THIS ISSUE
Peter Vaines puts HMRC in the dock & expects the truth, the whole truth & nothing but the truth
Ian Smith gets on his bike post-Christmas to deliver a welcome refresher course for employment geeks & those with a general interest
David Burrows shares his reflections on some of the many outstanding cases & achievements of ‘Judge Brenda’*
The Government’s legal programme does not answer the concerns of the profession’s leaders & may threaten judicial independence, says Geoffrey Bindman
‘Philosophical belief’ is an employment ‘area to watch’, following a high-profile case on ethical veganism
Lawyers have predicted a growth in class actions in banking litigation this year as well as disputes concerning the replacement of LIBOR, the interest rate used when banks lend to each other, by SONIA
More than 600 individuals were convicted for tax crimes last year, HMRC has revealed
Law firms are investing heavily in online marketing but continue to suffer from lack of focus and poor prospect targeting
MOVERS & SHAKERS
London Solicitors Litigation Association—John McElroy
Fieldfisher partner appointed president as LSLA marks milestone year
Kingsley Napley—Kirsty Churm & Olivia Stiles
Firm promotes two lawyers to partnership across employment and family
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
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’
Family law must shift from conflict-driven litigation to child-centred problem-solving, according to a major new report. Writing in NLJ this week, Caroline Bowden of Anthony Gold outlines findings showing overwhelming support for reform, with 92% agreeing lawyers owe duties to children as well as clients
Copyright © 2026 LexisNexis
