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R (Greyhound Board of Great Britain Ltd) v Welsh Ministers [2026] EWHC 670 (Admin) What are the practical implications of this case? The ruling reinforces the constitutional divide between the courts and the legislature. It explains that the scheme and framework of the Government of Wales Act 2006 (GWA 2006) embody that separation of powers, and that any judicial attempt to recognise and enforce a common law obligation on Welsh Ministers to consult prior to introducing legislation in the Senedd would trespass upon that boundary. This is not a departure from established principle; case law has already upheld comparable rules for lawmakers in Scotland and at Westminster. However, this is the first express confirmation of the position for Welsh lawmakers, and the first time this dimension of the GWA 2006 has been analysed in such depth. The court examined earlier
The solution arrived through the United Nations Compensation Commission (UNCC), a quasi‑judicial body handling mass claims, created under UN Security Council Resolution 687. By addressing environmental harm—most notably via its ‘F4’ claim class—the UNCC set a seminal benchmark shaping how international law and contemporary arbitral panels allocate financial responsibility for wartime ecological devastation. With present-day wars in areas such as Eastern Europe and the Middle East bringing dam breaches, strikes on chemical facilities, and the burning of farmland, the UNCC’s legacy endures as an essential reference point for states, global investors, and companies engaged in post‑conflict arbitration. The F4 claims: Quantifying the unquantifiable Prior to the 1990s, mechanisms in international law for war reparations overwhelmingly favoured property loss, foregone earnings, and bodily injury. The natural world was commonly treated as a mute, non-compensable victim of armed hostilities...
Understanding the farming business as a business Many farms still use long-standing structures that arose by habit, not strategy. Sole traders, informal partnerships and outdated partnership deeds are common. While once effective, such setups can cause major issues around succession, tax planning and involving the next generation. A corporate team can take a fresh, business-led view of the farm, asking: Who owns the land and other critical assets? Who manages daily operations? Who carries the risk and who enjoys the return? What is the enduring plan for succession? From this review, the team can confirm whether the current setup is fit for purpose or if an alternative — for example an updated partnership agreement, a company, a limited liability partnership, or a blended model — would better meet the family’s aims. Tax efficiency through joined-up advice Tax sits at the centre of most
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Uniform Building Contractors Ltd v The Water and Sewerage Authority of Trinidad and Tobago [2026] UKPC 2 What was the background? The Privy Council appeal arose from a 2007 design-and-build, lump sum contract governed by the 1999 FIDIC Yellow Book, concluded between the Water and Sewerage Authority of Trinidad and Tobago ( WASA) and Uniform Building Contractors Ltd ( UBC) for the design, supply and installation of pipelines. The works were structured as two discrete packages, each on a lump-sum basis. Executed on 23 May 2007, the agreement incorporated the Yellow Book, bespoke Conditions of Particular Application, the Employer’s Requirements, together with a Bill of Quantities ( Bo Q). Mr Barry Paul was appointed as the Engineer under the contract. During execution, disputes between the parties arose over performance. WASA served termination notices dated 28 May and 4 June 2009. UBC commenced...
Re Argo Blockchain Plc [2025] EWHC 2951 ( Ch) What are the practical implications of this case? Four practically significant points emerge. First, the court highlighted the contemporary approach to restructuring plans (post- Petrofac) at the convening stage. It is now settled that Plan companies must secure for participating creditors a fair allocation of any restructuring surplus, while also showing that creditors are no worse off than under the relevant alternative. To substantiate this, a dedicated Plan Benefits Report may become a routine feature; however, from a creditor standpoint, equivalent material set out in the Explanatory Statement (and, at a high level, the Practice Statement Letter) may well suffice. Second, the court’s handling of foreign law issues. A question arose as to whether noteholders possessed a right to definitise and thus qualified as creditors for the purposes of Part 26A. Resolving that issue depended upon...
