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27 June 2025
Issue: 8122 / Categories: Legal News , Procedure & practice , Civil way
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NLJ this week: Civil shake-up—NDAs, whiplash, and legal aid reform

In his latest 'Civil Way' column, retired judge Stephen Gold surveys a raft of civil justice updates

From 1 October, non-disclosure agreements will face tighter limits under the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024. Whiplash tariffs rise a modest 14–15%, irking claimants. The Court Funds Office slashes interest rates again, and legal aid expands for domestic abuse cases.

The OCMC pilot becomes mandatory from July, while At a Glance loses its tabs but gains new case law extracts. Meanwhile, court transfer thresholds jump to £7m and £1m.

Gold’s commentary blends procedural insight with dry wit, noting that while the law evolves, some things—like the need for careful drafting—remain constant. His column is a must-read for practitioners navigating the shifting terrain of civil litigation.

Issue: 8122 / Categories: Legal News , Procedure & practice , Civil way
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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
A seemingly dry procedural update may prove potent. In his latest 'Civil way' column for NLJ this week, Stephen Gold explains that new CPR 31.12A—part of the 193rd update—fills a ‘lacuna’ exposed in McLaren Indy v Alpa Racing
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