THIS ISSUE
Belonging to a boutique—all about balance or a bigger shift? Maurice Allen explains why boutiques are an increasingly attractive option for the next generation of talent
Michael Brown & Harriet Campbell consider the future form for class actions in the UK
Writing in NLJ this week, Lucy Blake, Joanna Ludlam, Will Jones and Karam Jardaneh of Jenner & Block unpack the far-reaching implications of the UK’s Online Safety Act 2023
Graham Zellick KC questions a decision of the European Court of Human Rights on religious freedom
Sarah Moore & Harry Wilkinson shed light on the underutilised ‘black box’ of product liability claims
In this week's NLJ, Sarah Moore and Harry Wilkinson of Leigh Day spotlight the untapped evidentiary power of explanted medical devices in product liability claims
Unregulated sperm donation is turning the dream of parenthood into a legal and medical minefield, Aysel Akhundova of Dawson Cornwell warns in NLJ this week
Unregulated practice risks turning the dream of parenthood into a legal nightmare: Aysel Akhundova sets out the far-reaching & costly consequences
Possessed or contingent, war risk or all-risk? Helen Biggin examines the fallout from the Russian aviation insurance claims
Family law is shifting towards a calmer & more constructive approach to solving conflicts, writes Jennifer Headon
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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