Financial services developments FCA launches further consultation on cryptoasset regulation The Financial Conduct Authority ( FCA) has released guidance consultation GC26/2: Application of the Consumer Duty to cryptoasset firms, together with consultation paper CP26/4: Application of FCA Handbook for regulated cryptoasset activities – part 2, setting out proposals for how the Consumer Duty, conduct standards, redress and safeguarding should apply to cryptoasset firms. The FCA is also inviting feedback on its proposed approach to international cryptoasset firms. Responses are requested by 12 March 2026. The FCA’s cryptoasset gateway is expected to open in September 2026. CP26/4 seeks views on: the Consumer Duty—its application to cryptoasset firms, supported by additional non- Handbook guidance Redress and Dispute Resolution ( DISP) Conduct of Business Standards ( COBS) rules on using credit to buy cryptoassets training and...
Mergers The Commission has received notifications for: EMK Capital Management Limited/ Project Informatica ( M.12242) (simplified merger procedure) Nippon Steel/ Sumitomo/ JV ( M.12304) (simplified merger procedure) In Case M.11992 MEF/ Retelit/ Telecom Italia Sparkle, the notification has been withdrawn for the second time—see further, case page. Note— For all live merger investigations before the Commission, see further, EU mergers—ongoing cases tracker. Upcoming dates For dates of forthcoming EU competition developments, see further, EU Competition calendar......
Judge Finola O’ Farrell, sitting in the High Court, ordered BHP to contribute towards a £189m costs bill sought by Pogust Goodhead, the claimants’ law firm, which says the sum is owed for work on the proceedings up to the conclusion of the stage-one liability trial. O’ Farrell J directed that this be paid on account, noting that the amounts claimed are exceptionally high and that the level of supporting detail is extremely limited. She found that the claimants are entitled to 90% of a reduced figure for the liability trial costs, equating to approximately £72m. While a detailed assessment will follow in due course, the judge said the paucity of information currently before the court means a highly cautious approach must be taken to any broad-brush estimate of the likely recovery of these costs for the purpose of determining a payment on...
Manolete Partners Plc v Howarth [2025] EWHC 2294 ( Ch) What are the practical implications of this case? This judgment marks a significant victory for company directors and a sharp reminder to office‑holders and those pursuing claims on their behalf: contemporaneous records are paramount. The court condemned the failure to retain and produce meeting notes, emails and working papers, noting that gaps in the paper trail can justify adverse inferences. Insolvency practitioners should, therefore, keep meticulous files of the advice provided and the decisions taken. The court also affirmed that directors are entitled to place reliance on insolvency specialists’ guidance. Where a director behaves openly and follows the directions of a CVA supervisor, later accusations of preference or undervalue are harder to sustain. The evidential onus accordingly returns to the applicant, who must prove misconduct with cogent evidence. Further, the ruling indicates that...
That urgency is visible both in evolving best practice—like adding AI clauses to terms of reference and procedural orders—as well as in the first tranche of objections claiming improper dependence on AI. A 9 December 2025 ruling by the US District Court for the Southern District of California, Lapaglia v Valve, 3:25-cv-00833, shows how even untested assertions that an arbitrator ‘ghostwrote’ an award with AI can bleed into collateral litigation, trigger due process worries, and pose reputational exposure. It is an early warning that clearly underscores the pressing need for explicit AI protocols, human‑in‑the‑loop safeguards, and transparent disclosures aligned with party expectations and applicable law. This article summarises Lapaglia v Valve and distils practical guidance from earlier, closely analogous practice on tribunal delegation and nascent generative AI recommendations, setting out a clear, forward‑looking framework for what tribunals and counsel should...
Moeve Trading S. A. U. (formerly CEPSA Trading SAU) v Mael Trading FZ LLC [2026] EWHC 17 ( Comm) The background facts By a contract dated 4 April 2024, the parties agreed the sale of 9,000–9,500 MTs of gasoline and 5,000 MTs plus 5% of gasoil, both at the Buyers’ option, on Free on Board ( FOB) terms at Algeciras, Spain (the Contract). The cargo was loaded on 12 July 2024 aboard the MV HARBOUR PROGRESS (the Vessel) and bills of lading were issued. One week later the Vessel arrived at Freetown, Sierra Leone, where notice of readiness was tendered. Discharge proceeded without presentation of the bills of lading, against a letter of indemnity, and the Buyers and their purchasers took delivery. On shipment, title to the cargo passed to the Buyers in line with the Contract’s express terms. The purchase price exceeded US$13 million and was...
