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23 October 2026 / Stephen Gold
Issue: 8182 / Categories: Features , Procedure & practice , Civil way , Child law , Landlord&tenant
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Civil way: 23 October 2026

Debt protocol change; Sexual workplace harassment; When to get out of bed; Court of Appeal meets Pathfinder; Digital possessions—for some!

E BY GUM: DEBT

The pre-action protocol for debt claims has been amended as from 1 October 2026. In addition to the creditor sending their letter of claim to the debtor by post (thereby ensuring it will not be delivered until after its deadlines have expired), they must now send them a copy to any personal email address they have for them. If none, but they do have other personal electronic contact details, a copy should go to at least one of the other methods of communication. Hitherto, a copy to an email address (not necessarily personal) was discretionary.


ALL RETURNS

It’s back. Amendments to the Equality Act 2010 (EqA 2010) placed employers under a protective duty to prevent sexual harassment of employees in the course of their employment by taking ‘reasonable steps’. This was diluted from ‘all reasonable steps’ after pressure from the Lords (see ‘Civil way’,

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Carter-Ruck—Tomas Vail

Carter-Ruck—Tomas Vail

Carter-Ruck strengthens International team with appointment of arbitration partner Tomas Vail

Slater Heelis—Nick Terry

Slater Heelis—Nick Terry

Slater Heelis strengthens crime and regulatory team with appointment of Nick Terry as partner

Payne Hicks Beach—Thomas Moran & Sarah Gogan

Payne Hicks Beach—Thomas Moran & Sarah Gogan

Payne Hicks Beach strengthens private wealth offering with appointment of two new partners

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
An indemnity costs battle with a £20m gap could reopen an important question: what weight should an approved budget carry?
The Environment Agency can prosecute offences beyond environmental legislation where proceedings support its statutory functions, the Divisional Court has confirmed
Should a conviction stand when a later ruling reveals that the law underpinning it was wrong? The answer exposes a clash between finality and justice
Witness evidence can be compromised by AI before a solicitor sees the draft, leaving safeguards focused on authorship incomplete
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