THIS ISSUE
Criminal damage inflicted during public protest is an increasingly complex area, as David Walbank KC, of Red Lion Chambers, writes in this week’s Crime Brief.
The Supreme Court case of Basfar v Wong on diplomatic immunity comes under the scrutiny of Joseph Dyke and James McGlaughlin, of McNair International, in this week’s NLJ.
There seems to have been a spate of judgment embargo breaches since Sir Geoffrey Vos’s warning to forgetful, clumsy or errant lawyers last year that those who breach ought to expect contempt proceedings to follow.
‘Kompromat, often used in Russia to keep politicians and businesspeople in line, is now frequently being submitted as evidence in the courts of England and Wales,’ writes Natalie Todd, partner at Cooke Young & Keidan, in this week’s NLJ.
The proper funding of our justice system, so neglected by recent governments, is a vital issue for our society and it demands urgent action, says Geoffrey Bindman KC
In this month’s employment brief, Ian Smith breaks new ground courtesy of the Court of Appeal & navigates some tricky traps for unwary employees
Can the trafficking & slavery of a domestic worker be considered ‘commercial activity’? Joseph Dyke & James McGlaughlin examine the Supreme Court’s judgment in Basfar v Wong
Neil Parpworth considers the limits of the court’s leniency when it comes to breaching an embargo
Khawar Qureshi KC looks back on the key public international law cases before the English courts in 2022
David Walbank KC reports on the increasingly thorny issue of criminal damage inflicted through public protest
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’
Gardner Leader—Michelle Morgan & Catherine Morris
Regional law firm expands employment team with partner and senior associate hires
Freeths—Carly Harwood & Tom Newton
Nottinghamtrusts, estates and tax team welcomes two senior associates
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 cab-rank rule remains a bulwark of the rule of law, yet lawyers are increasingly judged by their clients’ causes. Writing in NLJ this week, Ian McDougall, president of the LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation, warns that conflating representation with endorsement is a ‘clear and present danger’
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
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