THIS ISSUE
In this week’s Civil Way, Stephen Gold looks ahead to April, when the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 is due to come into force. He covers the rules, costs, fees and mediation
The government recently suggested the British Navy could be used to deter asylum seekers from crossing the English Channel on dinghies and small boats
When is a covenant enforceable by a person who claims the benefit of it and who is not the original covenantee?
Law firm DAC Beachcroft has launched a crisis management app, the DACB Crisis Room app
Evolving societal expectations of business and post-pandemic employee requirements are among four emerging risk trends for legal and compliance over the next two years, according to Gartner Legal and Compliance
The Civil Justice Council (CJC) has recommended a simplified procedure for civil claims worth £500 or less, in its final report on ‘The resolution of small claims’
More clients are challenging their solicitors’ bills, research from the Association of Costs Lawyers (ACL) has found
Clinical negligence claimants seeking damages of £25,000 or less would only be able to recover limited costs, under government proposals
The legal profession is slowly becoming more diverse, data from the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and Bar Standards Board (BSB) reveals
The government’s Legal Support for Litigants in Person Grant programme (LSLIP) is currently funding 11 projects for unrepresented litigants, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has confirmed
MOVERS & SHAKERS
NLJ Career Profile: Nikki Bowker, Devonshires
Nikki Bowker, head of litigation and dispute resolution at Devonshires, on career resilience, diversity in law and channelling Elle Woods when the pressure is on
Ellisons—Sarah Osborne
Leasehold enfranchisement specialist joins residential property team
DWF—Chris Air
Firm strengthens commercial team in Manchester with partner appointment
NEWS
Contract damages are usually assessed at the date of breach—but not always. Writing in NLJ this week, Ian Gascoigne, knowledge lawyer at LexisNexis, examines the growing body of cases where courts have allowed later events to reshape compensation
The Supreme Court has restored ‘doctrinal coherence’ to unfair prejudice litigation, writes Natalie Quinlivan, partner at Fieldfisher LLP, in this week' NLJ
The High Court’s refusal to recognise a prolific sperm donor as a child’s legal parent has highlighted the risks of informal conception arrangements, according to Liam Hurren, associate at Kingsley Napley, in NLJ this week
The Court of Appeal’s decision in Mazur may have settled questions around litigation supervision, but the profession should not simply ‘move on’, argues Jennifer Coupland, CEO of CILEX, in this week's NLJ
A simple phrase like ‘subject to references’ may not protect employers as much as they think. Writing in NLJ this week, Ian Smith, barrister and emeritus professor of employment law at UEA, analyses recent employment cases showing how conditional job offers can still create binding contracts
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