THIS ISSUE
Is it bye bye Right to Buy? In this week’s 'Civil Way', former district judge Stephen Gold looks at changes to the discounts for secure tenants.
Prisons are in crisis, so what’s the plan to fix them? In this week’s NLJ, Helen Scambler, associate at Mishcon de Reya, comments on the government’s actions to date to repair the issue, and makes some suggestions on what they could do next.
Donald Trump, populism and the UK Attorney General Richard Hermer KC’s (pictured) recent speech on the rule of law are explored in former JUSTICE director Roger Smith’s NLJ column this week.
How does legal privilege apply to the use of generative artificial intelligence (gen AI) by lawyers? In this week’s NLJ, Olivia Dhein, knowledge lawyer at RPC, and Ben Roe, lead knowledge lawyer at Baker McKenzie, highlight some overlooked risks and consider various workplace scenarios.
How does UK law on neurorights compare to protections granted in other parts of the world? Part 4 of Harry Lambert and Bradley John-Davis’s fascinating series on neurotechnology and the law looks at neurotech law abroad, suggests the UK may be lagging behind, and explains that Latin America is leading the way.
It does proponents of the rule of law no harm to admit to its many uncertainties: Roger Smith warns against the temptation to oversimplify
Does the existence of a suitable alternative remedy rule out the option of judicial review? Nicholas Dobson weighs up the Supreme Court’s view
Successful non-party costs orders against credit hire operators are swelling in number: Sarah Jane Cartlidge considers whether these are just a drop in the ocean
How will the government reduce the prison population and ease the strain on the system? Helen Scambler examines the proposed measures
Olivia Dhein & Ben Roe explain how lawyers should think about privilege when using gen AI tools
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Clarke Willmott—Declan Goodwin & Elinor Owen
Corporate and commercial teams in Cardiff boosted by dual partner hire
Hill Dickinson—Joz Coetzer & Marc Naidoo
London hires tolead UK launch of international finance team
Switalskis—11 promotions
Firm marks start of year with firmwide promotions round
NEWS
Property lawyers have given a cautious welcome to the government’s landmark Bill capping ground rents at £250, banning new leasehold properties and making it easier for leaseholders to switch to commonhold
Four Nightingale courts are to be made permanent, as justice ministers continue to grapple with the record-level Crown Court backlog
The judiciary has set itself a trio of objectives and a trio of focus areas for the next five years, in its Judicial Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2026-2030
The Sentencing Act 2026 received royal assent last week, bringing into law the recommendations of David Gauke’s May 2025 Independent Sentencing Review
Victims of crime are to be given free access to transcripts of Crown Court sentencing remarks, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has confirmed
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