THIS ISSUE
In a tribute to John Le Carré, Athelstane Aamodt reflects on the operation & enforcement of official secrets laws
The approach to regulation of professional conduct outside of practice stands on a firmer footing post the Ryan Beckwith case
NLJ columnist Stephen Gold has marriage on his mind, in this week’s ‘Civil Way’ column
David Locke discusses preserving Gillick competence in the light of cases of gender dysphoria
Michael Zander on whether there was parliamentary scrutiny worthy of the name
Ian Smith takes a leap into the new year reporting on two important statements of principle & an adventurous challenge
Simon Parsons reflects on the UK Internal Market Bill & attempts to exclude judicial review for errors of law
Dominic Regan highlights the positives in civil litigation from a grim 2020
Hands off companies; Hands off stock; Hands off house; Feet up for divorce
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Switalskis—Naila Arif, Harriet Findlay & Ellie Thompson
Firm awards training contracts to paralegals through internal programme
Ward Hadaway—Matthew Morton
Private client disputes specialist joins commercial litigation team
Thomson Hayton Winkley—Nina Hood
Cumbria firm appoints new head of residential property
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
