the University of Leicester, analyses Gluck v Endzweig [2026] EWCA Civ 145, where a clause allowing arbitrators to amend an award ‘at any time’ was held incompatible with the Arbitration Act 1996
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