THIS ISSUE
District Tribunal Judge Elizabeth Johnson reflects on her journey to the bench & the need for wider representation
Stephen O’Dowd looks at competing claims & whether parties can afford to let the courts roll the dice
DPAs were introduced with high expectations by the Serious Fraud Office, but are they a blessing or a curse?
Online platforms such as Amazon wield huge power over the consumer, but has the law on product liability caught up?
Dividing up the assets and income after a farming couple divorce is always hard but Brexit uncertainty has made it almost impossible, Hannah Porter, associate solicitor, The Family Law Company, writes in this week’s NLJ
Lawyers have highlighted the heartache behind devastating family court statistics
Lawyers have welcomed the European Commission’s decision that UK data protection standards are ‘adequate’―however, weakening standards could lead to immediate revocation
The backlog of cases waiting to be heard has increased at both the Crown Court and magistrates’ courts, official figures show
Nearly two-thirds (64%) of chief counsel and heads of legal departments predict workloads to increase by up to 30% as they grapple with a range of challenges
The Attorney General has warned against social media posts that prejudice trials, following a rash of incidents
MOVERS & SHAKERS
NLJ Career Profile: John McElroy, London Solicitors Litigation Association
From first-generation student to trailblazing president of the London Solicitors Litigation Association, John McElroy of Fieldfisher reflects on resilience, identity and the power of bringing your whole self to the law
Clarke Willmott—Elaine Field
Planning and environment team expands with partner hire in Manchester
Birketts—Barbara Hamilton-Bruce
Firm appoints chief operating officer to strengthen leadership team
NEWS
A wave of scandals has reignited debate over misconduct in public office, criticised as unclear and inconsistently applied. Writing in NLJ this week, Alice Lepeuple of WilmerHale says the offence’s ‘vagueness, overbreadth & inconsistent deployment’ have undermined confidence
FIFA’s 2026 Men's World Cup is already mired in controversy, with complaints over ‘excessive prices’ and opaque ticketing. Writing in NLJ this week, Professor Dr Ian Blackshaw of Valloni Attorneys warns that governing bodies may face scrutiny under EU competition law, with allegations of a ‘dominant—if not monopolistic—position’ in ticket sales
Ten years after Brexit, UK and EU trade mark regimes are drifting apart in practice if not principle. Writing in NLJ this week, Roger Lush and Lara Elder of Carpmaels & Ransford highlight tighter UK scrutiny after SkyKick, where overly broad filings may signal ‘bad faith’
A landmark Supreme Court ruling has underscored the sweeping reach of UK sanctions. In NLJ this week, Brónagh Adams and Harriet Campbell of Penningtons Manches Cooper say the regime is a ‘blunt instrument’ requiring only a factual, not causal, link to restricted goods
Fraud claims are surging, with England and Wales increasingly the forum of choice for global disputes. Writing in NLJ this week, Jon Felce of Cooke, Young & Keidan reports claims have risen sharply, with fraud now a major share of litigation and costing billions worldwide
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