THIS ISSUE
Are quotas an effective way of addressing gender imbalances in senior roles? Ranjit Dhindsa examines the law & weighs up the pros & cons
The film The Life Story of Charles Chaplin was poorly received by one man in particular, as David Hewitt explains
Law firms are changing how they charge for their services in response to client demand for lower costs and greater clarity, according to a LexisNexis UK investigative report, 'Calling time on the billable hour'.
Family courts in Cardiff, Leeds and Carlisle will open to reporters from this week under measures to increase transparency in the justice system.
MI5 acted unlawfully when handling and storing private data gathered by secret surveillance under the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 (IPA 2016, also known as the Snoopers’ Charter), a tribunal has held.
A US deputy general counsel who breached the embargo on disclosure of draft judgments has escaped contempt proceedings.
Mental wellbeing charity, LawCare has reported a ‘dramatic increase’ in calls from legal professionals with career concerns.
Legal news and analysis service Law360 Pulse has launched a UK edition.
More than a third (37%) of UK lawyers surveyed by Law360 Pulse, which launched its UK edition this week, say their work-life balance has worsened in the past year.
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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