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28 July 2023 / Stephen Gold
Issue: 8035 / Categories: Features , Procedure & practice , Civil way , CPR
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Civil way: 28 July 2023

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Cross-examiner crisis; new possession help; interest on costs; bank liability for fraud.

ABOUT TURN

Need a few bob? Frequent and widespread difficulties are being encountered in finding advocates to act as qualified legal representatives (QLRs) to cross-examine vulnerable witnesses under ss 65–66 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (see ‘Civil way’, 172 NLJ 7985, p15). We know because the president of the family division has reported on this serious state of affairs. In this month’s View from the President’s Chambers, he suggests that if there are no takers within 28 days, the court should list the case for directions and direct that some summary information is provided by HMCTS about the difficulties that have been encountered. FPR PD 3AB, para 8.1(b) permits termination of a QLR appointment. Giving consideration to termination, he says, will provide a further opportunity to canvas any other options such as directly instructing an advocate. Notwithstanding the guidance that the court should not itself conduct the cross-examination, this did not trump the overriding objective

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

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Sponsored by
Winckworth Sherwood—Charlotte Coleman & Qaisar Sheikh

Winckworth Sherwood—Charlotte Coleman & Qaisar Sheikh

Two promoted to partner in property litigation and education teams

Dorsey & Whitney LLP—Peter Knust

Dorsey & Whitney LLP—Peter Knust

Cross-border finance and restructuring specialist joins as of counsel in London

Powell Gilbert—Callum Beamish-Lacey

Powell Gilbert—Callum Beamish-Lacey

IP firm promotes litigator to partnership

NEWS
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NLJ this week: Mazur and more—inside the litigation frontline

From blockbuster judgments to procedural shake-ups, the courts are busy reshaping litigation practice. Writing in NLJ this week, Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School hails the Court of Appeal's 'exquisite judgment’ in Mazur restoring the role of supervised non-qualified staff, and highlights a ‘mammoth’ damages ruling likened to War and Peace, alongside guidance on medical reporting fees, where a pragmatic 25% uplift was imposed

NLJ this week: Social media bans for children spark legal dilemmas
Momentum is building behind proposals to restrict children’s access to social media—but the legal and practical challenges are formidable. In NLJ this week, Nick Smallwood of Mills & Reeve examines global moves, including Australia’s under-16 ban and the UK's consultation
NLJ this week: Leasehold reform risks creating ‘forgotten freeholders’
Reforms designed to rebalance landlord-tenant relations may instead penalise leaseholders themselves. In this week's NLJ, Mike Somekh of The Freehold Collective warns that the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 risks creating an ‘underclass’ of resident-controlled freehold companies
NLJ this week: Court of Appeal clarifies when a claim truly begins
Timing is everything—and the Court of Appeal has delivered clarity on when proceedings are ‘brought’. In his latest 'Civil way' column for NLJ, Stephen Gold explains that a claim is issued for limitation purposes when the claim form is delivered to the court, even if fees are underpaid
NLJ this week: Split FDRs could ease pressure—and boost settlements
The traditional ‘single, intensive day’ of financial dispute resolution (FDR) may be due for a rethink. Writing in NLJ this week, Rachel Frost-Smith and Lauren Guiler of Birketts propose a ‘split FDR’ model, separating judicial evaluation from negotiation
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