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28 March 2025
Issue: 8110 / Categories: Legal News , Rule of law
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NLJ this week: The curious case of Lord Hermer & the missing speech

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What is the reason behind the cancellation of a speech this month by the attorney general, Lord Hermer? In this week’s column, Roger Smith, former director of JUSTICE, investigates a mysterious absence and delves into the grey area between politics and law.

He looks at Lord Hermer’s and Sir Keir Starmer’s recent utterings regarding the rule of law and human rights. He ponders whether government ought not to talk the talk about maintaining the rule of law as well as walking the walk. Otherwise, as with a tree that falls in a forest, who notices?

Smith writes: ‘If a state adheres to the rule of law, what value does it have if the state does not explain itself?’ 
Issue: 8110 / Categories: Legal News , Rule of law
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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Clarke Willmott—Matthew Roach

Clarke Willmott—Matthew Roach

Partner joins commercial property team in Taunton office

Farrer & Co—Richard Lane

Farrer & Co—Richard Lane

Londstanding London firm appoints new senior partner

Bird & Bird—Sue McLean

Bird & Bird—Sue McLean

Commercial team in London welcomes technology specialist as partner

NEWS
What safeguards apply when trust corporations are appointed as deputy by the Court of Protection? 
Disputing parties are expected to take part in alternative dispute resolution (ADR), where this is suitable for their case. At what point, however, does refusing to participate cross the threshold of ‘unreasonable’ and attract adverse costs consequences?
When it comes to free legal advice, demand massively outweighs supply. 'Millions of people are excluded from access to justice as they don’t have anywhere to turn for free advice—or don’t know that they can ask for help,' Bhavini Bhatt, development director at the Access to Justice Foundation, writes in this week's NLJ
When an ex-couple is deciding who gets what in the divorce or civil partnership dissolution, when is it appropriate for a third party to intervene? David Burrows, NLJ columnist and solicitor advocate, considers this thorny issue in this week’s NLJ
NLJ's latest Charities Appeals Supplement has been published in this week’s issue
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