THIS ISSUE
In the first of a new series of updates written by members of the Commercial Litigators’ Forum, chair Hilton Mervis puts the case for adopting a different approach to costs
What does a modern cloud look like & can your vendor deliver it? Mark Richman shares some steps to success
John Cooper QC casts a legal eye over this year’s BFI London Film Festival
Nazia Rashid considers whether reinstating breach of promise to marry could fill a gap in the law
John O’Hare explores the options available to help people with financial troubles
Consultant law firms are growing in popularity but may want to retain some of the advantages of the partnership model, says Oliver Brice
Nicholas Dobson considers whether equality law permits religious organisations to uphold their views on sexual ethics in the way they work
How speech technology is transforming policing, courts and prisons
Andrew Francis looks at trips, traps & compensation disputes in restrictive covenant matters
MOVERS & SHAKERS
London Solicitors Litigation Association—John McElroy
Fieldfisher partner appointed president as LSLA marks milestone year
Kingsley Napley—Kirsty Churm & Olivia Stiles
Firm promotes two lawyers to partnership across employment and family
Foot Anstey—five promotions
Firm promotes five lawyers to partnership across key growth areas
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
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