THIS ISSUE
The Bar Council has raised concerns after the latest judicial diversity statistics showed no movement on the under-representation of Black lawyers among the judiciary
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has clarified that serious bullying and harassment in financial firms amounts to misconduct, and will extend this to about 37,000 other regulated firms next September
The High Court has awarded a divorcee £230m—the third largest divorce settlement in English legal history—despite an existing post-nuptial agreement
A proposed £20m boost for housing and immigration legal aid practitioners has been confirmed
The government is banning employers from using non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) to silence victims of harassment and abuse
Arbitration professionals prefer the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) arbitration rules
The Solicitors’ Charity, which helps practitioners with emotional, physical, financial and professional difficulties, received three times its usual number of requests for support last year
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Birketts—trainee cohort
Firm welcomes new cohort of 29 trainee solicitors for 2025
Keoghs—four appointments
Four partner hires expand legal expertise in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Brabners—Ben Lamb
Real estate team in Yorkshire welcomes new partner
NEWS
Robert Taylor of 360 Law Services warns in this week's NLJ that adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) risks entrenching disadvantage for SME law firms, unless tools are tailored to their needs
The Court of Protection has ruled in Macpherson v Sunderland City Council that capacity must be presumed unless clearly rebutted. In this week's NLJ, Sam Karim KC and Sophie Hurst of Kings Chambers dissect the judgment and set out practical guidance for advisers faced with issues relating to retrospective capacity and/or assessments without an examination
Delays and dysfunction continue to mount in the county court, as revealed in a scathing Justice Committee report and under discussion this week by NLJ columnist Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School. Bulk claims—especially from private parking firms—are overwhelming the system, with 8,000 cases filed weekly
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
From oligarchs to cosmetic clinics, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) target journalists, activists and ordinary citizens with intimidating legal tactics. Writing in NLJ this week, Sadie Whittam of Lancaster University explores the weaponisation of litigation to silence critics
Copyright © 2025 LexisNexis
