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07 February 2019 / Giles Tagg
Issue: 7827 / Categories: Features , Procedure & practice
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Ever been zugzwanged?

Chess masters & litigators have a lot in common as Giles Tagg reports

 

After the FIDE world chess championship which took place in London at the end of last year, I noticed how the strategems in chess and the terms of art involved feed directly into how one might think about litigation and, even, dispute resolution. The result? An A–Z of chess...as seen through the eyes of a litigator.

A is for attack: Traditionally white, which has the first move, is the attacking force making aggressive advances towards black. White is the claimant in litigation.

B is for blitz: Blitz chess is an extra-fast form of the game where both players have to make all their moves within a set time of ten minutes or less. This is chess as adjudication, where both sides have to act within a swift time-frame and unusual results can occur.

C is for checkmate: The end of the game where either white or black emerges

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

NLJ Career Profile: Nikki Bowker, Devonshires

NLJ Career Profile: Nikki Bowker, Devonshires

Nikki Bowker, head of dispute resolution at Devonshires, on career resilience, diversity in law and channelling Elle Woods when the pressure is on

Ellisons—Sarah Osborne

Ellisons—Sarah Osborne

Leasehold enfranchisement specialist joins residential property team

DWF—Chris Air

DWF—Chris Air

Firm strengthens commercial team in Manchester with partner appointment

NEWS
The government will aim to pass legislation banning leasehold for new flats and capping ground rent, introducing non-compulsory digital ID and creating a ‘duty of candour’ for public servants (also known as the Hillsborough law) in the next Parliament

An Italian financier has lost his bid to block his Australian wife from filing divorce papers in England on the basis it was no longer her domicile of choice

Reforms to the disclosure regime in the business and property courts have not achieved their objectives, lawyers have warned
The Law Society has urged ministers to hold a public consultation on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the justice system as a whole
Ministers have proposed bringing inquest work under a single fee scheme for legal help and advocacy legal aid work
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