THIS ISSUE
Dr Ping-fat Sze examines the reviewability of prosecutorial decisions, & the effect on access to justice
When is security deemed received—on payment or on receipt of cleared funds? Avneet Baryan examines the case law
Rachel Davenport, Co-founder and Director at AlphaBiolabs, breaks down everything you need to know about AlphaBiolabs’ industry-leading laboratory testing services for legal matters.
Marc Mason explores the benefits of a more reflective form of supervision for lawyers & their clients
A rise in nuisance claims against water utilities and in silicosis claims are among the insurance predictions for 2025.
The Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood has raised the personal injury discount rate (PIDR)—used by the courts to calculate lump sum awards for long-term injuries—from -0.25% to 0.5%.
Few costs lawyers have seen any reduction in disputes between solicitors and their clients despite the ruling in Belsner, the Association of Costs Lawyers (ACL) annual members survey has found.
Competition law and litigation solicitor Lucy Rigby, a former partner at Hausfeld, has been appointed Solicitor General, replacing Sarah Sackman KC, who replaces Heidi Alexander as justice minister for the courts, legal aid and civil justice in a mini-shuffle announced this week.
MPs have voted 330-275 to pass the Terminally Ill (End of Life) Bill’s second reading, a private member’s bill brought by Kim Leadbeater MP
MOVERS & SHAKERS
NLJ Career Profile: Daniel Burbeary, Michelman Robinson
Daniel Burbeary, office managing partner of Michelman Robinson, discusses launching in London, the power of the law, and what the kitchen can teach us about litigating
Joelson—Jennifer Mansoor
West End firm strengthens employment and immigration team with partner hire
JMW—Belinda Brooke
Employment and people solutions offering boosted by partner hire
NEWS
The Court of Appeal has slammed the brakes on claimants trying to swap defendants after limitation has expired. In Adcamp LLP v Office Properties and BDB Pitmans v Lee [2026] EWCA Civ 50, it overturned High Court rulings that had allowed substitutions under s 35(6)(b) of the Limitation Act 1980, reports Sarah Crowther of DAC Beachcroft in this week's NLJ
Cheating in driving tests is surging—and courts are responding firmly. Writing in NLJ this week, Neil Parpworth of De Montfort Law School charts a rise in impersonation and tech-assisted fraud, with 2,844 attempts recorded in a year
As AI-generated ‘deepfake’ images proliferate, the law may already have the tools to respond. In NLJ this week, Jon Belcher of Excello Law argues that such images amount to personal data processing under UK GDPR
In a striking financial remedies ruling, the High Court cut a wife’s award by 40% for coercive and controlling behaviour. Writing in NLJ this week, Chris Bryden and Nicole Wallace of 4 King’s Bench Walk analyse LP v MP [2025] EWFC 473
A €60.9m award to Kylian Mbappé has refocused attention on football’s controversial ‘ethics bonus’ clauses. Writing in NLJ this week, Dr Estelle Ivanova of Valloni Attorneys at Law examines how such provisions sit within French labour law
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