THIS ISSUE
Why the coronavirus excuse for delay won’t hold water with the commercial courts for much longer, according to Sarah Murray
The Post Office scandal is just one example of miscarriage of justice in a system which is no longer fit for purpose, says Jon Robins
With all the chaos of remote working, home schooling and other disruptions during the pandemic, it is not surprising that lawyers and litigants struggling with deadlines have cited COVID-19 as an excuse, Sarah Murray, head of dispute resolution at Stevens & Bolton, writes in this week’s NLJ.
The shocking wrongful convictions of sub-postmasters has been described as ‘the biggest miscarriage of justice in British legal history’.
Gaps in provision remain as Domestic Violence Bill clears final hurdle
Barristers and advocates have warned against widespread adoption of remote hearings post-pandemic.
The High Court has clarified that a test for capacity from an 1870 case remains good law, in a bitter wills dispute between two siblings.
Proposals to allow electronic versions of bills of lading, bills of exchange and other documents have been launched by the Law Commission.
Lawyers welcomed the news that the European Parliament ratified the UK’s Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) with the EU last week, but warned questions remained unresolved.
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Birketts—trainee cohort
Firm welcomes new cohort of 29 trainee solicitors for 2025
Keoghs—four appointments
Four partner hires expand legal expertise in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Brabners—Ben Lamb
Real estate team in Yorkshire welcomes new partner
NEWS
Robert Taylor of 360 Law Services warns in this week's NLJ that adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) risks entrenching disadvantage for SME law firms, unless tools are tailored to their needs
From oligarchs to cosmetic clinics, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) target journalists, activists and ordinary citizens with intimidating legal tactics. Writing in NLJ this week, Sadie Whittam of Lancaster University explores the weaponisation of litigation to silence critics
Delays and dysfunction continue to mount in the county court, as revealed in a scathing Justice Committee report and under discussion this week by NLJ columnist Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School. Bulk claims—especially from private parking firms—are overwhelming the system, with 8,000 cases filed weekly
Writing in NLJ this week, Thomas Rothwell and Kavish Shah of Falcon Chambers unpack the surprise inclusion of a ban on upwards-only rent reviews in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
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