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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

Haynes Boone—Chris Acton

Haynes Boone—Chris Acton

Chris Acton joins Haynes Boone as chair of UK derivatives platform

Clarke Willmott—Alexia Haines & Kelsey Wells

Clarke Willmott—Alexia Haines & Kelsey Wells

Clarke Willmott strengthens Birmingham private client team with double appointment

NLJ Career Profile: Hugo Plowman, Mishcon de Reya

NLJ Career Profile: Hugo Plowman, Mishcon de Reya

From global fraud cases to fishing off-grid, Mishcon de Reya’s chair of dispute resolution Hugo Plowman discusses mentors, management switching off

NEWS
Civil practitioners face changes spanning debt recovery, workplace harassment and possession claims, alongside guidance on insolvency challenges and children proceedings

Finding matrimonial wealth is as challenging as dividing it, as family disputes draw practitioners into asset tracing, offshore structures and insolvency

Agreement between opponents offers no guarantee that a court will approve a retrospective increase to a costs budget
Climate change belongs on every lawyer’s agenda, with risks extending far beyond environmental practice into commercial advice, litigation and access to justice
Workplace bullying and harassment can no longer be left solely to HR, as financial regulation scrutinises culture, character and fitness
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