Government launches effort to stop deep-fake child sexual abuse images at source
New powers will see government authorise designated bodies like AI developers and child protection organisations to scrutinise artificial intelligence (AI) models, and ensure safeguards are in place to prevent them generating or proliferating child sexual abuse material, including indecent images and videos of children. Currently, criminal liability to create and possess such materials means developers can’t carry out […]
Pathfinder courts to roll out across Midlands
The Pathfinder courts pilot is to be rolled out further across the Midlands at courts in Wolverhampton, Worcester and Stoke-on-Trent following its success in Dorset, North and South East Wales, Birmingham and West Yorkshire. First launched in Dorset and North Wales in February 2022 the pilot was expanded to South-East Wales in April 2024, Birmingham […]
Pathfinder pilots more than halving timescales in family courts
Pathfinder courts, currently being piloted in South East Wales, North Wales, Birmingham and Dorset, are reducing the time it takes from court application to final order; in some cases more than halving it in newly released figures from the Ministry of Justice. The average time it takes from receipt of application to final order has […]
Victims Commissioner passes away after short battle with illness
Tributes have poured in for Baroness Helen Newlove, the Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales, who has passed away following a short illness. In a statement from the Office of the Victims’ Commissioner, a representative said: “We are deeply saddened to share that Baroness Helen Newlove, the Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales, has passed […]
Reeves backtracks on LLPs as chancellor sets the scene for tax increases
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has is reported to be watering down plans to raise tax through the imposition of of a national insurance equivalent levy on limited liability partnerships. First reported in The Times, it had been suggested efforts to raise revenue could include a new charge on LLPs which are not currently subject to national […]
Judge delivers stern warning of risks of anonymous international surrogacy
A judge has delivered a stern warning of the risks of anonymous surrogacy arrangements in the case of B and C v D and H [2025] EWFC 366; echoing similar previous cases including Re H (Anonymous Surrogacy) [2025] EWHC 220 and Re QR (Parental Order: Dispensing with Consent: Proportionality) [2023] EWHC 3196. The matter related […]
Standalone litigation rights for CILEX lawyers after fast-tracked application approved
CILEx regulated lawyers will be able to apply for standalone litigation practice rights in the areas of criminal, civil, and family litigation after the Legal Services Board (LSB) approved CILEx Regulation’s (CRL) application. Although work to introduce a standalone practice right for litigation began earlier this year the issue has been brought to a head […]
‘Political convenience’ over ‘economic imperative’ to blame as Chancellor prepares the way for tax rises
In an unusual step the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves has done little to quell speculation about upcoming tax increases in a speech in Downing Street. Both the Prime Minster and the Chancellor have failed in recent days to provide any reassurances the Labour party will stick to its manifesto promise not raise National […]
Law Society update social media guidance as LinkedIn the latest platform to use content to train AI
Solicitors must consider their ‘ethical obligations’ when posting and commenting on social media as comments could breach SRA Codes on client care, confidentiality, conflicts of interest and publicity warns the Law Society of England and Wales. The warning comes as one of the most popular social media platforms LinkedIn, is updating it’s technology to use the […]
Unduly Lenient Sentence Scheme increases sentence of man who groomed 14 year old girl
Following a referral under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme, the Court of Appeal has increased the sentence of a man who groomed a 14 year old girl. Abiola Adenmosun, from Chatham, Kent, began a relationship with the girls when she was 14 and he was 22 years old. Between 2012 and 2013 he gave the […]
Grooming inquiry likely to be delayed until next year
The government have conceded its inquiry into grooming gangs could be delayed until next year after a series of high profile resignations from the liaison panel and two contenders for the position of chair withdrew. Earlier this year the prime minister apparently u-turned on an inquiry into grooming gangs accepting the recommendations of Baroness Louise Casey. […]
Victims of romance scams receive just 61% of lost monies back as cases rise
The latest figures from UK Finance suggests despite efforts to educate the public on fraud and scams, criminals have stolen £629m in the first half of 2025, with an increase of 17% in confirmed cases (2.1m). UK Finance says it is particularly concerned by the rise of so-called roman scam cases; where fraudsters persuade victims […]
Latest promotions and hires; and Resolution appoints youngest regional chair
Resolution West Midlands has announced the appointment of Kadie Bennett, a family law solicitor at Anthony Collins Solicitors in Birmingham, as their next Chair, becoming one of the youngest to hold such a position nationally. A long-standing member of Resolution, Kadie is known for her expertise in complex financial remedy and children matters, and her […]
‘Action, not words’, needed on violence against women and girls
National domestic abuse charity Refuge has said the government’s talk of an ongoing commitment to halve violence against women and girls in the next decade is ‘welcome’ but we need action, not words, as women are killed on a weekly basis. The warning comes as the Government publishes its response to the Home Affairs select […]
Legal AI tool LawY ‘30% more accurate’ than ChatGPT and Gemini
An AI platform purpose-built for legal professionals outperformed ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini when tested on legal accuracy, scoring 30% higher than the mainstream generative AI models. Legal AI research assistant LawY was tested on a broad range of typical legal questions across multiple areas of law, achieving 86% overall accuracy. In comparison, popular off-the-shelf AI […]
Reeves may target limited liability partnerships in budget to raise public funds
Chancellor Rachel Reeves may target limited liability partnerships (LLPs) as part of her plans to tax ‘those with the broadest shoulders’ in the upcoming budget. Tasked with filling a sizeable hole in the public finances, in part due to the unexpected longer term impact of Brexit and austerity, the chancellor is reported to be considering […]
FCA raise romance scams warning as victims lose over £100m
Victims of so-called romance scams are being conned out of tends of thousands of pounds; with one victim losing more £428,000 according to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The regulator estimates such scams cost victims as much as £106m last year. Cases have risen 9% in the last 12 months prompting the FCA to issue […]
Taylor Rose appoints new partners to strengthen and expand national offering
Law firm Taylor Rose has announced a series of partner promotions to strengthen capabilities in key practice areas and expand its offering across the country. The firm is investing in talent across areas including family law, conveyancing and private client. Three of the nine new partners have been promoted from consultant level, which Taylor Rose […]
Leeds Reforms causing ‘high levels of concern’ in law firms, research suggests
Law firms have high levels of concern over the legal liability and regulatory penalties posed by lighter regulation under the government’s Leeds Reforms, according to a survey by compliance training provider Skillcast. When the reforms were announced earlier this year, the government said the changes will ‘tear down the barriers to attracting investment in the […]
LSB announces review following Mazur as ‘clear and accurate information’ needed on the issue
The Legal Services Board has confirmed it has received an application from CILEx Regulation to enable its regulated community to obtain standalone litigation practice rights and has said it will launch a review to examine how approved regulators and regulatory bodies ensured information it shared was accurate and reliable in the wake of the High Court’s Mazur ruling […]