THIS ISSUE
Who polices the police and should they be given immunity from suit? Barrister and journalist Veronica Cowan poses this question in NLJ this week.
Former district judge and keen legal archaeologist Stephen Gold has unearthed more treasure from the NLJ archives. This week he takes us back to 1935, when stipes and county court judges are told to retire in their 70s but High Court judges can go on forever.
Proposals for the Law Commission to review the laws governing appeals for criminal cases come under the scrutiny of Michael Zander KC, in this week’s NLJ.
Michael Zander suggests that argument over tweaking of the statutory tests is a waste of everyone’s time
The workplace has changed, and we’ve been though the gruelling years of a pandemic—many lawyers are now seeking to leave the profession altogether. In this week’s NLJ, LawCare Chief Executive Elizabeth Rimmer shares her insights on navigating an uncertain world.
David Burrows reflects on the state of family law & considers the chances of alignment of the Family Procedure Rules 2010 with the Civil Procedure Rules 1998
Charles Pigott explores the ‘reason why’ question in discrimination and whistleblowing cases
Elizabeth Rimmer discusses how to find your feet (again) in a post-pandemic legal world
Dr Wendy Laws provides an invaluable guide to interpreting negligence cases
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
Copyright © 2026 LexisNexis
