Central London May 2026

What the SRA’s New Consultation Means for Our Profession

 Finding Your True North

 Relaunching the EDI Committee

 The Quiet Art of Making Peace

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Editor-in-Chief: Anita Winsome

Editorial Board: Anita Winsome, Kene Onyeka Allison, Sarah Bradd and Ella Atkins.

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The President’s Foreword

SPRING 2026

As the weather starts to improve and we move further into 2026, it is a pleasure to introduce this edition of the Central London Lawyer, and to reflect on what has been an exciting period for the Westminster & Holborn Law Society.

Over the past few months, we have been focused on meeting with other organisations, representing our members' views, and campaigning for progress in the profession. Highlights included our participation in the Women Leaders in Law, Business and Public Sector summit, as well as meeting with the International Bar Association, where we connected with international colleagues, members of the Law Society and the Bar Council, and the City of London Law Society. These were inspiring forums for the exchange of ideas and a reminder of the important role that organisations such as ours play in shaping the future of the profession, both locally and internationally. We are proud to have been part of these conversations and to contribute to the ongoing dialogue around leadership, inclusion, and progress.

Closer to home, we were delighted to host our recent “Finding Your True North” event. The discussion around career direction, resilience, and defining success struck a real chord with attendees and reflected something fundamental about modern legal careers: there is no single path, and no single definition of success. As a Society, we are committed to creating space for those conversations – conversations which help our members navigate change, challenge assumptions, and build careers that are both successful and sustainable.

We have also focused on strengthening our internal initiatives, including relaunching our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Committee. The enthusiasm and engagement at the relaunch event underlined how important this work remains. EDI is not a static objective but an ongoing process which requires reflection, openness, and, at times, difficult conversations. I am grateful to those leading this work within the Society and to the members who continue to support and engage with it.

In addition, our officers have recently met with representatives from other local law societies to share ideas, experiences, and approaches – including a wonderful afternoon tea, and a trip to Mamma Mia! We are also reconnecting with our Law Society

Council Members, who represent the views of our members at the Law Society. Strengthening those connections is an important priority. Collaboration across societies enables us to learn from one another, widen our perspective, and ultimately build a stronger, more connected legal community. If you wish to get involved with representing solicitors, either at a Local Law Society or at Council level, get in touch with our officers, and we can help you find where to start.

Alongside these developments, this edition continues to showcase the breadth of insight and expertise within our membership, from international collaboration to evolving issues within the profession. As always, I would like to thank our contributors, committees, and editorial team for their time, effort, and commitment.

As President, I remain continually struck by the energy and generosity of this community. I hope that this edition reflects that spirit and encourages you to engage with the Society’s work in the months ahead. We have an exciting programme of events to come, including the London Legal Walk on Tuesday 9 June and our summer party on Thursday 2 July. Please do keep an eye on our social media channels for further details and announcements. I very much look forward to seeing many of you at future events! 

Suzanna Eames

President, Westminster & Holborn Law Society

Suzanna Eames

WHLS OFFICERS

Suzanna Eames President

Suzanna is a Senior Associate at Farrer & Co specialising in a broad range of private family law matters, including divorce, complex financial remedy cases, children matters, financial claims to support a child, jurisdictional disputes and pre and post-nuptial agreements. Suzanna has a long track record of supporting her legal community, having been a part of WHLS since 2018. In 2021-2022, Suzanna was Chair of the Junior Lawyers Division of the Law Society; she is particularly passionate about supporting the junior members of the legal profession. Outside of the law, Suzanna is a mum of two young boys and spends more time than she ever expected at soft play.

Amanda Lathia Vice President

Amanda is a senior associate at law firm, Orr Litchfield, specialising in commercial and corporate law. She is passionate about finding business solutions for clients, from assisting on company law issues, to drafting or reviewing contracts to helping a business prepare for a future sale. Amanda joined WHLS in 2018, was co-chair of the Junior Lawyers Division from 2022 to 2024 and is excited to be Vice President of the society for 2025.

