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05 December 2025
Issue: 8142 / Categories: Legal News , Legal services , Profession , Regulatory
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NLJ this week: Alarm bells over Mazur

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The High Court’s decision in Mazur v Charles Russell Speechlys has thrown the careers of experienced CILEX litigators into jeopardy, warns Fred Philpott of Gough Square Chambers in NLJ this week

He describes a bewildering situation in which long-trusted legal executives, once central to litigation teams, now risk being side-lined as mere ‘ciphers’. He traces the problem to regulatory drift following the Legal Services Act 2007 and the growth of mass-market litigation models fuelled by ‘no win no fee’ practices.

Meanwhile, unqualified caseworkers in some modern claims factories are producing erroneous witness statements referencing vehicles or banks that never existed.

Philpott argues that the solution is simple: the regulator must restore clarity by confirming that all qualified CILEX members have rights to conduct litigation. With professions unsettled and livelihoods at stake, he suggests that intervention in the Mazur appeal may yet provide a much-needed corrective.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Anthony Collins—20 promotions

Anthony Collins—20 promotions

20 promotions mark major people investment at national law firm, Anthony Collins

Sidley—Elaine Whiteford

Sidley—Elaine Whiteford

Sidley adds competition litigator Elaine Whiteford in London

Charles Russell Speechlys—Claudina D’Costa

Charles Russell Speechlys—Claudina D’Costa

Charles Russell Speechlys welcomes Claudina D’Costa as Director of Client Development Marketing

NEWS
The 25th Pro Bono Week begins today until 6 November, with events hosted by law firms, chambers, law schools and charities across the UK
Pro bono is celebrating a silver anniversary, with initiatives putting businesses and students at the heart of access to justice
Choosing the wrong expert can cost a clinical negligence claimant more than their case
Judges risk weakening their own independence by staying silent over government reforms, a leading public lawyer argues
A discount on damages does not automatically mean an equivalent haircut for legal costs in military deafness claims
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