THIS ISSUE
The Supreme Court has warned that those on the losing side of a political debate should not then resort to undermining legislation: David Walbank KC reports
Was the BBC’s handling of the Gary Lineker case about the perception of impartiality or of independence? John Gould puts the broadcaster’s guidelines under the microscope
Convention consensus: Christopher Deacon & Craig Evans weigh up claimant & defendant perspectives on the Hague Judgments Convention 2019
A diverse range of opportunities (and a convenient gap in the legal market) awaits those choosing a career as a paralegal, writes Amanda Hamilton
It’s not all about the City: from varied workloads to a much-improved work-life balance, Kate Stockdale extols the benefits of rural firms for junior lawyers
Liking, listening, learning & the law: Dr Emma Jones sets out the benefits of LawCare’s latest course on working with others
Intended parents opting for surrogacy could potentially become the legal parents at birth, under an overhaul of surrogacy laws recommended by the Law Commission and Scottish Law Commission.
Private family law children cases took an average of 47 weeks to conclude in the final quarter of 2022—up five weeks on the same period in 2021 and an all-time high, according to the latest family court statistics.
The government has launched Economic Crime Plan 2—a three-year public-private partnership plan to cut fraud, money laundering and sanctions evasion, tackle kleptocracy and recover more criminal assets.
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Bellevue Law—Lianne Craig
Workplace law firm expands commercial disputes team with senior consultant hire
EIP—Rob Barker
IP firm promotes patent attorney to partner
Muckle LLP—Ryan Butler
Banking and restructuring team bolstered by insolvency specialist
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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