Aneesha Bhunjun Deputy Vice President

Aneesha is a digital dispute resolution expert, specializing in resolving complex disputes in England & Wales and internationally. She also focuses on AI regulation in mediation and conflict resolution, alongside advocating for women’s rights in the judiciary. As Deputy Vice President, Aneesha is passionate about promoting diversity and equality within the legal profession. She channels her expertise into her work with the WHLS, supporting its members and driving positive change within the legal system. She is honoured and proud to serve as the Deputy Vice President and looks forward to making a lasting impact in this role.

Linda Felton Treasurer

Linda is the founder of Fortune Green Legal Practice. She specialises in town and country planning law advising home owners, residents' groups and community action groups. She previously worked as a solicitor in local government. Linda is a long-standing member of the Westminster and Holborn Law Society, and since 2023 she has been its Treasurer. Linda is also an active member of the Association of Women Solicitors (AWS) and of Women In Property (South East). Since 2011, Linda has been a mentor on the professional mentoring scheme at City St Georges University Of London. She also regularly volunteers with her local parkrun.

Tanya Arackal Vice-Treasurer

Tanya is currently a second year Trainee Solicitor at Dawson Cornwell. Tanya has worked on cases across the full spectrum of family law, including matrimonial finance and international children law. She has undertaken her own advocacy in the London County Courts, successfully obtaining non-molestation orders for vulnerable clients. She is a member of the YRes division of Resolution and a mentor with Lawyers Who Care, mentoring care-experienced aspiring lawyers. She was awarded the Vice-Chancellor’s award from the University of Leeds for contribution to equality and diversity for starting her own organisation which provided a platform for women of colour. Tanya also created and leads the Aura Collective, a non-profit organisation that supports, through creative workshops, individuals who have experienced violence and abuse.

Lucy Clarke Co-Secretary

Lucy is a newly qualified solicitor specialising in clinical negligence at JMW Solicitors LLP. She works on a wide range of claimant side clinical negligence matters arising from treatment that has gone wrong or a failure to treat that has resulted in severe injury. Lucy has been a co-secretary of the Westminster and Holborn Law society since 2024. She is looking forward to working with the new officers and the exciting year ahead!

Noaman Malik Co-Secretary

Noaman Malik is a Trainee Solicitor at Farrer & Co. He studied History at the University of Glasgow, spending a year abroad at the University of Alabama, before completing the PGDL and an LLM in Legal Practice (SQE) at the University of Law. His previous experience includes working as a paralegal for an ultra-high-net-worth client on a politically sensitive and complex $2 billion civil action, working at a hedge fund, and interning at the Department for Business and Trade. He also serves as a Family magistrate.

Anita Winsome Editor in Chief

Anita completed her LLM specialising in Comparative & International Dispute Resolution from Queen Mary University of London. She is a recipient of the SEED (Student Enhanced Engagement & Development) Award 2023 from the Humanities & Social Sciences department, QMUL. Her interests include domestic & international arbitration, competition law & intellectual property rights. She is a qualified lawyer in India and a licensed member (Advocate) of the Bar Council. Her favourite pastime activities include discovering beautiful cafes, exploring museums, and strolling around the royal parks near South Kensington.

Nicola Wainwright Immediate Past President

Nicola Wainwright is a specialist clinical negligence solicitor with more than 20 years’ experience. She is a Partner and Head of Clinical Negligence-London at JMW Solicitors LLP. Nicola specialises exclusively in clinical negligence claims for patients arising from medical treatment that has gone wrong, or from a failure to provide medical treatment. She has expertise in a wide range of claims, but particularly those that are complex or that result in severe, life changing injuries. Nicola has been ranked in Chambers & Partners legal directory for 14 years. Nicola qualified as a solicitor in 1997 after training with Pictons. She is a member of the Law Society Clinical Negligence Accreditation Panel and an Association of Personal Injury (APIL) Senior Litigator. She is also a member of FOCIS (Forum of Complex Injury Solicitors), and the Association of Women Solicitors, London (AWSL)

WHLS EDITORIAL TEAM

Kene Onyeka Allison

Kene is an in-house solicitor at Mizuho International plc, a Japanese investment bank. She is dual-qualified in England & Wales and Nigeria. Her areas of specialisation are Debt Capital Markets and Derivatives. She volunteers in different capacities with different organisations with the aim of improving ethnic and minority diversity.

