THIS ISSUE
It’s been three years since French police infiltrated EncroChat, an encrypted messaging service allegedly used by organised criminal groups across the UK and Europe. In this week’s NLJ, criminal barrister Thomas Schofield, of No5 Chambers, looks at the prosecutorial challenges that have arisen since
Fred Philpott reports on a rare but significant victory for timeshare companies under the cosh in the Spanish heat
Coronations and royal weddings, attended by important dignitaries from around the world, require massive security. However, those arrests must be lawful, writes Neil Parpworth, lecturer in law at Leicester De Montfort Law School, in this week’s NLJ
Former US President Donald Trump has been in court this week but can he be stopped from running for a second term? In this week’s NLJ, Athelstane Aamodt, group legal advisor, Associated Newspapers, looks at potential constraints on the White House hopeful
The eagerly-awaited Supreme Court decision of Agnew is the main subject of Ian Smith’s Employment law brief, in this week’s NLJ
Public procurement is changing, following the passing into law of the Procurement Act 2023
Two pro bono charities have launched the UK’s first pro bono litigation support service, Pro Bono Expert Support (PBES), as the profession marked Pro Bono Week (6-10 November)
Letter to the editor
Lawyers have given a cautious welcome to the inclusion in the King’s Speech of legislation to help leaseholders, with some warning reform will be complex and difficult while others predict little will change
Leigh, Day announced this week it is launching a claim against the Ministry of Defence on behalf of serving members of the armed forces who may have been overcharged for accommodation
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Cripps—Radius Law
Commercial and technology practice boosted by team hire
Switalskis—Grimsby
Firm expands with new Grimsby office to serve North East Lincolnshire
Slater Heelis—Will Newman & Lucy Spilsbury
Property team boosted by two solicitor appointments
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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