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12 September 2025
Issue: 8130 / Categories: Legal News , Family , Technology
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NLJ this week: Non-standard drugs pose hidden risks in family law

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Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs, highlights the growing concern over non-standard drugs in family law proceedings

Substances such as anabolic steroids, prescription medications (gabapentin, pregabalin, oxycodone), and hallucinogens are not routinely included in standard drug testing panels but can cause dependency, behavioural instability, and impaired parenting.

Law explains how AlphaBiolabs offers bespoke testing options to detect these drugs, addressing safeguarding concerns in contact disputes and parenting assessments. The article stresses the importance of targeted testing and awareness, ensuring child welfare and court assessments are not compromised by undetected substance misuse.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Gateley Legal—Jack Kelly

Gateley Legal—Jack Kelly

Gateley Legal expands Midlands residential development team

Gibson Dunn—Richard Surtees

Gibson Dunn—Richard Surtees

Gibson Dunn adds employee benefits and executive compensation practice in London with partner Richard Surtees

Laytons ETL—Alec Cameron

Laytons ETL—Alec Cameron

Laytons ETL appoints new partner and head of intellectual property disputes

NEWS
A series of recent decisions has clarified important principles across property law, from perpetuities to lease renewals and public rights over land
Employers cannot rely on wellbeing services alone to defend workplace stress claims after a High Court decision awarding almost £1m to an overworked employee
Andy Burnham's brand of 'Manchesterism' could offer fresh thinking on legal aid and access to justice if it reaches Westminster, according to Roger Smith, NLJ columnist and former director of JUSTICE
The constitutional fallout from a change of prime minister, rather than the politics, is under scrutiny as questions arise over the limits of executive authority in a leadership transition
The legal profession is undergoing a fundamental shift from selling services to creating technology-enabled products, according to Professor Luke Mason, Head of School of Law at Regent's University London
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