THIS ISSUE
If an expert charges more than the Legal Aid Agency’s fee cap, who covers the shortfall? Dr Chris Pamplin reports
Lawyers remain fully accountable for AI-generated content in court documents, warn Masood Ahmed of the University of Leicester and Lal Akhter of Docket Live in this week's issue of NLJ
In this week's issue of NLJ, Nicola McKinney of Quillon Law explores the fine line between material and immaterial non-disclosure in ex parte applications
Economic uncertainty, court delays, dwindling legal aid & rising costs are all aiding the recent rise in the number of financial disputes in divorce cases, writes James Maguire
The High Court has lifted a two-year super-injunction concealing the leak of a Ministry of Defence (MoD) list of more than 18,000 Afghan nationals who assisted British forces against the Taliban
The Law Commission has proposed reforms to the rules of chancel repair obligations—a duty on homeowners which adds millions to conveyancing costs each year
The Intellectual Property Office (IPO) is considering introducing a special licensing track and specialist pre-action protocols for standard essential patents (SEPs)
Adam Carruthers and Daniel Graham have been sentenced to four years and three months for felling the 150-year-old sycamore tree by Hadrian’s Wall, in the UK’s first custodial case for illegal tree felling
Unbundled legal services are rising in popularity, according to Legal Services Consumer Panel research
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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