THIS ISSUE
In this week’s NLJ, employment barrister Ian Smith investigates a trio of unusual cases, including on the issue of when a court can directly enforce a valid restraint of trade clause against an ex-employee, (and what about their need to earn a living?)
The Master of the Rolls, Sir Geoffrey Vos is proposing a digitalisation project that ‘will change the whole nature of civil litigation’, barrister Stephen Shaw writes in this week’s NLJ
Laura Walliss, senior knowledge lawyer, and Rosie Todd, partner, Stevens & Bolton, tackle some of the myths, common perceptions and difficulties surrounding digital assets when it comes to estate planning and administration, in this week’s NLJ
Does the ever-expanding scope of domestic abuse law risk creating confusion & inconsistency in prosecution? Danielle Reece-Greenhalgh investigates
Quiet summer? Think again! Ian Smith ventures off the beaten track to explore the latest (& most unusual) cases
Linda Ford discusses the benefits of learning on the job & the fast-track routes for aspiring lawyers
The Master of the Rolls is pursuing an ambitious transformation of civil justice as we know it—and he deserves all the support he can get, says Stephen Shaw
Estate planning & administration: Laura Walliss & Rosie Todd examine the many difficulties posed by digital assets
MOVERS & SHAKERS
NLJ Career Profile: Ken Fowlie, Stowe Family Law
Ken Fowlie, chairman of Stowe Family Law, reflects on more than 30 years in legal services after ‘falling into law’
Jackson Lees Group—Jannina Barker, Laura Beattie & Catherine McCrindle
Firm promotes senior associate and team leader as wills, trusts and probate team expands
Asserson—Michael Francos-Downs
Manchester real estate finance practice welcomes legal director
NEWS
Children can claim for ‘lost years’ damages in personal injury cases, the Supreme Court has held in a landmark judgment
Holiday lets may promise easy returns, but restrictive covenants can swiftly scupper plans. Writing in NLJ this week, Andrew Francis of Serle Court recounts how covenants limiting use to a ‘private dwelling house’ or ‘private residence’ have repeatedly defeated short-term letting schemes
Artificial intelligence (AI) is already embedded in the civil courts, but regulation lags behind practice. Writing in NLJ this week, Ben Roe of Baker McKenzie charts a landscape where AI assists with transcription, case management and document handling, yet raises acute concerns over evidence, advocacy and even judgment-writing
The Supreme Court has drawn a firm line under branding creativity in regulated markets. In Dairy UK Ltd v Oatly AB, it ruled that Oatly’s ‘post-milk generation’ trade mark unlawfully deployed a protected dairy designation. In NLJ this week, Asima Rana of DWF explains that the court prioritised ‘regulatory clarity over creative branding choices’, holding that ‘designation’ extends beyond product names to marketing slogans
From cat fouling to Part 36 brinkmanship, the latest 'Civil way' round-up is a reminder that procedural skirmishes can have sharp teeth. NLJ columnist Stephen Gold ranges across recent decisions with his customary wit
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