THIS ISSUE
The Guralp case has given the Serious Fraud Office a welcome boost, writes Jonathan Fisher KC, but lessons can still be learned
Volunteer workers, capability dismissals, & costs decisions with a sting in the tail: Ian Smith combs through the latest employment headlines
Emma Radmore & Michael Lewis of Womble Bond Dickinson consider the drivers & concerns for UK financial institutions
Mark Pawlowski takes a look at some of the legal pitfalls associated with lottery syndicates
Refusing ADR is risky—but not always fatal. Writing in NLJ this week, Masood Ahmed and Sanjay Dave Singh of the University of Leicester analyse Assensus Ltd v Wirsol Energy Ltd: despite repeated invitations to mediate, the defendant stood firm, made a £100,000 Part 36 offer and was ultimately ‘wholly vindicated’ at trial
What are the costs penalties when a defendant won’t mediate? Masood Ahmed & Sanjay Dave Singh consider the case law
It is possible to obtain a UK patent for an artificial intelligence (AI) machine which uses artificial neural networks (ANNs), the Supreme Court has held
The current state of geopolitics is so volatile it is ‘fundamentally reshaping’ the role of general counsel, according to a report by a global network of law firms
The High Court has clarified how winding-up petitions must be served, in a decision with implications for 30,000 UK businesses using the Companies House default address for official mail
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Maguire Family Law—Jennifer Hudec, Ciara Florey, Alice Ferguson & Ruth Wynn
Maguire Family Law announces partner promotion and new hires amid a record year for enquiries
Switalskis—Rebecca Parry & Hannah Gamble
Switalskis wills and probate team extends reach with two appointments
Withers—Sophie Barrett-Brown
Withers drives further growth in its UK immigration team with new partner Sophie Barrett-Brown
NEWS
Restrictions on workplace non-disclosure agreements could make settlements slower, more complex and more expensive when reforms expected in 2027 take effect
Private prosecutors face closer scrutiny under Crown Prosecution Service guidance designed to strengthen accountability and consistency when intervention is requested
Foreign states cannot necessarily claim immunity for cyber operations launched abroad against computers in Britain, following a divided Supreme Court ruling
Defendants who make unsupported complaints about their lawyers risk losing legal aid while confiscation proceedings continue without representation
Lawyers advising Russian clients face different sanctions restrictions across the UK, EU and US, despite their shared objective of increasing pressure on Russia
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