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02 June 2016 / Roger Smith
Issue: 7701 / Categories: Opinion
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Online cometh

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Roger Smith reports on the ongoing legal digital revolution

Two conferences and a new website in May gave ample evidence of the onward march of digital in the law and the courts.

Our masters’ voices

Two of the big beasts of the court reform world were out at the same conference held by the Westminster Legal Policy Forum. Lord Justice Jackson, for once, had to share top billing but continued to thrill his audience with warnings that “fixed recoverable costs for all remaining fast track cases is unfinished business, which needs to be addressed”. He confirmed also that “his eye was moving on to ‘the lower regions of the multi-track”. Pointedly, he asserted that a small business survey advocating fixed costs for business disputes up to £500,000 should be given “some significance”. He also staked out an interest in fixed costs for employers’ liability disease fast track cases, pointing that these had only escaped because of the 2010 election and the intervention of surgery from which he had to recover: “The omission was due to historical accident.

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Jurit LLP—Caroline Williams

Jurit LLP—Caroline Williams

Private wealth and tax team welcomes cross-border specialist as consultant

HFW—Simon Petch

HFW—Simon Petch

Global shipping practice expands with experienced ship finance partner hire

Freeths—Richard Lockhart

Freeths—Richard Lockhart

Infrastructure specialist joins as partner in Glasgow office

NEWS
Talk of a reserved ‘Welsh seat’ on the Supreme Court is misplaced. In NLJ this week, Professor Graham Zellick KC explains that the Constitutional Reform Act treats ‘England and Wales’ as one jurisdiction, with no statutory Welsh slot
The government’s plan to curb jury trials has sparked ‘jury furore’. Writing in NLJ this week, David Locke, partner at Hill Dickinson, says the rationale is ‘grossly inadequate’
A year after the $1.5bn Bybit heist, crypto fraud is booming—but so is recovery. Writing in NLJ this week, Neil Holloway, founder and CEO of M2 Recovery, warns that scams hit at least $14bn in 2025, fuelled by ‘pig butchering’ cons and AI deepfakes
After Woodcock confirmed no general duty to warn, debate turns to the criminal law. Writing in NLJ this week, Charles Davey of The Barrister Group urges revival of misprision or a modern equivalent
Family courts are tightening control of expert evidence. Writing in NLJ this week, Dr Chris Pamplin says there is ‘no automatic right’ to call experts; attendance must be ‘necessary in the interests of justice’ under FPR Pt 25
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