THIS ISSUE
The legal status of smart contracts and cryptoassets under English law has been confirmed by a taskforce chaired by the Chancellor of the High Court
Litigants in person should seek legal aid from the Legal Aid Agency not the High Court for civil contempt proceedings, Mr Justice Chamberlain has said in a case about an alleged ticket tout
The Association of Costs Lawyers (ACL) has reopened its training scheme for the first time in three years
Multiple family homes have been the fastest growing type of household during the past two decades, rising by three-quarters to 297,000 households in 2019, Office of National Statistics figures have revealed.
The Law Society has issued its own manifesto for the election, challenging the political parties to prioritise justice in their plans for government
The High Court rejected claims by the Liberal Democrats and SNP that they were unfairly and unlawfully excluded from the ITV election debate between the Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition this week
The solicitors’ Handbook will be replaced by ‘Standards and Regulations’ on 25 November
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Kennedys—Milan Devani
Chief information officer appointment strengthens technology leadership
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Maguire Family Law—Hannah Barlow & Sophie Hughes
Firm strengthens Wilmslow team with two solicitor appointments
DWF—Ian Plumley
Londoninsurance and reinsurance practice announces partner appointment
NEWS
The Supreme Court has delivered a decisive ruling on termination under the JCT Design & Build form. Writing in NLJ this week, Andrew Singer KC and Jonathan Ward, of Kings Chambers, analyse Providence Building Services v Hexagon Housing Association [2026] UKSC 1, which restores the first-instance decision and curbs contractors’ termination rights for repeated late payment
Secondments, disciplinary procedures and appeal chaos all feature in a quartet of recent rulings. Writing in NLJ this week, Ian Smith, barrister and emeritus professor of employment law at UEA, examines how established principles are being tested in modern disputes
The AI revolution is no longer a distant murmur—it’s at the client’s desk. Writing in NLJ this week, Peter Ambrose, CEO of The Partnership and Legalito, warns that the ‘AI chickens’ have ‘come home to roost’, transforming not just legal practice but the lawyer–client relationship itself
A High Court ruling involving the Longleat estate has exposed the fault line between modern family building and historic trust drafting. Writing in NLJ this week, Charlotte Coyle, director and family law expert at Freeths, examines Cator v Thynn [2026] EWHC 209 (Ch), where trustees sought approval to modernise trusts that retain pre-1970 definitions of ‘child’, ‘grandchild’ and ‘issue’
Fresh proposals to criminalise ‘nudification’ apps, prioritise cyberflashing and non-consensual intimate images, and even ban under-16s from social media have reignited debate over whether the Online Safety Act 2023 (OSA 2023) is fit for purpose. Writing in NLJ this week, Alexander Brown, head of technology, media and telecommunications, and Alexandra Webster, managing associate, Simmons & Simmons, caution against reactive law-making that could undermine the Act’s ‘risk-based and outcomes-focused’ design
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