Current Awareness

‘An interim arrangement has been introduced to address difficulties accessing legal aid for decision hearings in child-focused family court proceedings.’

Full Story

Family Law, 20th July 2026

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Bar Council calls for legal aid to be considered essential public service alongside NHS and education – Bar Council

Simon — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 09:39:40 +0000

‘The Justice Select Committee’s report Access to Justice: Legal Aid has warned that declining availability of legal aid and increasing levels of self-representation is creating an ‘unacceptably high risk of miscarriages of justice and undermines the efficient administration’ of the courts.’

Full Story

Bar Council, 20th July 2026

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Representative Actions under the UK GDPR – Panopticon

Simon — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 09:36:57 +0000

‘Nestled among the well-known remedial provisions of the UK GDPR and DPA 2018 are Article 80 and section 187. These provisions enable data subjects to authorise a representative body to act on their behalf by exercising their rights under Articles 79 and 82 UK GDPR. Good Law Project’s claim against the Reform Party is the first claim brought under these provisions. The judgment in Reform’s strike out and/or summary judgment application, Good Law Project Ltd v Reform UK Part Ltd [2026] EWHC 1458 (KB), is therefore notable for being the first judicial consideration of the regime for representative data actions.’

Full Story

Panopticon, 20th July 2026

Source: panopticonblog.com

Non-lawyer Alex Norris MP picked as lord chancellor – Law Society Gazette

Simon — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 09:33:12 +0000

‘Andy Burnham has become the first Labour prime minister to appoint a non-lawyer to the post of lord chancellor. Alex Norris MP is a former trade union official who was elected to parliament for Nottingham North in 2017. Under Sir Keir Starmer he served as minister for border security and asylum in the Home Office.’

Full Story

Law Society Gazette, 21st July 2026

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

‘Demanding’ and ‘disrespectful’ magistrate issued with formal warning – Law Society Gazette

Simon — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 09:31:44 +0000

‘A magistrate who was accused of “bullying and harassing behaviour” has been issued with a formal warning.’

Full Story

Law Society Gazette, 21st July 2026

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Coercive control – dressed up as care – Counsel

Simon — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 09:28:47 +0000

‘Oliver Lewis spotlights an overlooked yet rapidly evolving area of law – coercive and controlling behaviour within care contexts.’

Full Story

Counsel, 20th July 2026

Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk

The zero-trust approach to cyber security – Counsel

Simon — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 09:27:04 +0000

‘Strong passwords and multi-factorial authentication are no longer enough. Sam Thomas sets out three further security measures barristers should be taking to thwart the ever-increasing threat from international hackers.’

Full Story

Counsel, 20th July 2026

Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk

The ‘Sandwich Generation’ Divorce: Financial Pressures Across Generations – Financial Remedies Journal

Simon — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 09:25:11 +0000

‘A growing number of middle aged individuals find themselves caught between competing financial responsibilities. The so called “sandwich generation” increasingly face these pressures at the very point when their own relationships are most strained. Divorce within this cohort raises complex issues.’

Full Story

Financial Remedies Journal, 21st July 2026

Source: financialremediesjournal.com

UK surrogacy law ‘creaking at seams’ as demand rises sharply – The Guardian

sally — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 08:21:16 +0000

‘Surrogates, parents and children are being failed by the UK’s archaic laws, which are “creaking at the seams” as demand for surrogacy grows rapidly, experts have said.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 21st July 2026

Source: www.theguardian.com

Pupil not guilty of trying to murder history teacher after stabbing her in the head – BBC News

sally — Tue, 21 Jul 2026 08:17:26 +0000

‘A pupil has been found not guilty of attempted murder after stabbing his teacher in the head with a kitchen knife.’

Full Story

BBC News, 20th July 2026

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

BAILII: Recent Decisions

michael — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 16:01:44 +0000

Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

EJW Builders Ltd & Anor v Marshall & Ors [2026] EWCA Civ 911 (20 July 2026)

Rahim & Anor v Secretary of State for the Home Department [2026] EWCA Civ 930 (20 July 2026)

Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)

Rayner, R. v [2026] EWCA Crim 922 (02 July 2026)

Chuku, R. v [2026] EWCA Crim 923 (02 July 2026)

Simmons, R. v [2026] EWCA Crim 928 (26 June 2026)

Smith, R. v[2026] EWCA Crim 915 (26 June 2026)

High Court (Administrative Court)

James, R (On the Application Of) v London Borough of Enfield [2026] EWHC 1811 (Admin) (17 July 2026)

