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NLJ this week: Courts clarify the future of UK class actions

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Michael Brown and Harriet Campbell of Penningtons Manches Cooper explore how recent rulings are reshaping group litigation in the UK, in this week's issue of NLJ

The High Court’s support for omnibus claim forms in Stuart Angel v Black Horse Ltd streamlines access to justice for thousands of claimants, especially in consumer finance.

Meanwhile, the Court of Appeal’s decision in AXA Sun Life v HMRC refines the binding nature of group litigation order (GLO) issues, stressing precision and fairness.

In Wirral Council v Indivior, the court reaffirmed its discretion over representative claims, warning against their use for strategic advantage or ‘book-building’. Litigation funders must now justify their involvement with clarity.

The Civil Justice Council’s proposed reforms—including a unified contingent fee regime and light-touch regulation—aim to simplify funding and enhance consumer protection. The authors conclude that while representative claims offer efficiency, flexibility and careful procedural choice remain vital.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Birketts—trainee cohort

Birketts—trainee cohort

Firm welcomes new cohort of 29 trainee solicitors for 2025

Keoghs—four appointments

Keoghs—four appointments

Four partner hires expand legal expertise in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Real estate team in Yorkshire welcomes new partner

NEWS
Robert Taylor of 360 Law Services warns in this week's NLJ that adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) risks entrenching disadvantage for SME law firms, unless tools are tailored to their needs
From oligarchs to cosmetic clinics, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) target journalists, activists and ordinary citizens with intimidating legal tactics. Writing in NLJ this week, Sadie Whittam of Lancaster University explores the weaponisation of litigation to silence critics
Delays and dysfunction continue to mount in the county court, as revealed in a scathing Justice Committee report and under discussion this week by NLJ columnist Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School. Bulk claims—especially from private parking firms—are overwhelming the system, with 8,000 cases filed weekly
Writing in NLJ this week, Thomas Rothwell and Kavish Shah of Falcon Chambers unpack the surprise inclusion of a ban on upwards-only rent reviews in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
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