Reserved legal activities in the corporate context: challenges for non-lawyer employees
News
Commercial litigation and disputes
The recent High Court ruling in Mazur v Charles Russell Speechlys 2025, examined the scope and limits of conducting reserved legal activities. The court held that employment by an authorised law firm does not entitle a non-solicitor employee to conduct litigation even under the supervision of a qualified solicitor.
Written by
Owen Williams
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Could proposed tax changes prompt law firms to reconsider LLP status?
News
Corporate and commercial law
With speculation mounting that the Chancellor may introduce National Insurance levies on LLPs in the upcoming 26 November Budget, many law firm leaders are beginning to assess their structural options in order to try to mitigate any additional tax.
Written by
Kelvin Balmont
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Maile v Maile: Farm succession dispute settled in high court
News
Agriculture
A High Court ruling has brought closure to a long-running inheritance dispute over West Hook Farm, a 170-acre mixed farm near Okehampton, Devon. The case offers important lessons for farming families planning succession and for rural professionals supporting them.
Written by
Esther Woolford
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England’s first tenant farming commissioner : A new era for the landlord and tenant relationship
News
Agriculture
The Commissioner’s focus is on improving relationships between tenant farmers, landlords, and agents, as well as promoting fair and transparent conduct within the farming sector. Alan Laidlaw brings over 25 years of experience in agriculture and land management, including senior roles at the Crown Estate and the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland.
Written by
Esther Woolford
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New fraud regulations: What UK farming businesses need to know
News
Agriculture
The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 introduces a new offence: failure to prevent fraud. This is largely aimed at bigger organisations, but some farming businesses could be caught by the rules, especially those operating at scale or within larger groups.
Written by
Sam Harkness
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Manchester Law Society appoints Clarke Willmott’s Geraldine Stephens as Deputy Chair of Civil Litigation Committee
News
Civil dispute resolution
Manchester Law Society, one of the country’s oldest and most influential legal associations, has announced the appointment of Geraldine Stephens as Deputy Chair of its Civil Litigation Committee.
Written by
Geraldine Stephens
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The effects of the failure to prevent fraud regulations on the social housing sector
News
Social housing providers
With the offence now in force from 1 September 2025, housing associations and other RPs must now consider how their governance, compliance, and operational frameworks align with the new legal requirements.
Written by
Sam Harkness
and
Bridget Sanger
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JLR cyber attack highlights importance of robust contracts, insurance and other risk management tools
News
Commercial contracts and agreements
The recent cyber attack suffered by Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) makes it all the more vital that businesses have robust commercial contracts, computer back-up procedures and insurance policies in place, according to a leading lawyer.
Written by
Stephen Green
and
Chidem Aliss
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The government has confirmed that the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) will assume responsibility for supervising lawyers’ anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CTF) compliance – replacing the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and other professional bodies currently fulfilling that role.
Written by
Kelvin Balmont
Read more on FCA to take over AML/CTF supervision of law firms
