THIS ISSUE
Former District Judge Stephen Gold covers an increase in the small claims track limit for non-road traffic accidents, in Civil Way this week
Writing in NLJ this week, Marc Weller, professor of international law at Cambridge University and a barrister at Doughty Street, asks whether President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine represents an attempt to revive the use of force as an acceptable tool of national policy
Litigation concerning cryptoassets and smart contracts is ‘increasing significantly’, the Master of the Rolls, Sir Geoffrey Vos has revealed
Lawyers condemn ‘act of war’ and warn of exposure to sanctions
Romantic relationships are complicated, particularly when they end...
Long-awaited legislation to tackle corporate anonymity and add crunch to the enforcement of unexplained wealth orders has been introduced in Parliament, following the invasion of Ukraine
UK lawyers will benefit from the UK-New Zealand free trade agreement, signed this week, the Law Society has said
The House of Commons voted to reject the Lords amendments to the Police, Crime, Sentencing & Courts Bill this week, in a hotly debated late night vote
Barristers to vote on no returns policy
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Foot Anstey—Jasmine Olomolaiye
Investigations and corporate crime expert joins as partner
Fieldfisher—Mark Shaw
Veteran funds specialist joins investment funds team
Taylor Wessing—Stephen Whitfield
Firm enhances competition practice with London partner hire
NEWS
The Supreme Court has delivered a decisive ruling on termination under the JCT Design & Build form. Writing in NLJ this week, Andrew Singer KC and Jonathan Ward, of Kings Chambers, analyse Providence Building Services v Hexagon Housing Association [2026] UKSC 1, which restores the first-instance decision and curbs contractors’ termination rights for repeated late payment
Secondments, disciplinary procedures and appeal chaos all feature in a quartet of recent rulings. Writing in NLJ this week, Ian Smith, barrister and emeritus professor of employment law at UEA, examines how established principles are being tested in modern disputes
The AI revolution is no longer a distant murmur—it’s at the client’s desk. Writing in NLJ this week, Peter Ambrose, CEO of The Partnership and Legalito, warns that the ‘AI chickens’ have ‘come home to roost’, transforming not just legal practice but the lawyer–client relationship itself
A High Court ruling involving the Longleat estate has exposed the fault line between modern family building and historic trust drafting. Writing in NLJ this week, Charlotte Coyle, director and family law expert at Freeths, examines Cator v Thynn [2026] EWHC 209 (Ch), where trustees sought approval to modernise trusts that retain pre-1970 definitions of ‘child’, ‘grandchild’ and ‘issue’
Fresh proposals to criminalise ‘nudification’ apps, prioritise cyberflashing and non-consensual intimate images, and even ban under-16s from social media have reignited debate over whether the Online Safety Act 2023 (OSA 2023) is fit for purpose. Writing in NLJ this week, Alexander Brown, head of technology, media and telecommunications, and Alexandra Webster, managing associate, Simmons & Simmons, caution against reactive law-making that could undermine the Act’s ‘risk-based and outcomes-focused’ design
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