Antitrust CMA publishes informal guidance on Landscape Enterprise Networks under Green Agreements Open- Door policy The CMA has released informal advice to 3Keel via the Green Agreements Guidance ‘open-door’ route, covering competition law questions linked to the Landscape Enterprise Networks ( LENs) 2.0 initiative in that guidance. The programme enables collaboration between companies seeking to finance environmental improvements and farmers or land stewards delivering regenerative agriculture and landscape resilience projects. The CMA also reviewed multiple elements of the LENs 2.0 framework. It concluded that the participation criteria appeared objective, proportionate and essential to the scheme’s effectiveness, while stressing that these requirements should be kept under regular review......
In this issue: Adult social care Social housing Planning Education Children's social care Local government finance Governance Licensing Highways Healthcare Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Adult social care Supreme Court bars negligence claim arising from unlawful killings under the doctrine of illegality ( Lewis- Ranwell v G4S Health Services ( UK) Ltd and others) In Lewis- Ranwell v G4S Health Services ( UK) Ltd and others, the Supreme Court allowed the appeal unanimously brought by G4S Health Services ( UK) Limited, Devon Partnership NHS Trust and Devon County Council, concluding that, under the doctrine of illegality, the claimant was prevented from pursuing civil proceedings in negligence to obtain compensation for the consequences of the killings. Christopher Johnson, barrister at Doughty Street Chambers, provides commentary on the judgment. See News...
V Ships Ltd v Luna Management Corporation [2025] EWHC 3329 ( Comm) What are the practical implications of this case? This ruling carries significant practical weight for arbitration practitioners advising on the fallout of an anti‑suit injunction in the English courts. It clarifies how the court will respond when its support for arbitration is ignored. The court confirmed that contempt proceedings are an effective and powerful means of enforcement when a party intentionally disobeys orders made to support arbitration, operating as a credible sanction. Though contempt is not commonly invoked, the court indicated that sustained, flagrant, or cynical breaches will justify deploying it. The case also makes plain that company structure will not protect those who truly direct non‑compliance. The court was prepared to hold an individual in contempt who was not a formal director but acted as the company’s...
In this issue: Key R& I law developments Corporate insolvency processes Restructuring Personal insolvency Directors and insolvency Insolvency litigation Financial institutions Daily and weekly news alerts New content Key R& I law developments Insolvency Service publishes monthly insolvency statistics for December 2025 The Insolvency Service has released its December 2025 monthly figures covering corporate and personal insolvencies across England and Wales. The figures record 1,671 corporate insolvencies—down 10% on November 2025 and 13% year-on-year (1,919 in December 2024). Personal insolvencies totalled 13,453 in December 2025, exceeding the November 2025 level. The Insolvency Service indicates this was influenced by delayed registration of individual voluntary arrangements ( IVAs) after a new case management system went live. See: LNB News 20/01/2026 55. Corporate insolvency processes Judgment Alert: Re PPE Medpro Ltd (in Administration) [2025] EWHC 3449 ( Ch) The Chancery Division...
In this issue: Copyright & associated rights Designs AI and IP Confidential Information Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Dates for your diary Trackers Useful information Copyright & associated rights Court of Justice clarifies rules on copyright levies for tech retailers Law360, London: On 15 January 2026, in Bluechip Computer AG v ZPȔ ( Case C-822/24), the Court of Justice confirmed that EU law allows member states to adopt measures compelling electronics retailers to pay levies to rights holders, on the premise that users may employ their devices to reproduce protected works. See: Court of Justice clarifies rules on copyright levies for tech retailers. Judicial review claim dismissed ( R (on the application of AFM) v So S for Science, Innovation and Technology) The Administrative Court, in R (on the application of AFM) v Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology [2026] EWHC 91 ( Admin), rejected a judicial review brought by US...
