THIS ISSUE
Litigation funding is on the rise, providing financing solutions to increasing numbers of claimants
Firm appoints new partner
Firm promotes two to partner
COVID-19 is affecting the supply of pupillages, according to a Bar Standards Board (BSB) report
A recent Home Office tweet about ‘activist lawyers’ sparked fury in the legal profession, followed by a confused row-back by government officials
Tech London Advocates (TLA) and the Law Society have released regulatory guidance on blockchain, smart contracts, cryptoassets and other distributed ledger technology
Firm makes key changes
Solicitors who are holding monies belonging to a client that is subject to financial sanctions have until 16 October to submit a report to the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI)
Law firms need to be extra vigilant to the risk of cybercrime in the time of COVID-19, regulators have warned
MPs are holding an inquiry into the future of legal aid, in light of difficulties getting legal aid assistance in some areas as well as lawyers’ concerns about fees, reduced work during the COVID-19 outbreak and other pressures
MOVERS & SHAKERS
NLJ Career Profile: Daniel Burbeary, Michelman Robinson
Daniel Burbeary, office managing partner of Michelman Robinson, discusses launching in London, the power of the law, and what the kitchen can teach us about litigating
Sidley—Jeremy Trinder
Global finance group strengthened by returning partner in London
Joelson—Jennifer Mansoor
West End firm strengthens employment and immigration team with partner hire
NEWS
Cheating in driving tests is surging—and courts are responding firmly. Writing in NLJ this week, Neil Parpworth of De Montfort Law School charts a rise in impersonation and tech-assisted fraud, with 2,844 attempts recorded in a year
As AI-generated ‘deepfake’ images proliferate, the law may already have the tools to respond. In NLJ this week, Jon Belcher of Excello Law argues that such images amount to personal data processing under UK GDPR
In a striking financial remedies ruling, the High Court cut a wife’s award by 40% for coercive and controlling behaviour. Writing in NLJ this week, Chris Bryden and Nicole Wallace of 4 King’s Bench Walk analyse LP v MP [2025] EWFC 473
A €60.9m award to Kylian Mbappé has refocused attention on football’s controversial ‘ethics bonus’ clauses. Writing in NLJ this week, Dr Estelle Ivanova of Valloni Attorneys at Law examines how such provisions sit within French labour law
A seemingly dry procedural update may prove potent. In his latest 'Civil way' column for NLJ this week, Stephen Gold explains that new CPR 31.12A—part of the 193rd update—fills a ‘lacuna’ exposed in McLaren Indy v Alpa Racing
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