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
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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