THIS ISSUE
The recent change to QOCS (qualified one-way costs shifting) may have tipped the balance in favour of defendants, Samuel Hayman, partner, and Tom Jenkinson, senior associate solicitor, Bolt Burdon Kemp, write in this week’s NLJ.
One year and counting since the invasion of Ukraine, cracks are appearing in the sanctions regime, Ben Keith, Rhys Davies & Olivia Chessell at International Human Rights Advisors report in this week’s NLJ.
NLJ columnist Dominic Regan is on form in this week’s The Insider, with thoughts on District Judges, the cons as well as pros for the latest tranche of King’s Counsel, and more anecdotes on those who have found themselves in the right place at the right time.
Dispute resolution uses an astonishing amount of carbon resources, and it’s time to make it more environmentally sustainable, barrister Dr Mike Wilkinson and commercial director of AI-powered litigation platform TrialView, Eimear McCann write in this week’s NLJ.
In his latest column, Dominic Regan sets out next steps for fixed costs, some unexpected downsides of taking silk, & the importance of being in the right place at the right time
It is imperative that states maintain a robust, coherent & joined-up approach to sanctions if they are to succeed, argue Ben Keith, Rhys Davies & Olivia Chessell
On the clock: in this month’s employment brief, Ian Smith discusses judges acting up, bonus bonanzas & failures to mitigate
A more robust system for sharing information is essential to ensure that chances to protect vulnerable children are not missed, says Lucy Logan Green
Have the changes to the qualified one-way costs shifting regime tipped the scales too far in favour of defendants? Samuel Hayman & Tom Jenkinson examine the perilous new situation for claimants
Jamie Sutherland & Imogen Dodds consider the respective scope of the Party Wall etc Act 1996 & the common law
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Gardner Leader—Charlotte Botham & Belinda Sinnott
Law firm strengthens real estate team with two new partners
DR Solicitors—Sarah Cook
DR Solicitors strengthens primary care expertise with appointment of legal director
Womble Bond Dickinson—David Varney
Womble Bond Dickinson appoints David Varney to strengthen digital practice
NEWS
A deputy costs judge correctly exercised his discretion to allow late service rather than strike out the point of dispute, the Court of Appeal has held
Prince Harry, Baroness Doreen Lawrence and five others have lost their case against the publisher of the Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday and MailOnline, in Various Claimants v Associated Newspapers [2026] EWHC 1637 (KB)
Public confidence in the justice system is being undermined by a lack of accessible, useable data, magistrates have warned
The Sentencing Council has launched draft guidelines for facilitation and endangering another person during a sea crossing to the UK
Government proposals to make independent written legal advice a prerequisite for workplace non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) may prove unworkable, according to a senior employment lawyer
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