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16 April 2020 / Philip Barden
Issue: 7884 / Categories: Features , Covid-19 , Profession
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COVID-19: Remote control

Embracing remote access to the courts will see us all benefit, says Philip Barden
  • COVID-19: a new world.
  • Engaging with courts remotely.
  • The rise of remote working and virtual firms. 

Lawyers across the country are having to hastily adapt to a new world as the Covid-19 pandemic sees us told not go to court in an effort to halt the spread of the virus.

Following the introduction of stringent restrictions on movement, lawyers in England and Wales should no longer attend court unless ‘strictly necessary’ with guidance from the Bar Council, Criminal Bar Association (CBA), and regional circuits stating the only exception should be urgent hearings, where remote access is not available.

The last few weeks has seen more and more court hearings take place with judges and one or more parties attending using remote access arrangements and even the Supreme Court has shut down, conducting its first case entirely by video conference.

For most of us, these changes mean we are having to adapt

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

DAC Beachcroft—Paul Brehony

DAC Beachcroft—Paul Brehony

Commercial disputes practice expands with partner hire in London

Ward Hadaway—Maria Coster

Ward Hadaway—Maria Coster

Partner appointed to lead family and matrimonial department in Leeds

Slater Heelis—Helen Marsh

Slater Heelis—Helen Marsh

Commercial property team expands in Manchester with partner appointment

NEWS
SRM Recruitment has been announced as the headline sponsor of the Law Society RFC Festival of Sport 2026, which will take place on 20 September at Richmond Athletic Association. The specialist legal search firm joins the event as organisers prepare to welcome more than 110 teams across five sports, including rugby sevens, netball and five-a-side football
The civil justice landscape could be heading for a shake-up, with reform of the Solicitors Act 1974 gathering pace
Global mobility is transforming family law, creating new challenges around jurisdiction, assets and child arrangements
A series of procedural developments could have significant practical consequences for litigators. Writing in NLJ this week, columnist Stephen Gold highlights important updates ranging from digital court reforms to family procedure and admissions of liability
As family structures evolve, the law may face difficult questions about inheritance rights for those in polyamorous relationships
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