THIS ISSUE
Philip Henson presents a cut out & keep guide to the new Parliamentary Session
(Royal) Snippets from The Reduced Law Dictionary, by Roderick Ramage
Caroline Field explains why delaying agreement of undertakings doesn’t pay…& may cost
Law firms have collaborated to help develop and launch the Black Equity Organisation (BEO), an independent civil rights group to advance justice and equity for Black people in the UK
The government is pushing ahead with its plans to modernise lasting powers of attorney (LPA), including allowing people to make an LPA completely online for the first time
Lawyers are invited to take part in CPD-accredited training with the Sycamore Trust Autism Training Services
More than one in five employers intend to insist employees are vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of employment, a YouGov survey commissioned by Acas has found
Criminal law solicitors joined their colleagues at the Bar this week by taking action in protest at low legal aid fees
Solicitors found to have fallen short of professional standards will be fined in relation to their firm’s turnover and financial means, under Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) plans
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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