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09 March 2017 / Dr Jon Robins
Issue: 7737 / Categories: Opinion
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Legal aid & a welcome U-turn

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Roll on the LASPO review; but adjust your expectations accordingly, says Jon Robins

Theresa May’s plans to better protect the victims of domestic violence were presented to the world last month as part of a personal crusade on the part of Number 10. “Domestic violence and abuse is a life-shattering and absolutely abhorrent crime; tackling it is an key priority for this Government—and something I have always attached a personal importance to, both as Home Secretary and now as Prime Minister,” she told the press.

Any reforms that will flow from the promised 18-month review will build on measures the Prime Minister introduced as Home Secretary, such as the new offence of controlling and coercive behaviour, domestic violence protection orders, and the domestic violence disclosure scheme. According to Theresa May, they would “ensure that no stone will be left unturned” in delivering a system that increased convictions and worked better for victims.

At first sight it might seem strange that one significant and long campaigned for change to better improve the lot

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NEWS

The Court of Appeal has slammed the brakes on claimants trying to swap defendants after limitation has expired. In Adcamp LLP v Office Properties and BDB Pitmans v Lee [2026] EWCA Civ 50, it overturned High Court rulings that had allowed substitutions under s 35(6)(b) of the Limitation Act 1980, reports Sarah Crowther of DAC Beachcroft in this week's NLJ

Cheating in driving tests is surging—and courts are responding firmly. Writing in NLJ this week, Neil Parpworth of De Montfort Law School charts a rise in impersonation and tech-assisted fraud, with 2,844 attempts recorded in a year
As AI-generated ‘deepfake’ images proliferate, the law may already have the tools to respond. In NLJ this week, Jon Belcher of Excello Law argues that such images amount to personal data processing under UK GDPR
In a striking financial remedies ruling, the High Court cut a wife’s award by 40% for coercive and controlling behaviour. Writing in NLJ this week, Chris Bryden and Nicole Wallace of 4 King’s Bench Walk analyse LP v MP [2025] EWFC 473
A €60.9m award to Kylian Mbappé has refocused attention on football’s controversial ‘ethics bonus’ clauses. Writing in NLJ this week, Dr Estelle Ivanova of Valloni Attorneys at Law examines how such provisions sit within French labour law
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