THIS ISSUE
Andrew Parker reviews the draft rules for extending fixed costs to cases valued up to £100,000
Corporate lawyers should not fear the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), writes Ziad Mantoura, solicitor and senior vice president at alternative legal service provider Epiq, in this week’s NLJ.
In this week’s NLJ, Caroline Bowden, consultant at Anthony Gold, is cautiously optimistic about a Ministry of Justice (MoJ) consultation on the earlier resolution of private family law arrangements for children, finances and housing. The aim is to keep family disputes out of court where possible, an aspiration approved of by family lawyers.
Could Starmer, Davey or Sunak (or whoever becomes the next prime minister) rescue the legal aid system? In this week’s NLJ, columnist Roger Smith looks back to the Cameron-Osborne years of austerity, before examining potential routes back to functionality.
India has opened its legal market to foreign firms. What opportunities have arisen as a result, and what restrictions apply? In this week’s NLJ, Rupa Lakha, partner, and Neeva Desai, trainee solicitor, at Charles Russell Speechlys, take a look at the significant potential for both Indian and foreign law firms.
Roger Smith sets out a vision for a national legal aid service—& how we might go about funding it
Professor Graham Zellick KC considers the use of the designation KC by honorary silks
For many participants in a family dispute, almost any alternative is better than ending up in court. Caroline Bowden hopes the government will succeed in getting this message across
What is an accident? Asela Wijeyaratne & Mark Welbourn examine a return to orthodoxy under the Montreal Convention on air passenger liability
Wilson Leung examines a recent judgment providing much-needed clarity on the process of bringing committal proceedings in Hong Kong
MOVERS & SHAKERS
NLJ Career Profile: Stephen Ward, The Barrister Group
From mowing lawns to life at the Bar: Stephen Ward reflects on an unconventional career
Clarke Willmott—Ben Loosemore
Commercial property partner joins Clarke Willmott in Southampton
Ellisons—Robert Tiffen
Robert Tiffen joins Ellisons as Partner in growing Norwich office
NEWS
The Law Society RFC Festival of Sport returns next month, bringing together legal and financial services professionals for one of the sector’s largest annual sporting events
Legal aid deserts leave almost one in four without adequate access to justice
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has warned solicitors and law firms that using artificial intelligence does not alter their professional obligations, amid concerns over inaccurate legal material and client confidentiality
From forgotten interest claims to case-management appeals, a string of procedural developments offers useful—and occasionally cautionary—lessons for practitioners
Jonathan Fisher KC highlights that it now accounts for around 40% of criminal offences, with roughly 70% involving technology, and argues that the UK cannot simply prosecute its way out of the problem. Detection, investigation and prosecution all require improvement, while different fraud types demand tailored responses.
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