Sarah Bradd

Sarah is a current trainee at Charles Russell Speechlys and has been a member of CWHLS since 2019. She enjoys contributing to the Central London Lawyer magazine and assisting the editorial team. In her free time, Sarah enjoys going on holiday to explore new places, eating at restaurants and watching films at the cinema.

Anita Winsome

Anita completed her LLM specialising in Comparative & International Dispute Resolution from Queen Mary University of London. She is a recipient of the SEED (Student Enhanced Engagement & Development) Award 2023 from the Humanities & Social Sciences department, QMUL. Her interests include domestic & international arbitration, competition law & intellectual property rights. She is a qualified lawyer in India and a licensed member (Advocate) of the Bar Council. Her favourite pastime activities include discovering beautiful cafes, exploring museums, and strolling around the royal parks near South Kensington.

Ella Atkins

Ella is currently an Associate at a PR and public affairs agency in London. A graduate of the University of Bristol, she has gained experience across the legal and policy sectors, having completed placements at DLA Piper, Dixon Ward Solicitors, and the Centre for Social Justice think tank. In addition, Ella is also a producer of Politics Inside Out, a podcast that lifts the lid on how Westminster really works.

WWHLS International Committee Update

e are delighted to welcome a new member, Kim Lehal. Kim is a Partner and Head of the International Children department at RWK Goodman in London. An accredited specialist in International Child Abduction and Children Law by the Law Society Family Law Advanced panel since 2013, Kim is a highly regarded expert committed to supporting families through complex international legal challenges. She specialises in acting exclusively on all aspects of international and domestic children law, including international child abduction, relocation proceedings, and complex family disputes. Kim also advises on surrogacy and adoption, domestic abuse, forced marriage, female genital mutilation, and represents victims of honour-based violence and abandoned spouses in foreign jurisdictions.

Future Events

Meeting with our Twinned Bar Associations – Monday 19th May 18.00

We are planning an online session with Bar Associations twinned with WHLS and all members would be most welcome to sign up. We will circulate an email for registration in early May.

As WHLS is a member of the Federation of European Bar Associations, any member is welcome at their conferences, and these can be found on the FBE website www.fbe.org The summer Congress will be held in Bucharest 11th -13th June. As well as conference meetings, there are always opportunities to tour the city and to attend a Festival Dinner. ■

Recognised as a leader in her field with appearances in leading legal directories, Kim has been involved in several landmark cases in the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court and is regularly invited to speak on her journey and her experiences as an industry leader and contribute to leading legal and national publications on family law matters.

Kim was a finalist for International Family Lawyer of the Year at the LexisNexis Family Law Awards in 2024 and 2025. Her team received high commendation for Children Law Team of the Year and won Regional Law Firm of the Year in 2025. She also won Civil Lawyer of the Year at the Asian Legal Awards 2025 and is shortlisted for Leader of the Year at the 2026 Women & Diversity in Law Awards.■

Legal visit from Palermo Bar Association

2nd – 4th July 2026

I n November 2025, WHLS visited Palermo to meet with Sicilian lawyers. In early July, some lawyers from Palermo will visit London and we would welcome members coming to meet them. There will be an opportunity to join for drinks on the evening of 2nd July and/or lunch / dinner on Friday 3rd July. We will send details with sign up details by email to all members. ■

Contacts and participation

I f you are interested in participating in any events, you are welcome and do not need to be a committee member. Please contact WHLS ADMIN cwhlawsoc@gmail.com with any queries and also keep an eye on our announcements on the website and WHLS social media. ■ Coral Hill

Co-Chair International Committee Westminster & Holborn Law Society

Bucharest Palace of Parliament

Kim Lehal

Women Leaders in Law & Business Summit Paris 18-19 March

This was a gathering of women leaders who are active in Law Societies, Bar Associations and leaders in law firms who were welcomed to Paris by Anne Hidalgo, the then Mayor of Paris, in the spectacular Hotel du Ville, Paris City Hall. Westminster & Holborn Law Society was represented by Aleksandra Kowalska, Co-Chair and Sara Chandler, Vice Chair of the International Committee.