High Court (Chancery Division)

Grosvenor Developments v Parsons & Anor [2026] EWHC 1827 (Ch) (20 July 2026)

High Court (Commercial Court)

Cedar Mundi (Holding) SAL v Attieh & Ors [2026] EWHC 1820 (Comm) (17 July 2026)

Trans Trade RK SA v Sebat Shipping and Trading Company [2026] EWHC 1761 (Comm) (14 July 2026)

High Court (King’s Bench Division)

Phillips v Oloffs [2026] EWHC 1821 (KB) (17 July 2026)

Source: www.bailii.org

Mixed drug use and mental ill-health – defence considerations. By Allison Summers K.C. & Giles Fleming – Drystone Chambers

Simon — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 10:55:20 +0000

‘It is a scenario with which most defence practitioners will be all too familiar. A defendant who was suffering from obvious mental ill-health at the time of the offending; but who also has a history of drug abuse. What effect, if any, will their mental health have on the case?’

Full Story

Drystone Chambers, 13th July 2026

Source: www.drystone.com

Sentencing domestic murders: Schedule 21. By Allison Summers K.C. – Drystone Chambers

Simon — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 10:54:14 +0000

‘Since 2024 four additional statutory aggravating factors have been added to paragraph 9 of Schedule 21 to the Sentencing Act 2020.’

Full Story

Drystone Chambers, 10th July 2026

Source: www.drystone.com

Reform of the law of homicide: Murder and Manslaughter. By Allison Summers K.C. – Drystone Chambers

Simon — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 10:52:33 +0000

‘In a report in 2006 the Law Commission described the law governing homicide as: “a rickety structure set upon shaky foundations”. In the 20 years since the report, those structures and foundations have continued to shake.

‘The decision of the Law Commission to publish a consultation paper on homicide offences is therefore to be welcomed even if the final recommendations to government are not expected until 2028.’

Full Story

Drystone Chambers, 29th June 2026

Source: www.drystone.com

Challenging Restraint Orders under POCA: Variation, Discharge and the New Focus on Dissipation Risk – Doughty Street Chambers

Simon — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 10:46:17 +0000

‘Restraint Orders can have immediate and serious consequences for individuals and businesses. Especially in circumstances where there may be little prospect of a charging decision anytime in the near future.

‘In this article we deal with the basics of how to best go about seeking a variation to, or even the complete discharge, of a Restraint Order.’

Full Story

Doughty Street Chambers, 14th July 2026

Source: insights.doughtystreet.co.uk

Invisible pain, visible rights: medical misogyny and the future of equality by design – Doughty Street Chambers

Simon — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 10:44:15 +0000

‘For decades, equality law has grappled with the question of “how does the law protect those with invisible disabilities?” Some barriers are physical and obvious: a step without a ramp, a door too narrow for a wheelchair. Others are hidden within systems where the barrier is not a missing ramp, but a missing belief.’

Full Story

Doughty Street Chambers, 3rd July 2026

Source: insights.doughtystreet.co.uk

An observation of a domestic abuse fact finding hearing – a worrying vignette – The Transparency Project

Simon — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 10:10:55 +0000

‘In October 2024 I visited the Central Family Court in London. My objective was to observe a hearing before the magistrates. At the time, the Reporting Pilot was in operation and there had been almost no reporting of hearings before magistrates. That remains true today – most reporting by legal bloggers and journalists relates to hearings conducted by judges. I thought it was unsatisfactory that there was almost no visibility or scrutiny of the work of magistrates, who make serious decisions for families across the country, but who have no legal training.’

Full Story

The Transparency Project, 19th July 2026

Source: transparencyproject.org.uk

Lack of consultation sees Court of Appeal quash decision by council to close adult education centre – Local Government Lawyer

Simon — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 10:09:12 +0000

‘The Court of Appeal has allowed an appeal over the dismissal of a judicial review claim concerning a London borough’s decision to close an adult education centre.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 17th July 2026

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

As NCDR Rule Changes Reach Toddlerhood, Are They Hitting Their Milestones? – Financial Remedies Journal

Simon — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 10:07:56 +0000

‘In April 2024 there was a great deal of optimism that the new rules and pre-action protocols would inform practice and change culture around NCDR. However, two years on, what has really changed?’

Full Story

Financial Remedies Journal, 20th July 2026

Source: financialremediesjournal.com

When art stands trial, courts need art history – Counsel

Simon — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 10:05:59 +0000

‘Making the argument for contextual literacy in courts, Stephen Cragg KC illustrates how lawyers in freedom of expression cases can benefit from an understanding of art history.’

