Coercive control – dressed up as care – Counsel
‘Oliver Lewis spotlights an overlooked yet rapidly evolving area of law – coercive and controlling behaviour within care contexts.’
Counsel, 20th July 2026
Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk
Category: news
The zero-trust approach to cyber security – Counsel
‘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.’
Counsel, 20th July 2026
Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk
The ‘Sandwich Generation’ Divorce: Financial Pressures Across Generations – Financial Remedies Journal
‘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.’
Financial Remedies Journal, 21st July 2026
Source: financialremediesjournal.com
UK surrogacy law ‘creaking at seams’ as demand rises sharply – The Guardian
‘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.’
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
‘A pupil has been found not guilty of attempted murder after stabbing his teacher in the head with a kitchen knife.’
BBC News, 20th July 2026
Source: www.bbc.co.uk
Mixed drug use and mental ill-health – defence considerations. By Allison Summers K.C. & Giles Fleming – Drystone Chambers
‘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?’
Drystone Chambers, 13th July 2026
Source: www.drystone.com
Sentencing domestic murders: Schedule 21. By Allison Summers K.C. – Drystone Chambers
‘Since 2024 four additional statutory aggravating factors have been added to paragraph 9 of Schedule 21 to the Sentencing Act 2020.’
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
‘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.’
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
‘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.’
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
‘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.’
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
‘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.’
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
‘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.’
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
‘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?’
Financial Remedies Journal, 20th July 2026
Source: financialremediesjournal.com
When art stands trial, courts need art history – Counsel
‘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.’
Counsel, 20th July 2026
Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk
Barrister bomb hoax plotter loses appeal against conviction – Law society Gazette
‘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.’
Law Society Gazette, 17th July 2026
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
In depth: Scathing report calls for legal services regulation review – Law Society Gazette
‘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.’
Law Society Gazette, 19th July 2026
Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk
Barrister facing prison sentence for helping gangster trace assassin – Legal Futures
‘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.’
Legal Futures, 20th July 2026
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
Barrister apprentices – back to the future – Counsel
‘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.’
Counsel, 20th July 2026
Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk
The irreplaceable barrister – Counsel
‘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.’
Counsel, 20th July 2026
Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk
Academic shares vision for creating access to justice – Legal Futures
‘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.’
Legal Futures, 20th July 2026
Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk
