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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

NLJ Career Profile: Daniel Burbeary, Michelman Robinson

NLJ Career Profile: Daniel Burbeary, Michelman Robinson

Daniel Burbeary, office managing partner of Michelman Robinson, discusses launching in London, the power of the law, and what the kitchen can teach us about litigating

Wedlake Bell—Rebecca Christie

Wedlake Bell—Rebecca Christie

Firm welcomes partner with specialist expertise in family and art law

Birketts—Álvaro Aznar

Birketts—Álvaro Aznar

Dual-qualified partner joins international private client team

NEWS
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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