THIS ISSUE
Disputes do arise. Between states, in businesses, within different sectors and in small knit groups, disagreements can happen, and they can have many unwelcome consequences
Bryan Clark provides a backdrop to the current law & practice around compulsory mediation
Colin Campbell presents a two-part masterclass on the interpretation & implementation of the Jackson reforms a decade on from the publication of Sir Rupert’s Final Report
Dr James Behrens considers the pros & cons of evaluative mediation in resolving trust & estate disputes
On the 30th anniversary of the Children Act, David Burrows reflects on the state of children’s rights
Tips for taxi drivers; Same-sex partnerships arrive; Claim remission—or else; Quantum advice: ‘Don’t pay me’
Proposed video hearings are fraught with potential problems, the chair of the Young Barristers’ Committee has said
An independent profession & judiciary are by no means a given in many parts of the world, says David Greene
Enforcing contractual clauses to mediate, not litigate. Rob Langley, a mediator at North East Mediation Solutions, reports on how new rules are developing
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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