Full Story

Counsel, 20th July 2026

Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk

Barrister bomb hoax plotter loses appeal against conviction – Law society Gazette

Simon — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 10:04:56 +0000

‘A businessman described as the “architect and originator” of a plot to plant a fake bomb outside a barristers’ chambers has lost an appeal against his conviction and sentence.’

Full Story

Law Society Gazette, 17th July 2026

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

In depth: Scathing report calls for legal services regulation review – Law Society Gazette

Simon — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 10:01:41 +0000

‘Calls by academics and thinktanks for an overhaul of the 2007 Legal Services Act seem to have been around almost as long as the legislation itself. But some hope Richard Lloyd’s review of the operation of the Legal Services Board may prove an inflexion point.’

Full Story

Law Society Gazette, 19th July 2026

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Barrister facing prison sentence for helping gangster trace assassin – Legal Futures

Simon — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 09:58:46 +0000

‘A criminal barrister who helped a gangster trace a gunman who tried to assassinate him is facing a long prison sentence and the end of her legal career.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 20th July 2026

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Barrister apprentices – back to the future – Counsel

Simon — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 09:50:20 +0000

‘Barrister apprenticeships – shortly to provide the fourth pathway to the Bar – are an ideal opportunity to support local talent and ‘grow your own’, say Tim Coulson and Dr Jane Dennehy.’

Full Story

Counsel, 20th July 2026

Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk

The irreplaceable barrister – Counsel

Simon — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 09:47:06 +0000

‘The smarter the machines, the more vital the human advocate. As AI reshapes the profession, Lynda Gibbs KC (Hon) and Wendy Showell Nicholas show why empathy, judgement and persuasion are the barrister’s greatest strengths.’

Full Story

Counsel, 20th July 2026

Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk

Academic shares vision for creating access to justice – Legal Futures

Simon — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 09:43:21 +0000

‘A prominent barrister and academic has put forward plans to create two new institutes – one for civil justice reform and the other for access to justice – to help remove the barriers that prevent 3.5m people each year from getting the legal support they need.’

Full Story

Legal Futures, 20th July 2026

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

The Weekly Round Up: Animal Rising Protestors Acquitted in the Supreme Court and the ICC’s First Libya Case Goes to Trial – UK Human Rights Blog

Simon — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 09:27:04 +0000

‘The House of Commons adjourned on Thursday for the summer recess and will not sit again until Tuesday 1st September. It rose with the Immigration and Asylum Bill, debated at second reading the previous Monday, fresh in its wake, and with the Joint Committee on Human Rights’ (‘JCHR’) legislative scrutiny of the Bill under way.’

Full Story

UK Human Rights Blog, 20th July 2026

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Insolvency rule review focuses on efficiency and technological advancement – OUT-LAW.com

Simon — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 09:25:17 +0000

‘A review into UK insolvency rules reflects the need to ensure that the rules remain fit for purpose, improve efficiency, and adapt to changing economic and technological conditions, in particular developments in artificial intelligence (AI), digital assets and cryptocurrencies, an expert has said.’

Full Story

OUT-LAW.com, 17th July 2026

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Regulating Legal Professional Expertise at the Interface of Professional Interest and the Public Interest: The Case of the Legal Professions in England and Wales – Southern University Law Review

Simon — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 09:14:53 +0000

‘The focus of this article is on the criticality of legal professional expertise in the evolution of the regulation of the legal professions in England and Wales. In tracing the history of the regulation of the English legal professions from its earliest antecedents to date, it is shown that legal professional expertise was originally a matter of professional self-interest and within the domain of the legal professions themselves, but was also always a matter of public interest; in that it informs those legal services upon which the functioning of society depend, and is also a normative necessary foundation for citizenship and the realization of fundamental human rights.’

Full Story

Southern University Law Review, June 2026

Source: www.researchgate.net

Law and religion roundup – 19th July – Law & Religion UK

Simon — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 09:08:24 +0000

‘On Thursday, the Government published Tying the knot: reforming weddings law in England and Wales: consultation document. Its proposals follow the Law Commission’s 2022 report, Celebrating Marriage: A New Weddings Law and the Government’s announcement of its intention to reform the law.

