THIS ISSUE
COVID laid the groundwork for mandatory arbitration for commercial leases: could it now be on the way for landlord & tenant disputes more broadly? Edward Peters KC & Kavish Shah set out the advantages
These are interesting times in mediation, with the courts due to reconsider Halsey (on whether judges can order parties to mediate) and the government poised to integrate commercial mediation in contested claims below £10,000 in the county courts
Is compulsory arbitration coming in landlord and tenant disputes? Edward Peters KC and Kavish Shah, barristers at Falcon Chambers, share their views in this week’s NLJ, as part of an ADR special focus
A confusing name has been chosen for the court office in Northampton, seasoned NLJ columnist & former District Judge Stephen Gold notes in this week’s Civil Way. Fortunately, Gold was not foxed—he knows his way around the civil justice system too well
Is it time for England and Wales to follow the examples of other jurisdictions and introduce mandatory alternative dispute resolution (ADR)? In this week’s NLJ, Thomas H Curran, managing partner at Curran Antonelli, part of the IR Global network, looks ahead to the changing landscape of dispute resolution
Dominic Regan makes some predictions on the future of ‘negotiated dispute resolution’, in this week’s NLJ, with the Court of Appeal due to reconsider Halsey (on whether judges can order parties to mediate) in the autumn
The Lord Chancellor and Home Secretary this week announced the launch of a ‘dedicated taskforce’ as part of ‘a clampdown on crooked lawyers who coach illegal immigrants to lie’
Legal professionals could face tougher financial penalties and heightened scrutiny, under plans put forward by super-regulator the Legal Services Board (LSB)
Welsh property and private client law solicitor Mark Evans has been elected deputy vice president of the Law Society
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has set up a scheme to provide free legal advice to families facing eviction or repossession
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Freeths—Ruth Clare
National real estate team bolstered by partner hire in Manchester
Farrer & Co—Claire Gordon
Partner appointed head of family team
mfg Solicitors—Neil Harrison
Firm strengthens agriculture and rural affairs team with partner return
NEWS
Conveyancing lawyers have enjoyed a rapid win after campaigning against UK Finance’s decision to charge for access to the Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has launched a recruitment drive for talented early career and more senior barristers and solicitors
Regulators differed in the clarity and consistency of their post-Mazur advice and guidance, according to an interim report by the Legal Services Board (LSB)
The Solicitors Act 1974 may still underpin legal regulation, but its age is increasingly showing. Writing in NLJ this week, Victoria Morrison-Hughes of the Association of Costs Lawyers argues that the Act is ‘out of step with modern consumer law’ and actively deters fairness
A Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) ruling has reopened debate on the availability of ‘user damages’ in competition claims. Writing in NLJ this week, Edward Nyman of Hausfeld explains how the CAT allowed Dr Liza Lovdahl Gormsen’s alternative damages case against Meta to proceed, rejecting arguments that such damages are barred in competition law
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