If words are the raw materials of a lawyer’s trade, what can we learn from the masters of literature? Dr Max Barrett applies George Orwell and Mark Twain’s observations on literary writing to the legal sphere
The concluding part of an anonymous juror’s experience of a lengthy fraud trial flags issues in the jury room and suggests that it is time for some modifications
Fake news, revenge porn, ‘black mirror’ – and now deepfakes are making it into quite low-level court cases. How can lawyers prepare, what duties of care might be imposed, and how might courts deal with the deepfake era? By Professor Lilian Edwards
Three recent cases of failed attempts to plead infanticide suggests that the law is not working as well as it could. Have we lost sight of the principles of leniency and sympathy that embody the Act? asks Dr Emma Milne
In all but the most serious of cases, should there be a presumption against sending a pregnant or perinatal women to prison? ask Dr Felicity Gerry KC and Dr Lucy Baldwin
Why women? Dr Isla Masson and Dr Natalie Booth explain how commonalities across time and space show there is something particular about being female within justice contexts
The winning essay is ‘Crossing the Constitutional Rubicon: why mediation should be compulsory in all civil disputes’ by Emma Meadows
If ‘new ways of working’ are to be a key to levelling up – what are the key challenges? Lydia Banerjee and Grahame Anderson's 'top ten' issues for employment lawyers
Litigation over the will of His late Royal Highness Prince Philip raised questions of transparency, accusations of ‘secret courts’ and provided an opportunity to delve into some royal history, writes Paul Magrath
In the second part of her series on what makes a good judge, Lady Rose assesses how the ‘good character’ requirement fits with the modern zeitgeist on judicial bullying, the strengths and maturity of judgment brought by diversity, and how to judge with compassion
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Chair of the Bar reports back
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs
A £500 donation from AlphaBiolabs has been made to the leading UK charity tackling international parental child abduction and the movement of children across international borders
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs, outlines the drug and alcohol testing options available for family law professionals, and how a new, free guide can help identify the most appropriate testing method for each specific case
By Louise Crush of Westgate Wealth Management
Marie Law, Director of Toxicology at AlphaBiolabs, examines the latest ONS data on drug misuse and its implications for toxicology testing in family law cases
A career shaped by advocacy beyond her practice, and the realities of living with an invisible disability Dr Natasha Shotunde, Black Barristers’ Network Co-Founder and its Chair for seven years, reflects on a decade at the Bar
Responding to criticism on the narrow profile of government-instructed counsel, Mel Nebhrajani CB describes the system-wide change at GLD to drive fairer distribution of work and broader development of talent
The odds of success are as unforgiving as ever, but ambition clearly isn’t in short supply. David Wurtzel’s annual deep‑dive into the competition cohort shows who’s entering, who’s thriving and the trends that will define the next wave
Where to start and where to find help? Monisha Shah, Chair of the King’s Counsel Selection Panel, provides an overview of the silk selection process, debunking some myths along the way
Do chatbot providers owe a duty of care for negligent misstatements? Jasper Wong suggests that the principles applicable to humans should apply equally to machines