THIS ISSUE
In tort, quantifying the extent of financial loss is a complex task for the courts. In this week’s NLJ, Ian Gascoigne, dispute resolution solicitor at LexisNexis, looks at the role played by the judge in such a case, considering caselaw and the many factors that must be taken into account.
Litigation funding is evolving beyond single-case litigation, Maurice MacSweeney, director of legal finance & sales planning at Harbour, writes in this week’s NLJ.
Ten years after LASPO—what’s the damage? In his column in this week’s NLJ, Jon Robins, vice chair of the Legal Action Group, assesses the state of access to justice in England and Wales, and finds it wanting.
Could a legal claim for reparations for the transatlantic slave trade succeed? Thomas Roe KC of 3 Hare Court considers a range of possibilities and potential obstacles to such a claim, in this week’s NLJ.
A decade after the ruinous cuts brought about by LASPO 2012, what is the extent of the impact on the legal aid sector? Jon Robins surveys the wreckage
Clare Williams provides a practical guide to the court’s options for civil restraint orders in family practice
Private nuisance, from overlooking to knotweed: what is the remedy? Andrew Francis presents a property drama in five acts
How can the courts determine the extent of economic loss due to financial downturns in a tort claim? Ian Gascoigne discusses the challenges of striking the right balance
In the absence of a formal written agreement, how will the courts determine ‘reasonable notice’ for termination? Anna Lancy & Robert Strang consider the key factors
Michael Zander on how the Government’s U-turn was greeted by the House of Lords at the Report stage of the Bill
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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