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NLJ this week: Journalists, court documents & client privacy

27 January 2023
Issue: 8010 / Categories: Legal News , Disclosure , Media , Procedure & practice
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The issue of media access to court papers came up in the memorably-titled Bouncylagoon case, which concerned a BBC journalist’s application for access to skeleton arguments and other court documents.

Access to electronic copies of the skeleton was granted by the First-tier Tribunal (Tax), although access to the hearing bundle on the facts of the case was refused. Andrew Fremlin-Key, senior associate at Withers, covers the case from various angles, in this week’s NLJ.

Fremlin-Key writes: ‘This relatively short decision serves as a strong warning to practitioners against assuming that an early procedural hearing cannot lead to interest and attention from the press and/or requests for documents from inquisitive journalists looking to generate news stories. Lawyers will need to consider their clients’ position and advise them accordingly on the balance of information that is included in court documents.’ 

Read the full article here.

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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