Top civil servant calls on lawyers advice over Mandelson vetting dismissal April 20, 2026 Sir Olly Robbins, who is set to answer MPs’ questions over Lord Peter Mandelson’s appointment, is reportedly taking legal advice after he was ousted over the vetting scandal. Last week, Robbins, the Foreign Office permanent under-secretary, was dismissed after it emerged that the disgraced Mandelson had been denied clearance in a security vetting process. Mandelson [...]
Judge throws out Richard Desmond’s billion-pound lottery case April 17, 2026 Media tycoon Richard Desmond has lost his billion-pound legal battle against the Gambling Commission over the 2022 National Lottery license. Desmond’s group, Northern and Shell, and its subsidiary, the New Lottery Company, launched a £1.3bn legal action against the Gambling Commission after it awarded the next licence to Czech gambling group Allwyn. The procurement competition for [...]
Legal sector hits £60bn as top City lawyers pocket millions April 16, 2026 Despite a backdrop of global economic uncertainty, the legal profession has solidified its position as a £60bn powerhouse, with top City lawyers bringing home multi-million pound pay packets. Law firms are experiencing their highest growth in more than 15 years, according to a new report by the Law Society. The average earnings for law firms [...]
Regulator struggles to tackle harassment and bullying at City law firms April 16, 2026 It won’t come as a shock to you that City law firms have long struggled with cultures of bullying and harassment, and the regulator is kept out of the loop, argues senior reporter Maria Ward-Brennan. The high-pressure demands placed on lawyers at City law firms have long bred cultures of bullying and harassment. In a [...]
The rollercoaster ride for creditors chasing bankrupt theme park investor April 15, 2026 It was billed as Britain’s answer to Disneyland Paris. Unveiled in 2012, plans for the vast 900-acre theme park in Kent dazzled locals with boasts of building Europe’s largest indoor water park, a host of Mission Impossible-themed rollercoasters and the creation of 27,000 jobs. Hollywood giant Paramount ramped up the excitement, announcing it would be [...]
New EU entry system hits Brits — But what are your rights? April 14, 2026 Days into the European Union’s new Entry/Exit System (EES), British passengers are facing severe delays, resulting in missed flights, but with the Summer season around the corner, warnings that trying to pass the border may become more costly. The new EES obliges non-European Union nationals, including Britons, who enter the Schengen free travel zone to [...]
‘Cure worse than the disease’: Starmer’s mentor lambasts plan to scrap juries April 14, 2026 The proposal to scrap jury trials is “a cure worse than the disease”, according to the founding head of the Chambers where Sir Keir Starmer once practised. David Lammy’s controversial Courts and Tribunals Bill aims to reduce Crown Court backlogs by approximately halving the number of jury trials. The Bill, if passed, will create a [...]
Crispin Odey drops £79m libel case against Financial Times April 10, 2026 Former hedge fund tycoon Crispin Odey dropped his libel claim against the Financial Times, ending a high-stakes legal battle over the publication’s reporting of sexual misconduct allegations. The Financial Times published several articles about the City financier in 2023 regarding allegations over his sexual conduct, following allegations from 20 women spanning five decades. Odey has [...]
Football clubs are starting to build out their legal benches April 9, 2026 As they say, if you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life. With the popularity of sports ever-growing, it is no surprise that lawyers are flooding into legal work involving sports. Even the driest M&A deal can be a little more exciting when it involves deals for your favourite [...]
‘Significant backlog’ for Tribunal cases as new workers’ rights come into law April 8, 2026 Concerns have been raised about the “ongoing and significant” backlog at the Employment Tribunal as new worker rights come into play this week. The Law Society, while welcoming the launch of the Fair Work Agency (FWA), raised concerns that the new agency will be equipped to tackle the case backlog. Between Monday and Tuesday, a [...]