THIS ISSUE
The Supreme Court decision in Barton v Morris is a landmark case on the interaction between the law of unjust enrichment and the law of contract.
Could chatbots open up access to justice? NLJ columnist and former Justice director Roger Smith puts ChatGPT to the test in this week’s issue.
The personal injury discount rate, which is used by judges when calculating damages, is up for its five-year review next year, writes Julian Chamberlayne, in this week’s NLJ.
Could seized sanctions assets be used to fund the reconstruction of Ukraine? It’s a fascinating question.
We should seize the opportunities presented by new models of artificial intelligence to improve the provision of legal advice, says Roger Smith
Kate Temple-Mabe explains the importance of securing compensation for victims of trafficking—and the creative approach needed to do so
Barton v Morris: Sarah Allan & Chris Ward consider the Supreme Court’s reminder that ‘unjust enrichment mends no-one’s bargain’
Maria Nizzero sets out the complexities of possibly using seized sanctions assets to fund reconstruction in Ukraine
How much change will the fire & rehire code deliver? Charles Pigott assesses the government’s draft code of practice
David Walbank KC examines the relevance of gender identity within the context of extradition requests
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Boodle Hatfield—Clare Pooley & Michael Duffy
Private wealth and real estate firmpromotes two to partner and five to senior associate
Forbes Solicitors—Stephen Barnfield
Regulatory team boosted by partner hire amid rising health and safety demand
Arc Pensions Law—Kris Weber
Legal director promoted to partner at specialist pensions firm
NEWS
From blockbuster judgments to procedural shake-ups, the courts are busy reshaping litigation practice. Writing in NLJ this week, Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School hails the Court of Appeal's 'exquisite judgment’ in Mazur restoring the role of supervised non-qualified staff, and highlights a ‘mammoth’ damages ruling likened to War and Peace, alongside guidance on medical reporting fees, where a pragmatic 25% uplift was imposed
Momentum is building behind proposals to restrict children’s access to social media—but the legal and practical challenges are formidable. In NLJ this week, Nick Smallwood of Mills & Reeve examines global moves, including Australia’s under-16 ban and the UK's consultation
Reforms designed to rebalance landlord-tenant relations may instead penalise leaseholders themselves. In this week's NLJ, Mike Somekh of The Freehold Collective warns that the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 risks creating an ‘underclass’ of resident-controlled freehold companies
Timing is everything—and the Court of Appeal has delivered clarity on when proceedings are ‘brought’. In his latest 'Civil way' column for NLJ, Stephen Gold explains that a claim is issued for limitation purposes when the claim form is delivered to the court, even if fees are underpaid
The traditional ‘single, intensive day’ of financial dispute resolution (FDR) may be due for a rethink. Writing in NLJ this week, Rachel Frost-Smith and Lauren Guiler of Birketts propose a ‘split FDR’ model, separating judicial evaluation from negotiation
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