Full Story

Law & Religion UK, 19th July 2026

Source: lawandreligionuk.com

BAILII: Recent Decisions

michael — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 15:48:12 +0000

Court of Appeal (Civil Division)

Griffiths-Fowell, R (On the Application Of) v Birmingham City Council [2026] EWCA Civ 920 (17 July 2026)

Windhorst v ADS Securities LLC [2026] EWCA Civ 905 (17 July 2026)

T and F (Placement Orders: Child’s Permanence Reports) [2026] EWCA Civ 902 (16 July 2026)

Court of Appeal (Criminal Division)

X & Ors, R. v (Follow On Judgment) [2026] EWCA Crim 913 (17 July 2026)

High Court (Administrative Court)

Girboiu v Vrancea Tribunal, Romania [2026] EWHC 1816 (Admin) (17 July 2026)

Kluz-Burton v Regional Court in Warsaw [2026] EWHC 1804 (Admin) (17 July 2026)

Bridgemere Land Ltd & Ors, R (On the Application Of) v Secretary of State for Transport [2026] EWHC 1802 (Admin) (16 July 2026)

Roome, R (On the Application Of) v Senior Coroner for Gloucestershire & Anor [2026] EWHC 1808 (Admin) (16 July 2026)

Ijaz v Solicitors Regulation Authority Ltd [2026] EWHC 1810 (Admin) (16 July 2026)

High Court (Chancery Division)

Stock & Ors v Neal & Anor [2026] EWHC 1823 (Ch) (17 July 2026)

Tangent Properties (North) Ltd v Evans Homes (Skelton) No 2 Ltd [2026] EWHC 1814 (Ch) (17 July 2026)

Payne Hicks Beach Trust Corporation Ltd v Nielsen & Anor [2026] EWHC 1813 (Ch) (17 July 2026)

Trinsic Collagen Ltd v Procoll Ltd [2026] EWHC 1793 (Ch) (17 July 2026)

High Court (Commercial Court)

Together Commercial Finance Ltd & Ors v Slack & Anor [2026] EWHC 1732 (Comm) (17 July 2026)

High Court (Family Division)

Lloyd-Bagrationi v Attorney-General [2026] EWHC 1801 (Fam) (14 July 2026)

High Court (King’s Bench Division)

Emerging Media Ventures Ltd & Anor v Kundra & Anor [2026] EWHC 1803 (KB) (16 July 2026)

Source: www.bailii.org

Government launches weddings law reform consultation following Law Commission recommendations – Law Commission

Simon — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 10:14:45 +0000

‘The proposals in this consultation follow our 2022 report on weddings law, where we published our final recommendations proposing a fairer system that gives couples more choice over where and how their wedding takes place. The Government responded to our report in October 2025 giving its intention to modernise wedding law.’

Full Story

Law Commission, 16th July 2026

Source: lawcom.gov.uk

Court of Appeal criticises “unwise” decision of judge to give ex tempore judgment in care proceedings – Local Government Lawyer

Simon — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 10:12:54 +0000

‘In B and G (Fact-Finding) [2026] EWCA Civ 860, Lord Justice Baker, with whom Lady Justice Andrews and Lord Justice Holgate agreed, concluded that the judge’s decision to deliver the judgment ex tempore from notes was “unwise […] in a case of this complexity”.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 17th July 2026

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Barristers report “endemic” delays to trials caused by late delivery of prisoners – Bar Council

Simon — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 09:45:21 +0000

‘Research based on reports from barristers has shown the “endemic” and “routine” nature of delays caused by the late delivery of prisoners to court, casting doubt over the validity of official data.’

Full Story

Bar Council, 16th July 2026

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Zonglin Lyu: Marking Their Own Homework, After the Deadline: Earned Settlement and the Timing of an Impact Assessment – UK Constitutional Law Association

Simon — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 09:39:13 +0000

‘“Impact Assessments should be published when decisions are made.” That is the recorded position of the Minister for Migration and Citizenship, given to a Lords committee this spring. It is the settled position of the Court of Appeal that the duty to have regard to a policy’s impacts must be performed before and at the time the policy is under consideration. This post is about the space between those two statements — and a set of dates, already in the diary, that will determine whether it closes or widens. None of this is, at bottom, about immigration: it concerns the relationship in time between ministerial decision-making and the evaluative duties Parliament and the common law attach to it.’

Full Story

UK Constitutional Law Association, 17th July 2026

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

UK High Court rejects aggregated knowledge as basis for fraud – OUT-LAW.com

Simon — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 09:37:02 +0000

‘A recent ruling by the High Court in London on fraudulent breach of warranty claims has reaffirmed that fraud requires conscious dishonesty on the part of an identifiable individual – and inference is not enough.’