In this issue: Residential tenancies Repair duties and dilapidations Rent and rates Service charges Disputes and remedies Enforcing security and property insolvency Enfranchisement and right to manage Property Disputes in Scotland Further Property Disputes updates Lex Talk® Property Disputes: a Lexis®Nexis community Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Dates for your diary Trackers Residential tenancies Required contents of written statement of terms and information sheet required under Renters’ Rights Act 2025 published The government has released draft regulations detailing what must appear in the written statement of terms and the information sheets mandated by section 12 of the Renters’ Rights Act 2026 ( RRA 2025). The Assured Tenancies ( Private Rented Sector) ( Written Statement of Terms etc. and Information Sheet) ( England) Regulations 2026 specifies the particulars to be provided for assured tenancies from 1 May 2026. In Wales, the Renters’ Rights Act 2025 ( Commencement) ( Wales) Order 2026 SI 2026/6 brings selected...
Introduction For more information and to monitor the progress of core initiatives in detail, consult the following Practice Notes for comprehensive coverage: Life sciences tracker— EU European Health Data Space ( EHDS) tracker The EU MDR and IVDR implementing acts and guidance tracker Health Technology Assessment in the EU — Horizon scanning—2026 and beyond Agriculture/ Food— EU Regulatory tracker Patents tracker— EU — Legislation, consultations, guidance and reports To horizon scan developments in UK life sciences for 2026, and to view a succinct summary of the major developments in 2025, see News Analysis: Life Sciences UK—key developments in 2025 and horizon scanning for 2026. For a broader discussion of earlier years’ developments, or the status of other related life sciences matters, including significant EU litigation and UK developments, see our collection of available trackers and horizon scanners: Trackers ( Life...
In this issue: Planning policy Buildings and Building Regulations Major infrastructure projects Planning applications and decisions Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Related Documents Planning policy Design and placemaking Planning Practice Guidance consultation The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government ( MHCLG) has launched a consultation to gather views on the user-friendliness of a combined draft of the Design and Placemaking Planning Practice Guidance, together with linked alterations to national planning policy. The exercise requests feedback on the draft’s clarity and usability, its fit with the draft text and the National Planning Policy Framework ( NPPF), and the associated proposed changes to national planning policy, so the final guidance can be refined to better support high-quality design and placemaking in both plan-making and decision-taking. Issued on 21 January 2026 and covering England, it invites comments on the draft Design and Placemaking Planning Practice Guidance, which has been brought...
Financial services developments FCA’s Sheree Howard discusses authorisation process and economic growth The Financial Conduct Authority ( FCA) has released a speech by Sheree Howard, its executive director for authorisations, outlining the FCA’s stance as an open, pro-growth regulator that invites new and overseas firms into the UK while upholding rigorous standards. She rebutted myths about delays and lack of clarity in authorisations, noting that over 99% of cases conclude within statutory timeframes, with many finalised far sooner than anticipated. Speaking at an FCA Gateway to growth event, Howard stressed that a competitive, well-supervised financial services industry underpins the UK economy and affirmed the FCA’s support throughout the authorisation journey. She highlighted initiatives including the Pre- Application Support Service ( PASS), ‘minded to approve’ decisions, tailored sandbox assistance, and strengthened oversight for high-growth firms. Source: Screening for success: Opening the gateway to...
In this issue: Budgets, Autumn Statements and Finance Bills Corporate governance Useful Information Dates for your diary Weekly highlights from other practice areas Budgets, Autumn Statements and Finance Bills Welsh Final Budget for 2026 to 2027 The Welsh Final Budget for 2026 to 2027 has now been published. As outlined at the Draft Budget, it sets the Welsh Rates of Income Tax at 10p across all bands, keeping them in line with the income tax paid by taxpayers in England and Northern Ireland. This follows the UK Budget on 26 November 2025, which announced measures on income tax charged on property income, including amendments to the Welsh rates and a provision—subject to the Welsh Government accepting the power—for the Senedd to establish separate Welsh rates for property income. These changes are scheduled for the tax year beginning 6 April 2027, the...
