THIS ISSUE
Firm appoints new senior intellectual property lawyer
Kevin Charles explains why it’s time for structural change to resolve bullying & harassment issues in the legal profession
Romana Canneti reflects on and commends a judgment giving new life to freedom of expression
Neil Parpworth reports from a city back in lockdown, where the government’s response to the public health crisis is less draconian than it might have been
The Law Society and Bar Council have expressed alarm at news that China has passed a national security law applicable in Hong Kong
The Bar Council and Law Society have mounted a robust defence against the introduction of weekend and evening courts and restrictions on defendants’ right to jury trial
The Laly’s went virtual this week, with legal aid lawyers honoured at a dazzling online ceremony
The Access to Justice Foundation (ATJF) has launched a ‘Go the Extra Mile for Justice’ initiative to raise money for free legal advice centres
Magic Circle, global and City law firms have signed a pledge to implement data-driven measures to tackle the career obstacles that unfairly hold back black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) lawyers
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Kennedys—Milan Devani
Chief information officer appointment strengthens technology leadership
-sophie-hughes-(r).tmb-mov69x69.jpg?sfvrsn=7a9dca4b_1)
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
Copyright © 2026 LexisNexis
