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
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
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
Recent allegations surrounding Peter Mandelson and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor have reignited scrutiny of the ancient common law offence of misconduct in public office. Writing in NLJ this week, Simon Parsons, teaching fellow at Bath Spa University, asks whether their conduct could clear a notoriously high legal hurdle
A landmark ruling has reshaped child clinical negligence claims. Writing in NLJ this week, Jodi Newton, head of birth and paediatric negligence at Osbornes Law, explains how the Supreme Court in CCC v Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust [2026] UKSC 5 has overturned Croke v Wiseman, ending the long-standing bar on children recovering ‘lost years’ earnings
A Court of Appeal ruling has drawn a firm line under party autonomy in arbitration. Writing in NLJ this week, Masood Ahmed, associate professor at the University of Leicester, analyses Gluck v Endzweig [2026] EWCA Civ 145, where a clause allowing arbitrators to amend an award ‘at any time’ was held incompatible with the Arbitration Act 1996
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