The ground-breaking judgment of the Supreme Court in R (Unison) v Lord Chancellor [2017] UKSC 51 was central to the Justice Committee’s May report into government proposals to raise the small claims limit for personal injury claims, Patrick Allen, senior partner of Hodge, Jones & Allen, writes in NLJ this week. In Unison, the court ruled the government’s employment tribunal fees unlawful because they prevented access to justice. Allen writes that past and future civil justice reforms, such as fixed costs and the discount rate, ‘should all be subjected to a Unison test and dropped or amended if they fail’.
31 May 2018
Small claims should be put to the test
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Katten Muchin Rosenman—Charlotte Hill
Katten strengthens financial markets and funds group in London
Hugh James—Keith Cundall & Lee Hart
Hugh James expands national Serious Injury team with two new Partners
HFW—Rémi Ducloyer
HFW continues Paris office growth with public law Partner hire
NEWS
The Court of Appeal's decision in Mazur v Charles Russell Speechlys LLP has lifted months of uncertainty for Chartered Legal Executives while prompting a rethink of regulation and supervision
The assisted dying debate returns to Westminster as Lauren Edwards MP reintroduces legislation that stalled in the House of Lords last session despite clearing the Commons
A little-noticed provision of the Crime and Policing Act 2026 has fundamentally expanded corporate criminal liability
Artificial intelligence is transforming legal practice, but careless reliance on it is creating growing professional risks
The law offers cohabiting couples surprisingly greater protection after one partner dies than when they separate during life
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