Issue: Vol 176, Issue 8150

Andrew Francis tells some cautionary tales of restrictive covenants used for holiday & other short-term lettings

From document management to decision-making: Ben Roe explores the practical applications of AI in the courtroom

Holiday lets may promise easy returns, but restrictive covenants can swiftly scupper plans. Writing in NLJ this week, Andrew Francis of Serle Court recounts how covenants limiting use to a ‘private dwelling house’ or ‘private residence’ have repeatedly defeated short-term letting schemes

Game on for fraudsters? Paul Schwartfeger & Nadia Latti consider civil fraud in platform-controlled digital assets

Artificial intelligence (AI) is already embedded in the civil courts, but regulation lags behind practice. Writing in NLJ this week, Ben Roe of Baker McKenzie charts a landscape where AI assists with transcription, case management and document handling, yet raises acute concerns over evidence, advocacy and even judgment-writing

Ian McDougall on the dangers of blurred lines between counsel & cause

The Supreme Court has drawn a firm line under branding creativity in regulated markets. In Dairy UK Ltd v Oatly AB, it ruled that Oatly’s ‘post-milk generation’ trade mark unlawfully deployed a protected dairy designation. In NLJ this week, Asima Rana of DWF explains that the court prioritised ‘regulatory clarity over creative branding choices’, holding that ‘designation’ extends beyond product names to marketing slogans

Lasting powers of attorney & letters of wishes should evolve with a client’s life. Regular reviews can prevent family disputes, court intervention & costly mistakes, writes Ann Stanyer