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The insider: 19 April 2024

19 April 2024 / Dominic Regan
Issue: 8067 / Categories: Opinion , In Court , Costs
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Dominic Regan brings good news for frustrated juniors, extols the wisdom of Woolf & Jackson, & admires the common-sense approach of the Lady Chief Justice

Are you a frustrated junior barrister fed up with those silks hogging the limelight? We bring you good tidings. The Supreme Court Practice Note of 7 March, issued by Lord Reed, bemoans the absence of junior counsel arguing issues before his court: ‘Experience in advancing oral argument is essential if junior counsel are to progress.’ Parties are encouraged to give junior counsel opportunities to advance oral arguments before the court.

The note accepts that this will not always be possible. From 9 April, the court expects to receive—alongside agreed speaking times—confirmation, in instances where juniors will not speak, that consideration has been given to whether they should be let loose. Incidentally, if I were a silk, I would hope the Supreme Court might issue a supplementary practice note asking if Ben Williams KC might relent and let others have a go. In the space of

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NEWS
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After the Southport murders and the misinformation that followed, contempt of court law has come under intense scrutiny. In this week's NLJ, Lawrence McNamara and Lauren Schaefer of the Law Commission unpack proposals aimed at restoring clarity without sacrificing fair trial rights
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A construction defect claim in the Court of Appeal offers a sharp lesson in pleading discipline. In his latest 'Civil way' column for NLJ, Stephen Gold explains how a catastrophically drafted schedule of loss derailed otherwise viable claims. Across the areas explored in this week's column, the message is consistent: clarity, economy and proper pleading matter more than ever
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