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23 October 2020
Issue: 7907 / Categories: Legal News , Procedure & practice , Disclosure , E-disclosure
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NLJ this week: The Disclosure Pilot Scheme―almost midway, how is it going?

Litigation specialists present their views on how the Disclosure Pilot Scheme is working for judges and lawyers, in this week’s NLJ

The pilot, launched in January 2019 and now extended until the end of 2021, aims to change the way litigators approach the disclosure of documents and other materials relevant to their case. It tries to encourage sensible cooperation, reduce costs where possible, use technology to prevent quantities of documentation spiralling out of control and help parties focus on issue-based disclosure.

But how effective has it been, what challenges have arisen and how have litigators responded?

In a three-page article, Tracey Stretton, managing director of business consultancy Ankura, Mark Surguy, partner at Weightmans, and Johnny Shearman, professional support lawyer at Signature Litigation, analyse progress so far.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

NLJ Career Profile: Ling Ong, London Market FOIL

NLJ Career Profile: Ling Ong, London Market FOIL

Ling Ong, partner at Weightmans and president of London Market FOIL, discusses her biggest inspirations, the challenges of AI and the importance of tackling unconscious bias

DWF—Imogen Francis

DWF—Imogen Francis

Director and head of IP team joins in Birmingham

Penningtons Manches Cooper—five promotions

Penningtons Manches Cooper—five promotions

Firm boosts partnership and costs practice with five senior promotions

NEWS

From blockbuster judgments to procedural shake-ups, the courts are busy reshaping litigation practice. Writing in NLJ this week, Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School hails the Court of Appeal's 'exquisite judgment’ in Mazur restoring the role of supervised non-qualified staff, and highlights a ‘mammoth’ damages ruling likened to War and Peace, alongside guidance on medical reporting fees, where a pragmatic 25% uplift was imposed

Momentum is building behind proposals to restrict children’s access to social media—but the legal and practical challenges are formidable. In NLJ this week, Nick Smallwood of Mills & Reeve examines global moves, including Australia’s under-16 ban and the UK's consultation
Reforms designed to rebalance landlord-tenant relations may instead penalise leaseholders themselves. In this week's NLJ, Mike Somekh of The Freehold Collective warns that the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 risks creating an ‘underclass’ of resident-controlled freehold companies
Timing is everything—and the Court of Appeal has delivered clarity on when proceedings are ‘brought’. In his latest 'Civil way' column for NLJ, Stephen Gold explains that a claim is issued for limitation purposes when the claim form is delivered to the court, even if fees are underpaid
The traditional ‘single, intensive day’ of financial dispute resolution (FDR) may be due for a rethink. Writing in NLJ this week, Rachel Frost-Smith and Lauren Guiler of Birketts propose a ‘split FDR’ model, separating judicial evaluation from negotiation
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