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10 January 2014 / Caroline Field
Issue: 7589 / Categories: Features , Litigation trends
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2014 horror-scope?

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Caroline Field predicts some of the litigation challenges for the year ahead

If you have a taste for the uncertain, this is the year for you. You’re going to be faced with new challenges. Keep on your toes. Opponents may seek to take advantage. When addressing budgeting issues, two heads may be better than one. Consider bringing in a neutral third party to bang heads together. It may help to avoid an unexpected bill.

Most litigation lawyers say they don’t need a crystal ball to foresee the ongoing effects of the Jackson Reforms. With the recent poll carried out by the London Solicitors Litigation Association (LSLA) and NLJ predicting that there will be no improvement in access to justice (an express aim of the reforms) and an adverse affect on costs, the outlook for 2014 may seem gloomy. Is it all bad?

Court of Appeal guidance creates havoc

Jackson sought to address “the damage delay and non-compliance was inflicting on the civil justice system”. Some practitioners hoped for stricter application of the civil procedure

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Fieldfisher—Will Sharp

Fieldfisher—Will Sharp

Fieldfisher boosts structured finance practice with appointment of Will Sharp

gunnercooke—Thomas Bjorn & Peter Rudd-Clarke

gunnercooke—Thomas Bjorn & Peter Rudd-Clarke

gunnercooke grows its life sciences team with new partner hires

Leonard Curtis Legal—Mark Maguire & Kane Jones

Leonard Curtis Legal—Mark Maguire & Kane Jones

Leonard Curtis Legal expands corporate team with twonew appointments

NEWS
The Attorney General, Ellie Reeves KC MP, and Solicitor General, Andy Slaughter KC MP, marked the 25th anniversary of Pro Bono Week by joining lawyers, charities, students and parliamentarians at events celebrating voluntary legal work
Witness evidence can be compromised by AI before a solicitor sees the draft, leaving safeguards focused on authorship incomplete
Possession claims are entering a new digital era, with procedural traps awaiting practitioners who assume familiar rules still govern every step
The Environment Agency can prosecute offences beyond environmental legislation where proceedings support its statutory functions, the Divisional Court has confirmed
A polished legal defence may owe more to artificial intelligence than legal merit—and creditors risk paying the price in delay and expense
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