THIS ISSUE
Professional indemnity premiums are increasing (by an average of 30% for small and medium sized firms according to the LexisNexis Bellwether Report 2021), but how serious is the threat, and is it really fuelling an exodus of solicitors from private practice and into the arms of larger firms? Barrister and journalist Veronica Cowan investigates, in this week’s NLJ.
What does the year ahead hold for building safety regulations? Secretary of State Michael Gove spoke tough words in January when he told those who mis-sold dangerous products such as cladding or insulation: ‘We are coming for you.’
Law firms have been given guidance from the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) on creating healthy work environments, after a review highlighted an array of concerns
Social media companies will be expected to take proactive action to prevent online abuse happening, rather than simply react once abuse has occurred, under proposed legislation
Many victims of crime don’t understand the role of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and how it makes decisions, the CPS said last week in its response to the Ministry of Justice’s (MoJ) consultation on a new Victims’ Bill, ‘Delivering justice for victims’
The government has said will begin a review of prison mental health in the spring, in its response to a Justice Committee report, Mental Health in Prisons
Research into gaps in access to justice across England and Wales has been commissioned by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA)
Ryanair has lost its appeal against an order to pay compensation to passengers affected when its pilots went on strike in 2018, in Civil Aviation Authority v Ryanair [2022] EWCA Civ 76
Peers have raised objections to government plans for prospective-only quashing orders and the removal of Cart appeals, during the second reading of the Judicial Review and Courts Bill
Brexit campaign company Leave.EU has lost its appeal against a ruling that it breached data protection laws after failing to turn up to court
MOVERS & SHAKERS
NLJ Career Profile: Daniel Burbeary, Michelman Robinson
Daniel Burbeary, office managing partner of Michelman Robinson, discusses launching in London, the power of the law, and what the kitchen can teach us about litigating
Joelson—Jennifer Mansoor
West End firm strengthens employment and immigration team with partner hire
Sidley—Jeremy Trinder
Global finance group strengthened by returning partner in London
NEWS
A seemingly dry procedural update may prove potent. In his latest 'Civil way' column for NLJ this week, Stephen Gold explains that new CPR 31.12A—part of the 193rd update—fills a ‘lacuna’ exposed in McLaren Indy v Alpa Racing
The long-running Mazur saga edged towards its finale as the Court of Appeal heard arguments on whether non-solicitors can ‘conduct litigation’. Writing in NLJ this week, Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School reports from a packed courtroom where 16 wigs watched Nick Bacon KC argue that Mr Justice Sheldon had failed to distinguish between ‘tasks and responsibilities’
The Court of Appeal has slammed the brakes on claimants trying to swap defendants after limitation has expired. In Adcamp LLP v Office Properties and BDB Pitmans v Lee [2026] EWCA Civ 50, it overturned High Court rulings that had allowed substitutions under s 35(6)(b) of the Limitation Act 1980, reports Sarah Crowther of DAC Beachcroft in this week's NLJ
Cheating in driving tests is surging—and courts are responding firmly. Writing in NLJ this week, Neil Parpworth of De Montfort Law School charts a rise in impersonation and tech-assisted fraud, with 2,844 attempts recorded in a year
As AI-generated ‘deepfake’ images proliferate, the law may already have the tools to respond. In NLJ this week, Jon Belcher of Excello Law argues that such images amount to personal data processing under UK GDPR
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