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15 January 2025
Issue: 8100 / Categories: Legal News , Criminal
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Crown Court reform on the cards?

Lawyers have until 31 January to respond to Sir Brian Leveson’s independent review of the criminal courts.

The review, launched last month, considers how to deal with the increasing number of cases coming before the courts and the backlog of Crown Court cases that has built up. Long-term reforms could include creating an intermediate court or structural changes to the conduct of trials.

The backlog now stands at 74,000 cases, according to the latest official figures, which makes the government target of 53,000 cases by March impossible to achieve.

Sir Brian said this week: ‘We would encourage those responding to the call for evidence to be ambitious, and we welcome any ideas which challenge current thinking, are innovative, or which spotlight best practice and how it can be extended.’

Send responses to independentreviewcriminalcourts@justice.gov.uk.

Issue: 8100 / Categories: Legal News , Criminal
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MOVERS & SHAKERS

NLJ Career Profile: John McElroy, London Solicitors Litigation Association

NLJ Career Profile: John McElroy, London Solicitors Litigation Association

From first-generation student to trailblazing president of the London Solicitors Litigation Association, John McElroy of Fieldfisher reflects on resilience, identity and the power of bringing your whole self to the law

Clarke Willmott—Elaine Field

Clarke Willmott—Elaine Field

Planning and environment team expands with partner hire in Manchester

Birketts—Barbara Hamilton-Bruce

Birketts—Barbara Hamilton-Bruce

Firm appoints chief operating officer to strengthen leadership team

NEWS
A landmark Supreme Court ruling has underscored the sweeping reach of UK sanctions. In NLJ this week, Brónagh Adams and Harriet Campbell of Penningtons Manches Cooper say the regime is a ‘blunt instrument’ requiring only a factual, not causal, link to restricted goods
Fraud claims are surging, with England and Wales increasingly the forum of choice for global disputes. Writing in NLJ this week, Jon Felce of Cooke, Young & Keidan reports claims have risen sharply, with fraud now a major share of litigation and costing billions worldwide
Litigators digesting Mazur are being urged to tighten oversight and compliance. In his latest 'Insider' column for NLJ this week, Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School provides a cut out and keep guide to the ruling’s core test: whether an unauthorised individual is ‘in truth acting on behalf of the authorised individual’
Conflicting county court rulings have left landlords uncertain over whether they can force entry after tenants refuse access. In this week's NLJ, Edward Blakeney and Ashpen Rajah of Falcon Chambers outline a split: some judges permit it under CPR 70.2A, others insist only Parliament can authorise such powers
A wave of scandals has reignited debate over misconduct in public office, criticised as unclear and inconsistently applied. Writing in NLJ this week, Alice Lepeuple of WilmerHale says the offence’s ‘vagueness, overbreadth & inconsistent deployment’ have undermined confidence
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