Full Story

OUT-LAW.com, 16th July 2026

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

Archdeacon uncovers errors at St Peter, Wrecclesham – Law & Religion UK

Simon — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 09:34:39 +0000

‘“The consistory court is amongst the most nimble and efficient of the courts of this realm. The registry is well equipped, accessible and responsive: it can move with speed and expedition in cases of urgency” Hill Ch, Re All Saints, Featherstone [2025] ECC Lee 1

‘However, it is not always well-served by those providing it with information, as demonstrated in three cases circulated this week: Re St. Peter Wrecclesham [2026] ECC Gui 1, Re St. Peter Wrecclesham [2026] ECC Gui 2, and Re St. Andrew Compton Dundon (Number 2) [2026] ECC B&W 2.’

Full Story

Law & Religion UK, 17th July 2026

Source: lawandreligionuk.com

How the British press has undermined the ECHR over many years: new study – EIN Blog

Simon — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 09:30:50 +0000

‘A key factor driving the UK’s perennial interest in the ECHR and the associated European Court of Human Rights has been press coverage. In our recent research, we developed the first systematic analysis of how British press coverage has supported or undermined the legitimacy of the ECHR over 25 years.’

Full Story

EIN Blog, 16th July 2026

Source: www.ein.org.uk

Supply and Appropriation (Main Estimates) Act 2026 – legislation.gov.uk

Simon — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 09:18:33 +0000

Supply and Appropriation (Main Estimates) Act 2026

Source: legislation.gov.uk

Lord chancellor ‘failing’ on statutory legal aid duty, MPs warn – Law Society Gazette

Simon — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 09:16:13 +0000

‘The lord chancellor is failing in his statutory duty on legal aid, MPs have concluded in a damning report that paints the bleakest picture to date of the sector which also warns of an ‘unacceptably high risk’ of miscarriages of justice.’

Full Story

Law Society Gazette, 17th July 2026

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Discipline lawyers through one channel, says consumer watchdog – Law Society Gazette

Simon — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 09:14:47 +0000

‘In a damning report into the regulatory framework, the Legal Services Consumer Panel says the current way of prosecuting misconduct, with separate pathways for solicitors and barristers, “defies coherent governance”.’

Full Story

Law Society Gazette, 16th July 2026

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Snap consultation on JR curbs for infrastructure projects – Law Society Gazette

Simon — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 09:13:04 +0000

‘Judicial reviews could be curbed for major homes and infrastructure projects to ‘get Britain building’, the government announced today – embarking on a snap consultation.’

Full Story

Law Society Gazette, 16th July 2026

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Judge condemns CAFCASS reporter for failing to follow family court directions – Law Society Gazette

Simon — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 09:10:18 +0000

‘A family court judge has described the approach taken by a reporter for the Children and Family Court Advisory Service (CAFCASS) as ‘entirely inappropriate’ after she ‘unilaterally chose to depart from the clear court direction’ in her welfare assessment.’

Full Story

Law Society Gazette, 17th July 2026

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Odulate v Odulate [2026] EWFC 159 – Financial Remedies Journal

Simon — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 09:07:59 +0000

‘HHJ Hess (sitting as a deputy High Court judge). Committal proceedings following husband’s non-compliance with a financial remedy order made almost four years ago. Six months immediate term of imprisonment.’

Full Story

Financial Remedies Journal, 15th July 2026

Source: financialremediesjournal.com

MPs issue legal aid warning as restrictions create ‘unacceptably high’ risk of wrongful convictions – The Independent

Simon — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 09:02:34 +0000

‘MPs have warned that tough access to legal aid is creating an “unacceptably high risk of miscarriages of justice”, with as many as half of defendants facing prison in magistrates’ court cases forced to appear without legal representation.’

Full Story

The Independent, 17th July 2026

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Inquest reopened into death of 14-year-old boy after ‘TikTok blackout challenge’ – The Guardian

Simon — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 09:01:02 +0000

‘The inquest into the death of a 14-year-old boy, whose mother believes he died after a TikTok challenge gone wrong, is to be reopened in a landmark ruling by the high court.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 16th July 2026

Source: www.theguardian.com

MI5 reprimanded for lying about ties with neo-Nazi informant who attacked girlfriend with machete – The Guardian

Simon — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 09:00:12 +0000

‘The Investigatory Powers Commissioner’s Office (Ipco) criticised MI5’s handling of a man known only as agent X, and said some of its officers had initially misled the public about his true status.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 16th July 2026

Source: www.theguardian.com