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Civil way: 17 May 2019

16 May 2019
Issue: 7840 / Categories: Features , Procedure & practice , Civil way
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Cut to the chase; thou shalt go CE; interesting mismatch; landlords still lamenting

PLEADING AWFUL

Net of cover pages, indices and appendices, the amended particulars of claim ran to 63 pages, the amended defence and counterclaim to 75 pages, the amended reply and defence to counterclaim to 76 pages and the draft amended defence and counterclaim to 91 pages. Longer than they should have been. That was the verdict of Pepperall J in Essex County Council v UBB Waste (Essex) (Ltd [2019] EWHC 819 (TCC) (judgment 19 pages) on an application for permission to reamend the defence and counterclaim. Prolixity risked losing sight of the purpose of statements of case. The usual expectation was that parties should be able to plead their cases in no more than 25 pages. CPD PD16 para 1.4 provided that if ‘exceptionally’ a statement of case exceeded 25 pages, an appropriate short summary should also be filed and served. The Commercial Court Guide drew attention to the usual limit and required parties to seek permission before filing a

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Birketts—trainee cohort

Birketts—trainee cohort

Firm welcomes new cohort of 29 trainee solicitors for 2025

Keoghs—four appointments

Keoghs—four appointments

Four partner hires expand legal expertise in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Real estate team in Yorkshire welcomes new partner

NEWS
Robert Taylor of 360 Law Services warns in this week's NLJ that adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) risks entrenching disadvantage for SME law firms, unless tools are tailored to their needs
From oligarchs to cosmetic clinics, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) target journalists, activists and ordinary citizens with intimidating legal tactics. Writing in NLJ this week, Sadie Whittam of Lancaster University explores the weaponisation of litigation to silence critics
Delays and dysfunction continue to mount in the county court, as revealed in a scathing Justice Committee report and under discussion this week by NLJ columnist Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School. Bulk claims—especially from private parking firms—are overwhelming the system, with 8,000 cases filed weekly
Writing in NLJ this week, Thomas Rothwell and Kavish Shah of Falcon Chambers unpack the surprise inclusion of a ban on upwards-only rent reviews in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
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