THIS ISSUE
The court has confirmed that states cannot rely on arguments of immunity to oppose the registration of ICSID awards: Neil Newing & Pietro Grassi examine the wider message for contracting states
When the wheels are threatening to come off in negotiations, what can the mediator do? Stephen Shaw offers some top tips for getting things back on track
Is your firm ready for AI-powered self-service & a prompt revolution? Paul Walker runs through the coming developments in generative AI & how law firms can make the best of them
Thatchers Cider has won its trademark infringement appeal against supermarket Aldi after the supermarket introduced a cheaper version of the popular drink
Pathfinder or ‘problem-solving’ courts should be rolled out across England and Wales to help meet the government’s aim of halving violence against women and girls (VAWG) within a decade, Bar chair Barbara Mills KC has urged.
The UK’s lawyers and other professionals will now find it easier to work in Switzerland, and vice versa, thanks to an agreement between the two countries.
MPs have relaunched their inquiry into the county court, which is beset with delays and resources scarcity.
More than three-quarters (78%) of UK adults who have used a solicitor in the past five years had a positive experience, according to Law Society research.
An accreditation funding deal for immigration and asylum solicitors has been extended until the end of this 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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