THIS ISSUE
A wave of scandals has reignited debate over misconduct in public office, criticised as unclear and inconsistently applied. Writing in NLJ this week, Alice Lepeuple of WilmerHale says the offence’s ‘vagueness, overbreadth & inconsistent deployment’ have undermined confidence
Leor Franks sets out a system for assessing business development investments, involving a test with four key elements
FIFA’s 2026 Men's World Cup is already mired in controversy, with complaints over ‘excessive prices’ and opaque ticketing. Writing in NLJ this week, Professor Dr Ian Blackshaw of Valloni Attorneys warns that governing bodies may face scrutiny under EU competition law, with allegations of a ‘dominant—if not monopolistic—position’ in ticket sales
Ten years after Brexit, UK and EU trade mark regimes are drifting apart in practice if not principle. Writing in NLJ this week, Roger Lush and Lara Elder of Carpmaels & Ransford highlight tighter UK scrutiny after SkyKick, where overly broad filings may signal ‘bad faith’
Sanctioning non-payment: what’s caught by the wide net of the UK regime? Brónagh Adams & Harriet Campbell stress the need for caution following Celestial Aviation v Unicredit
A surge of scandals has revived debate over misconduct in public office: Alice Lepeuple asks whether a more principled approach to the offence is needed
Client complaints about ‘more modest bills’ of £50,000 or less would be handled by the Legal Ombudsman rather than the courts, under Civil Justice Council (CJC) proposals
Global firm Dentons could be forced to return to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) over its vetting of a client inherited from its merger with French firm Salans, following a Court of Appeal decision
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Freeths—Mark Price
Freeths strengthens restructuring and insolvency team with partner appointment
DWF—Caroline Featherstone, Victoria Neil & Matt Lewsey
DWF strengthens public inquiries team with trio of high-profile appointments
Excello Law—Claire-Elaine Arthurs, Rhian Horwill & Caroline Lamming-Chowen
Three-lawyer team hire boosts Excello Law’s property litigation practice
NEWS
Indemnity costs remain exceptional, but parties cannot ignore a case that deteriorates around them. In Lawrence v Associated Newspapers, Mr Justice Nicklin ordered the claimants to pay indemnity costs after finding their conduct, viewed cumulatively, fell ‘well outside the norm’
Public law is in flux following reversals and robust appellate intervention, according to the latest public law update by the team at HSFK for NLJ
Neurotechnology is turning the human mind into an operational domain, exposing gaps in the laws of war
Foreign judgment creditors have gained a route to recovery after the Supreme Court’s ruling in Drelle v Servis-Terminal
Surrogacy is growing in popularity, but parents-to-be face a complex legal framework
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