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09 August 2024 / Nikki Edwards
Issue: 8083 / Categories: Features , Profession , ADR , Dispute resolution , Family , Mediation
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Dispute resolution under Labour: looking ahead

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ADR has the potential to alleviate various pressures on the courts, but Nikki Edwards argues for a nuanced approach
  • The London Solicitors Litigation Association is in favour of proposed rule changes when it comes to alternative dispute resolution (ADR) but recommends specifically revising the wording in CPR 1.1 to avoid imposing ADR improperly.
  • The Labour government should champion the development of ADR in the UK but proceed with caution and avoid a one size fits all approach.

As the new Labour government settles into office, it has yet to articulate a clear position on alternative dispute resolution (ADR). However, given its broader commitment to justice reform and support for working people, I anticipate it will be on the agenda once the first 100 days are out of the way.

Given Keir Starmer’s background as a lawyer, we can expect he has a good understanding of the challenges facing the legal system. These include the limited resources that the courts currently have, the time it takes

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

London Solicitors Litigation Association—John McElroy

London Solicitors Litigation Association—John McElroy

Fieldfisher partner appointed president as LSLA marks milestone year

Kingsley Napley—Kirsty Churm & Olivia Stiles

Kingsley Napley—Kirsty Churm & Olivia Stiles

Firm promotes two lawyers to partnership across employment and family

Foot Anstey—five promotions

Foot Anstey—five promotions

Firm promotes five lawyers to partnership across key growth areas

NEWS
Freezing orders in divorce proceedings can unexpectedly ensnare third parties and disrupt businesses. In NLJ this week, Lucy James of Trowers & Hamlins explains how these orders—dubbed a ‘nuclear weapon’—preserve assets but can extend far beyond spouses to companies and business partners 
A Court of Appeal ruling has clarified that ‘rent’ must be monetary—excluding tenants paid in labour from statutory protection. In this week's NLJ, James Naylor explains Garraway v Phillips, where a tenant worked two days a week instead of paying rent
Thousands more magistrates are to be recruited, under a major shake-up to speed up and expand the hiring process
Three men wrongly imprisoned for a combined 77 years have been released—yet received ‘not a penny’ in compensation, exposing deep flaws in the justice system. Writing in NLJ this week, Dr Jon Robins reports on Justin Plummer, Oliver Campbell and Peter Sullivan, whose convictions collapsed amid discredited forensics, ‘oppressive’ police interviews and unreliable ‘cell confessions’
A quiet month for employment cases still delivers key legal clarifications. In his latest Employment Law Brief for NLJ, Ian Smith reports that whistleblowing protection remains intact even where disclosures are partly self-serving, provided the worker reasonably believes they serve the ‘public interest’ 
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