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17 September 2025
Issue: 8131 / Categories: Legal News , Technology , Damages , Divorce , Wills & Probate , Family , Public
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Digital reform a 'mixed experience' so far

The Ministry of Justice has published its first evaluation of digital services introduced under HM Courts and Tribunals Service’s Reform programme

It covered seven areas—damages, divorce, probate, family public law, financial remedy, social security and child support, and civil money claims.

It concluded last week that legal professionals had a ‘mixed’ experience. Judges felt the services had increased their administrative burden while lawyers were deterred if they could not complete the case journey end-to-end digitally.

Law Society president Richard Atkinson called for investment to be sustained to overcome any gaps in functionality.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Haynes Boone—Jeremy Cross

Haynes Boone—Jeremy Cross

Firm strengthens global fund finance practice with London partner hire.

DWF—Stephen Webb

DWF—Stephen Webb

Partner and head of national planning team appointed

mfg Solicitors—Nick Little

mfg Solicitors—Nick Little

Corporate team expands in Birmingham with partner hire

NEWS
Contract damages are usually assessed at the date of breach—but not always. Writing in NLJ this week, Ian Gascoigne, knowledge lawyer at LexisNexis, examines the growing body of cases where courts have allowed later events to reshape compensation
The Supreme Court has restored ‘doctrinal coherence’ to unfair prejudice litigation, writes Natalie Quinlivan, partner at Fieldfisher LLP, in this week' NLJ
The High Court’s refusal to recognise a prolific sperm donor as a child’s legal parent has highlighted the risks of informal conception arrangements, according to Liam Hurren, associate at Kingsley Napley, in NLJ this week
The Court of Appeal’s decision in Mazur may have settled questions around litigation supervision, but the profession should not simply ‘move on’, argues Jennifer Coupland, CEO of CILEX, in this week's NLJ
A simple phrase like ‘subject to references’ may not protect employers as much as they think. Writing in NLJ this week, Ian Smith, barrister and emeritus professor of employment law at UEA, analyses recent employment cases showing how conditional job offers can still create binding contracts
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