THIS ISSUE
Amanda Pinto QC reflects on an unprecedented, but privileged, first six months as Bar Council chair
The Law Commission’s reforms represent a better deal for leaseholders, say Nick Hopkins & Rebecca Sage
Before signing off for the summer break, Ian Smith tackles some small but mighty points of interpretation
The first electronically signed deed has been submitted for a house sale, in a historic moment for lawyers
A further five Crown courts have been cleared for jury trials to resume, bringing the total number hearing jury trials to 62, out of a total of 77 courts open
The £4.7m estate of deceased priest, teacher and convicted paedophile Michael Studdert must be frozen to give victims time to bring compensation claims, the High Court has ordered
Two Lady Justices and six Lord Justices of Appeal have been appointed
Nominations have opened for Next 100 Years’ annual Inspirational Women in Law Awards, which recognise women excelling in their career and helping to promote opportunities for other women
Sir Geoffrey Vos, Chancellor of the High Court, has been appointed as the next Master of the Rolls, and Sir Keith Lindblom appointed Senior President of Tribunals
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Carey Olsen—Kim Paiva
Group partner joins Guernsey banking and finance practice
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Morgan Lewis—Kat Gibson
London labour and employment team announces partner hire
Foot Anstey McKees—Chris Milligan & Michael Kelly
Double partner appointment marks Belfast expansion
NEWS
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has not done enough to protect the future sustainability of the legal aid market, MPs have warned
Writing in NLJ this week, NLJ columnist Dominic Regan surveys a landscape marked by leapfrog appeals, costs skirmishes and notable retirements. With an appeal in Mazur due to be heard next month, Regan notes that uncertainties remain over who will intervene, and hopes for the involvement of the Lady Chief Justice and the Master of the Rolls in deciding the all-important outcome
After the Southport murders and the misinformation that followed, contempt of court law has come under intense scrutiny. In this week's NLJ, Lawrence McNamara and Lauren Schaefer of the Law Commission unpack proposals aimed at restoring clarity without sacrificing fair trial rights
The latest Home Office figures confirm that stop and search remains both controversial and diminished. Writing in NLJ this week, Neil Parpworth of De Montfort University analyses data showing historically low use of s 1 PACE powers, with drugs searches dominating what remains
Boris Johnson’s 2019 attempt to shut down Parliament remains a constitutional cautionary tale. The move, framed as a routine exercise of the royal prerogative, was in truth an extraordinary effort to sideline Parliament at the height of the Brexit crisis. Writing in NLJ this week, Professor Graham Zellick KC dissects how prorogation was wrongly assumed to be beyond judicial scrutiny, only for the Supreme Court to intervene unanimously
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