‘On 8 May 2026, Mr Justice Cotter refused the Claimant’s application to amend her Particulars of Claim, to rely on further witness and expert evidence, and to vacate the imminent trial in a clinical negligence claim arising from a delayed diagnosis of Cauda Equina Syndrome (“CES”). The judgment adds to the growing body of first-instance authority on very late amendments under CPR 17.3, and is a salutary reminder of the discipline required when pleading causation in CES claims where breach is admitted but the counterfactual is anything but straightforward.’

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Quarterly Medical Law Review, 20th May 2026

Source: 1corqmlr.com

‘The Bar Council needs to be clearer in the legal justification for its controversial 10,000 Black Interns programme, a barrister has suggested.’

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Legal Futures, 20th May 2026

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

‘The High Court has dismissed an appeal by a barrister who was fined £15,000 for making an “unfounded and serious allegation of misconduct in public office” against a senior judge.’

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Legal Futures, 20th May 2026

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

‘The Law Commission of England and Wales has today published its final report on Aviation Autonomy, recommending targeted changes to ensure that remotely piloted and autonomous uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) – such as drones – can operate with equivalent levels of safety to crewed flight. ‘

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Law Commission, 20th May 2026

Source: lawcom.gov.uk

‘Hard on the heels of our podcast about “humane-washing” – the false portrayal of UK’s livestock in bucolic conditions, green pastures and freedom – comes broadcaster and environmental campaigner Chris Packham’s (partial) victory over the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board’s “Let’s Eat Balanced” Campaign before the Advertising Standards Authority.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 20th May 2026

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

‘Naomi Kilcoyne of Wilberforce Chambers looks at a recent decision by the Pensions Ombudsman on whether a pension scheme provision which appeared on its face to be a forfeiture clause in fact operated to deprive the member of the benefit.’

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Pensions Barrister, 21st May 2026

Source: www.pensionsbarrister.com

‘The government has once again committed to anti-SLAPPs legislation, after open democracy campaigners alleged that “discreet lobbying” by media lawyers had killed off the long-promised measures.’

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Law Society Gazette, 20th May 2026

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

‘The case against judge-only justice – and why efficiency is not enough. By Professor Leslie Thomas KC.’

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Counsel, 18th May 2026

Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk

‘Seeing the full picture – Baljit Ubhey OBE outlines the CPS action plan to tackle violence against women and girls, offering insights directly relevant to courtroom practice.’

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Counsel, 18th May 2026

Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk

‘The judiciary has a long journey before it is fully inclusive and representative, but the First-tier Tribunal has made a remarkable start. Diego F Soto-Miranda reflects on his personal odyssey and the wider context.’

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Counsel, 18th May 2026

Source: www.counselmagazine.co.uk

‘This paper examines police compliance with the law on pre-charge bail and Release Under Investigation (RUI) in England and Wales. Empirical data from two studies is explored to understand how police decisions reacted to two legal changes in quick succession, which had diametrically opposed aims. Pre-charge bail and RUI were used in proportions that responded to changes in the legal architecture. How and when the police used these options, and how police officers justified their actions, are examined through the lens of compliance theories and techniques of neutralisation, neither of which have been used previously in this context. Evidence of normative compliance, capitulation, creative compliance and game-playing was uncovered as responses to legal change. Changes to the law were also met with defiance resulting in police decision-making continuing unchanged. Police decisions were explained with reference to legal, cultural and instrumental factors and techniques of neutralisation, particularly high workloads, were deployed by the police to rationalise their decisions. The paper also demonstrates the dynamic nature of officers’ compliance, emphasising how focusing exclusively on decisions made in the heavily regulated environment of police custody obscures understanding of the interplay between law and police practice.’

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Policing and Society, 19th May 2026

Source: www.tandfonline.com

‘In some respects, LP v MP [2025] EWFC 473 widens the courts’ approach to considering domestic abuse in the division of assets on divorce. However, the judgment also leaves important questions unanswered. As readers will be aware, s 25(2)(g) of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 (‘MCA’) allows the court to take account of ‘the conduct of each of the parties, if that conduct is such that it would in the opinion of the court be inequitable to disregard it’. The bar for conduct to be considered relevant is high. In N v J [2024] EWFC 184, Peel J confirmed that conduct must be ‘of a high degree of exceptionality’ [para 28]. He also remarked that ‘[t]he increasing awareness of the incidence of domestic abuse and its harmful and pernicious effects, does not lower the conduct hurdle to be surmounted in financial remedy proceedings’ [para 29]. The exceptionality requirement remains unchanged by LP v MP, and the judgment leaves open questions about the role of gender in that requirement.’

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Journal of Social Welfare and Family Law, 19th May 2026

Source: www.tandfonline.com

‘A London-based organisation has launched a new reporting platform for anti-Hindu hate crime amid concerns about a rise in religiously motivated offences.’

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BBC News, 21st May 2026

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Unprecedented employment tribunal service delays in England and Wales mean people bringing unfair dismissal claims are waiting up to five years for their case to be heard.’

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BBC News, 21st May 2026

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Employers can be sued for discrimination if they deny employees with agoraphobia the option to work from home, a tribunal has ruled.’

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The Independent, 20th May 2026

Source: www.independent.co.uk

‘The opinions of Local Authorities to “Council Prayers” have changed since events at Bideford, and last year the NSS observed that Reform councillorsimposed prayers on Derbyshire County Council after the party had taken control of the Council. More recently in Kent County Council (KCC), on 12 May 2026 Local Government Lawyer reported that the County Council’s monitoring officer had warned she may have to issue a section 5 report after members voted to debate a constitutional amendment that would see the Lord’s Prayer livestreamed during full council meetings.’

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Law & Religion UK, 20th May 2026

Source: lawandreligionuk.com

‘In a guest post, Shiranikha Herbert looks at the faculty jurisdiction and the disposal of “church treasures”, with particular reference to a recent consistory case.’

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Law & Religion UK, 19th May 2026

Source: lawandreligionuk.com

‘Drawing on examples from nations with a Westminster system of government, I argue that historical practice shows that, as a matter of constitutional convention, a person can be appointed as Prime Minister when they are not a MP, as long as they will imminently become one. (I will describe this period as the ‘interim period’ but this should not be equated with holding office on a caretaker basis where conventions impose limits on the exercise of powers.)’

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UK Constitutional Law Association, 20th May 2026

Source: ukconstitutionallaw.org

‘An appeal by Arun District Council against a planning inspector’s decision cannot proceed because the council failed to serve two defendants in time, the High Court has ruled, even though it did correctly serve the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 20th May 2026

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk