THIS ISSUE
Firms will need to consider purchasing separate cyber attack insurance this year, the Law Society has warned
Tougher sentences for child cruelty could be introduced, along with a higher culpability threshold for the most serious cases, under draft guidelines from the Sentencing Council
The Law Commission is launching a major review of the criminal appeals process
The House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee has highlighted the risks faced by cohabitants on relationship breakdown or the death of a partner, in a report last week, 'The rights of cohabiting partners'
Professor Dominic Regan, of City Law School, devotes this week’s NLJ column to holidays―the bad, the good, the miserable and the one with the infinity pool
A health board’s defence of fundamental dishonesty―a fast-developing defence used in clinical negligence cases―has been dismissed as ‘entirely unfounded’, in a claim concerning vaginal mesh surgery
Criminal law solicitor Richard Atkinson has been elected deputy vice president of the Law Society
In this week’s Civil Way, former District Judge Stephen Gold covers cinema lessees’ attempts to avoid liability for rent during lockdown, and joint advice for divorcing couples―’a “one lawyer, two clients” model for couples who have agreed to make full disclosure’
Working pro bono benefits everyone―client, lawyer, firm and wider community. In a special NLJ pro bono double-bill this week, we highlight the advantages of this legal tradition
The police registration scheme, which required certain visa holders to register with the police, has been suspended with immediate effect
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Birketts—trainee cohort
Firm welcomes new cohort of 29 trainee solicitors for 2025
Keoghs—four appointments
Four partner hires expand legal expertise in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Brabners—Ben Lamb
Real estate team in Yorkshire welcomes new partner
NEWS
Robert Taylor of 360 Law Services warns in this week's NLJ that adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) risks entrenching disadvantage for SME law firms, unless tools are tailored to their needs
The Court of Protection has ruled in Macpherson v Sunderland City Council that capacity must be presumed unless clearly rebutted. In this week's NLJ, Sam Karim KC and Sophie Hurst of Kings Chambers dissect the judgment and set out practical guidance for advisers faced with issues relating to retrospective capacity and/or assessments without an examination
Delays and dysfunction continue to mount in the county court, as revealed in a scathing Justice Committee report and under discussion this week by NLJ columnist Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School. Bulk claims—especially from private parking firms—are overwhelming the system, with 8,000 cases filed weekly
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
From oligarchs to cosmetic clinics, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) target journalists, activists and ordinary citizens with intimidating legal tactics. Writing in NLJ this week, Sadie Whittam of Lancaster University explores the weaponisation of litigation to silence critics
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