THIS ISSUE
Open justice is the default position for all civil proceedings & should be high on any family courts reformer’s list, says David Burrows
Mark Pawlowski offers his selection of the 10 best classic movies with a distinctly legal theme for the festive season
Cyber law will be pivotal in shaping the future regulatory and litigation landscape, but what challenges and opportunities can we expect to see in 2022? To end this special series, 36 Commercial share their expert reflections and predictions on this fascinating area of law
Michael Zander on the government’s response to Extinction Rebellion
Lawyers will play a key role in safeguarding the future, writes Andrew Whitehead
Matthew Smith gets under the skin of the government’s concerns about judicial overreach
Could digital currencies be a catalyst for a financial disaster?
Gelu Maravela & Daniel Alexie report
John McMullen discusses some recent decisions in the courts on compulsory redundancy in the wake of COVID-19
They often concern an event that happened in real life, such as the ‘Guildford Four’ miscarriage of justice or the story of double-killer Robert Stroud (played by Burt Lancaster), sentenced to life in solitary confinement. And who doesn’t love a good courtroom drama or legal battle?
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
The Court of Protection has ruled in Macpherson v Sunderland City Council that capacity must be presumed unless clearly rebutted. In this week's NLJ, Sam Karim KC and Sophie Hurst of Kings Chambers dissect the judgment and set out practical guidance for advisers faced with issues relating to retrospective capacity and/or assessments without an examination
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
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
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
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