Legal News

Justice is slow, with small claims taking a year to reach court (51.9 weeks), the latest Ministry of Justice (MoJ) civil justice statistics show.

The Law Society of England and Wales, the Bar Council of England and Wales and the Bar Council of India have signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen cooperation and legal exchange in light of the opening up of India’s legal services sector to foreign lawyers.

Some 92% of lawyers gained trust in tech during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Legal Services Board (LSB) has reported.

The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Crypto and Digital Assets Group has published a report calling for urgent regulation of the cryptocurrency and digital asset industry in the UK following its official inquiry into the sector.

HM Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS) has published an article discussing the benefits of international collaboration on modernising criminal justice systems as the HMCTS Reform Programme reaches its final stages of completion. 

The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) has announced that a webinar on the UK’s intention to ratify the United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation (Singapore Convention) will take place at 10 am on 21 June 2023. 

Corporate lawyers should not fear the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), writes Ziad Mantoura, solicitor and senior vice president at alternative legal service provider Epiq, in this week’s NLJ. 

In this week’s NLJ, Caroline Bowden, consultant at Anthony Gold, is cautiously optimistic about a Ministry of Justice (MoJ) consultation on the earlier resolution of private family law arrangements for children, finances and housing. The aim is to keep family disputes out of court where possible, an aspiration approved of by family lawyers.

Could Starmer, Davey or Sunak (or whoever becomes the next prime minister) rescue the legal aid system? In this week’s NLJ, columnist Roger Smith looks back to the Cameron-Osborne years of austerity, before examining potential routes back to functionality.

India has opened its legal market to foreign firms. What opportunities have arisen as a result, and what restrictions apply? In this week’s NLJ, Rupa Lakha, partner, and Neeva Desai, trainee solicitor, at Charles Russell Speechlys, take a look at the significant potential for both Indian and foreign law firms.