THIS ISSUE
The government’s sledgehammer approach to legal aid benefits neither access to justice nor the public purse, says Geoffrey Bindman
Alec Samuels discusses challenging service charges
Masood Ahmed reports on the interpretation & application of the ‘additional amount’ under Pt 36
Early cash; ADR: agree it, do it; eternally privileged; look, no boarding card
John McMullen provides an update on the automatic transfer principle & its effects
Peter Stevens traces the recent history of compensation awards for employee inventors
Nearly 60% of expert witnesses believe judges should have powers to permanently disqualify experts who don’t understand their role.
The main challenge law firms face with e-billing is the way in which they record their time, according to a report.
The Junior Lawyers Division (JLD) has warned that the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) ‘poses significant risks to the standing and credibility (both domestically and internationally) of the solicitor qualification’.
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Jurit LLP—Caroline Williams
Private wealth and tax team welcomes cross-border specialist as consultant
Freeths—Michelle Kirkland Elias
International hospitality and leisure specialist joins corporate team as partner
Flint Bishop—Deborah Niven
Firm appoints head of intellectual property to drive northern growth
NEWS
Talk of a reserved ‘Welsh seat’ on the Supreme Court is misplaced. In NLJ this week, Professor Graham Zellick KC explains that the Constitutional Reform Act treats ‘England and Wales’ as one jurisdiction, with no statutory Welsh slot
The government’s plan to curb jury trials has sparked ‘jury furore’. Writing in NLJ this week, David Locke, partner at Hill Dickinson, says the rationale is ‘grossly inadequate’
A year after the $1.5bn Bybit heist, crypto fraud is booming—but so is recovery. Writing in NLJ this week, Neil Holloway, founder and CEO of M2 Recovery, warns that scams hit at least $14bn in 2025, fuelled by ‘pig butchering’ cons and AI deepfakes
After Woodcock confirmed no general duty to warn, debate turns to the criminal law. Writing in NLJ this week, Charles Davey of The Barrister Group urges revival of misprision or a modern equivalent
Family courts are tightening control of expert evidence. Writing in NLJ this week, Dr Chris Pamplin says there is ‘no automatic right’ to call experts; attendance must be ‘necessary in the interests of justice’ under FPR Pt 25
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