THIS ISSUE
Former district judge Stephen Gold covers the legal issues and remedies where a lawyer makes a harmless error, in this week’s NLJ. Gold notes the court’s view, in the particular case mentioned, that ‘the court should not punish a party for the harmless error of its legal representatives’.
Can the Law Commission’s consultation finally deliver radical reforms 30 years in the making? Martin Rackstraw weighs up the issues at hand
Whiplash mini-rise; discrimination bands up; apologies OK; wrong defendant blues; non-binary name change.
Dr Chris Pamplin explores evidence of fact among ‘the tangled thicket’ of expert evidence
Like the elephant in the famous parable, trade mark dilution isn’t easily determined, writes Mark Engelman
Disputes over pets during divorce are on the rise. In this week’s NLJ, Shivi Rajput, partner at Stowe Family Law, looks at recent developments in the law.
Is it possible to own a freehold or leasehold estate in a tree? Mark Pawlowski digs deep
Planned cuts to the Civil Service risk adding further pressure to a public court system already at breaking point: Mark Jones & Alex Curran report on the deepening crisis
Experts can give evidence that is then considered factual rather than expert evidence within CPR 35. In this week’s NLJ, Dr Chris Pamplin, editor of the UK Register of Expert Witnesses, explores the fine line between evidence of fact and expert opinion.
The wrongful convictions of innocent sub-postmasters and of Andrew Malkinson, who was also entirely innocent, are shocking. The appeals system has been in need of ‘radical overhaul’ for decades, Martin Rackstraw, criminal partner at Russell-Cooke, writes in this week’s NLJ.
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.
Copyright © 2026 LexisNexis
