THIS ISSUE
How can lawyers take up the plight of young people lacking British citizenship? Keith Wilding suggests the KIND approach
A debt respite scheme is on its way, writes former district judge Stephen Gold in this week’s ‘Civil Way’.
The government sparked controversy this week by announcing a review of the Human Rights Act 1998.
As the government announces a review of human rights law, Alec Samuels makes the case for the UK to leave the European Convention on Human Rights
Ian Smith signs off for the year with a salute to Shakespeare
R (on the application of Z) v Hackney London Borough Council: Nicholas Dobson navigates the Supreme Court’s path through a hall of mirrors
David Locke & Claire Christopholus question if there is a duty of care to relatives of patients with genetic conditions
Pt 36 is juicy: official; New debt moratoria; Waking up to a mistake; Beware whiplash reforms; Prepare for higher court fees
Adam Straw & Frederick Powell examine the Supreme Court’s judgment in R (Maughan) & the consequences for conclusions of unlawful killings at inquests
Neil Parpworth examines determining judicial recusal, COVID-19 and the revealing nature of ‘live’ remote links
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Foot Anstey—Jasmine Olomolaiye
Investigations and corporate crime expert joins as partner
Fieldfisher—Mark Shaw
Veteran funds specialist joins investment funds team
Taylor Wessing—Stephen Whitfield
Firm enhances competition practice with London partner hire
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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