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09 January 2026
Issue: 8144 / Categories: Legal News , Profession , Legal services , Costs , Damages
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NLJ this week: The insider returns

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Writing in NLJ this week, NLJ columnist Dominic Regan surveys a landscape marked by leapfrog appeals, costs skirmishes and notable retirements. With an appeal in Mazur due to be heard next month, Regan notes that uncertainties remain over who will intervene, and hopes for the involvement of the Lady Chief Justice and the Master of the Rolls in deciding the all-important outcome

Meanwhile, a long-awaited decision on ‘lost years’ damages for a severely injured child highlights how even priority cases can stall at the highest level.

Elsewhere, Judge Mark Pelling KC’s departure from the Commercial Court and Nigel Bird’s interim appointment underline the quiet but consequential changes in judicial leadership.

Regan also tracks mounting confusion over Part 36 settlements, budgeting practice and unresolved appellate disputes crying out for authoritative resolution.

As ever, procedural nuance rather than headline reform is shaping outcomes, leaving practitioners to navigate uncertainty with patience and precision.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

EIP—Stuart Malcolm

EIP—Stuart Malcolm

EIP strengthens Commercial practice with a new partner

Ellisons—Francesca Brown

Ellisons—Francesca Brown

Ellisons welcomes Francesca Brown to Family team

Shakespeare Martineau—Marie Bourke

Shakespeare Martineau—Marie Bourke

Shakespeare Martineau strengthens Sheffield regulatory practice with new hires

NEWS
A wide-ranging Civil Way column highlights developments from insolvency procedure to employment law, but one case stands out for its lessons on bankruptcy, family homes and digital communications
A sprawling Intellectual Property Office battle between House of Fraser and Frasers Property has delivered a masterclass in modern trade mark law
Courts in England and Wales and Singapore are increasingly confronting complex disputes over international child relocation as families become more globally mobile
The government’s long-awaited family law reform consultation could mark a turning point for domestic abuse victims navigating financial remedy proceedings, but significant challenges remain
A new commercial court pilot giving the public access to documents used in hearings, including expert reports, is raising difficult questions about transparency and privacy
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