THIS ISSUE
NLJ columnist Jon Robins takes a look in this week’s issue at the recent Justice Committee report, 'Open justice: court reporting in the digital age', which revealed troubling truths about accountability and transparency in the justice system.
How high a hurdle must be cleared before a court will grant indemnity costs on the basis of unreasonable conduct? Writing in this week’s NLJ, Masood Ahmed, University of Leicester and Lal Akhter, Med Chambers, Leicester, tackle this important question.
In the first of a two-part NLJ series on fact-finding hearings, Sarah Hughes, partner, and Victoria Rylatt, senior associate, Anthony Gold, look at some of this year’s key cases. These cases have grappled with difficult issues but provide extremely useful guidance, the authors write.
With economic storm clouds brewing, lawyers need to identify where they are exposed and how best to mitigate any weak spots.
With his front-row seat to the latest announcement on fixed costs, Professor Dominic Regan is well-placed to forecast what comes next, in this week’s NLJ.
Jon Robins charts the demise of media reporting from the courts & the impact on transparency in the justice system
Dominic Regan sees February and October in the fixed costs tea leaves, predicts Belsnerphobia in Wolverhampton, and shares the joy of swag
Sarah Hughes & Victoria Rylatt set out recent case law on fact-finding hearings in private children proceedings
How to tell who is telling the truth? Theo Huckle KC sets out some valuable guidance from the courts on assessing a witness’s honesty
Portal welcomes counsel; charity relaxations; Wales wins in extra time; Mostyn J overcomes authority; Parliament tough on CPR.
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
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