THIS ISSUE
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has prompted some interesting ethical questions among practitioners, particularly those with oligarch clients
In this week’s Civil Way, former District Judge Stephen Gold covers the latest in a David and Goliath battle between a couple duped out of their life savings and the all-powerful Barclays Bank. Where does responsibility lie?
Mrs Justice Cockerill, head of the Commercial Court, answers questions put to her by freelance legal journalist Grania Langdon-Down in a wide-ranging interview, in this week’s NLJ
Is the time ripe for a public defender system? Writing in this week’s NLJ, solicitor Roger Smith mulls the pros and cons of such a system, noting the underfunding of criminal legal aid, the ongoing ‘no returns’ action of the Criminal Bar and the current political climate
Baroness Hallett, Chair of the UK COVID-19 Public Inquiry, wrote to the Prime Minister last week, requesting the terms of reference be expanded to include the impact on children and young people, mental health and wellbeing, and collaboration between government and the voluntary and community sector
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has expanded a scheme that allows victims and witnesses of crimes, such as rape and modern slavery, to have their cross-examination video-recorded and played later in trial
The Sentencing Council has revised its guidelines on sentencing offenders convicted of arranging or facilitating sexual offences against a child, and issued a new guideline on sexual communication with a child
This year’s Pro Bono Week will discuss how lawyers have coordinated support in response to the crises in Afghanistan and Ukraine, and how best to deliver for future emergencies
The number of deaths in state detention rose 3% in 2021 on the previous year (580 compared to 562), with a 17% rise in deaths in prison custody, ‘driven by deaths related to COVID-19, which peaked in 2021 Q1’, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has revealed
After some challenging years, solicitors are starting to feel the benefits of the tough decisions they made to survive, the latest LexisNexis Bellwether report has found
MOVERS & SHAKERS
42BR Barristers—4 Brick Court
42BR Barristers to be joined by leading family law set, 4 Brick Court, this summer
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Winckworth Sherwood—Rubianka Winspear
Real estate and construction energy offering boosted by partner hire
Gateley Legal—Daniel Walsh
Firm bolsters real estate team with partner hire in Birmingham
NEWS
A wave of housing and procedural reforms is set to test the limits of tribunal capacity. In his latest Civil Way column for NLJ this week, Stephen Gold charts sweeping change as the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 begins biting
Plans to reduce jury trials risk missing the real problem in the criminal justice system. Writing in NLJ this week, David Wolchover of Ridgeway Chambers argues the crown court backlog is fuelled not by juries but weak cases slipping through a flawed ‘50%’ prosecution test
Emerging technologies may soon transform how courts determine truth in deeply personal disputes. In this week's NLJ, Madhavi Kabra of 1 Hare Court and Harry Lambert of Outer Temple Chambers explore how neurotechnology could reshape family law
A controversial protest case has reignited debate over the limits of free expression. In NLJ this week, Nicholas Dobson examines a Quran-burning incident testing public order law
The courts have drawn a firm line under attempts to extend arbitration appeals. Writing in NLJ this week, Masood Ahmed of the University of Leicester highlights that if the High Court refuses permission under s 68 of the Arbitration Act 1996, that is the end
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