In this issue: Sanctions AML, CTF & counter‑proliferation financing Data protection Cybersecurity Other Practice Compliance updates this week Daily and weekly news alerts Trackers New and updated content Sanctions OFSI updates General Licence INT/2024/4423849 and related sanctions guidance to reflect revised oil price cap The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation ( OFSI) has revised sanctions guidance and licensing resources following confirmation that the crude oil price cap will drop to $44.10 per barrel from 31 January 2026. Changes include updates to General Licence INT/2024/4423849 to mirror the reduced cap, and revisions to UK Financial Sanctions FAQs 154–158 and 161 so they correspond with the new threshold. The UK Maritime Services Ban and Oil Price Cap industry guidance has likewise been refreshed to incorporate the amended cap. See: LNB News 15/01/2026 40. AML, CTF &...
In this issue: Key PI and Clinical negligence developments Establishing legal liability Clinical negligence Costs and funding AI developments in litigation Lexis Nexis® PI & Clinical Negligence Quantum Database Lexis Nexis® Quantum Portal Lex Talk®PI & Clinical Negligence: a Lexis®Nexis community Daily and weekly news alerts Lexis Nexis® Webinars Useful information Key PI and Clinical negligence developments The self-contained code strikes again: avoiding an unacceptable degree of uncertainty—a closer look at CPR 36.10 In Chinda v Cardiff & Vale University Health Board [2025] EWHC 2692 ( KB), the court confirmed that only a significant change in a case’s circumstances can warrant an offeror retracting or altering a Part 36 offer. The claimant’s vulnerability, even when considered alongside additional factors, fell short of that benchmark; accordingly, he remained bound by his Part 36 offer and leave to...
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When evaluating a general damages claim, the practitioner ought initially to refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG)...
This Practice Note This Practice Note reviews mechanisms used in settling litigation. A Tomlin order consists of a consent order paired with a schedule. It operates to stay proceedings on terms that have been agreed. The provisions contained in the schedule may remain confidential. This Practice Note describes the scope of confidentiality attaching to the schedule and sets out how it differs from a standard consent order. Sample wording for a Tomlin order is included, alongside links to precedents, as well as guidance on court approval. It also addresses varying, setting aside and enforcing a Tomlin order, including the considerations the court will take into account when handling applications for each. Further guidance is provided on interpreting and applying the relevant provisions of the CPR; however, some courts and divisions impose very specific requirements for both drafting and approval, and for approaching the schedule and confidentiality issues. Accordingly, you must consider the particular rules and court guide provisions in the forum where your claim is proceeding when drawing up the Tomlin order...
Date [ date ] Parties [ name of Landlord ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Landlord) [ name of Tenant ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Tenant) [ [ name of Guarantor ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Guarantor) ] [ [ name of Mortgagee ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Mortgagee) ] Definitions Within this Deed, the terms below shall be interpreted as follows: [ Annual Rent • the annual sum reserved under the Lease; ] [ Insurance Rent • the Tenant’s share of the Landlord’s costs of insuring the Property (as set out in the Lease); ] Lease • the lease of the Property dated [ date ], entered into between (1) [ the Landlord OR [ name ...
I, [ name ], of [ address ], solemnly and sincerely state that: [ Matters to be verified, set out in numbered paragraphs ] I make this solemn statement in good conscience, believing it to be true, and pursuant to the provisions of the Statutory Declarations Act 1835. DECLARED at [ details ] this [ day ] day of [ month and year ] Before me ................................................................................ [ signature of the person before whom the declaration is made ] A [ commissioner for oaths OR [ solicitor OR [ insert other qualification ] ] authorised to administer oaths ]...
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