The programme commenced with a panel discussion on discriminatory biases in the use of Artificial Intelligence tools. Despite promising neutrality, AI tools demonstrate discrimination using biased data, creating and exacerbating inequalities. Although provisions such as the EU AI Act (2024) attempt to regulate, the risks remain. The panel discussed how innovation and equality can combine to reduce and eradicate the risks.

A second panel in the morning session examined tools for governance, moving beyond assessing inequality to develop ways to overcome the current situation. Despite numerical parity, wage gaps and underrepresentation of women in key positions persist. The panel explored existing tools and their potential to reconcile inclusion and performance through shared governance.

In the afternoon the summit looked at the international field, and we discussed the decline of women’s rights internationally. Stark examples such as Afghanistan, Iran and now even the US, gave the panel plenty

to consider. They examined how legal instruments can be strengthened to protect existing rights and counter the decline. Sara Chandler spoke in this panel, and highlighted where women are participating in change in countries such as Colombia, where women at grass roots level are participating in the National Action Plan for peace.

The final panel of the day was led by Maura Derivan, former President of the Law Society of Ireland, and focussed on an agreed outcome of the summit. A statement was prepared and agreed on gender apartheid. The summit participants voted unanimously to support an appeal for gender apartheid to be classified as a crime against humanity.

The statement can be read in full here: https://www.fbe.org/appealfrom-the-legal-profession-for-the-incorporation-of-the-concept-ofgender-apartheid-into-the-classification-of-crimes-against-humanity/

The Women Leaders in Law, Business and Public Sector summit ended with an evening on the River Seine with dinner on board the Diamant Bleu, as the sun went down and the lights of Paris came on. It was an evening to enjoy in the company of women who are committed to leading their professions. ■

Professor Sara

Chandler KC (Hon) Vice Chair WHLS International Committee

Women Leaders in Law & Business

Summit Paris 18-19 March

FFinding Your True North

The City of Westminster and Holborn Law Society’s in-person event ‘Finding your true North’, a panel session with 5 diverse panellists, took place at 5.30-7.45pm on Tuesday 28 April at Barclays Moorgate branch - the modern purpose-built event venue close to Moorgate tube station.

inding and knowing your true North is like having an ‘inner compass’, guiding self-awareness about your personal values, what motivates you and your purpose, which combined, will help you to make informed career decisions-especially important ones in uncertain times. Lawyers dislike ambiguity and are trained to spot risks, so knowing your ‘true north’ is essential.

Guests enjoyed a relaxed networking event, having drinks and canapes in the spacious networking area, with co-host Philip Lewis, ‘Business Matchmaker’ and WHLS committee members, who ensured that all guests felt welcome and facilitated introductions. Guests then moved to the event area, ready for the panel session which was facilitated by Rachel Brushfield, The Talent Liberator ™ and event co-host.

The panel session was structured into 3 topics: 1) Career development and ‘Finding your true North’, 2) Change within the legal profession and 3) How to build sustainable and resilient careers.

The panellists were asked 6 questions:

1. How can lawyers avoid mistakes or ‘potholes’ in their career development?”

2. What are the KPIs for measuring ‘True North’ success?

3. “Solicitors are trained to spot risk and dislike ambiguity. How do you reframe ‘change’ to use it for your advantage?”

4. “What is the change that you have made in your career that you are most proud of?”

5. “Your no 1 tip to help lawyers build a sustainable career?”

6. “How have you ‘bounced back’ from adversity? What enabled you to do this?’

The five panellists (whom on LinkedIn Amanda Lathia WHLS Vice President described as exceptional) were Gabriel Rodriguez, Kavitha Joseph, Rumana Bennett, Lydia Brookes, and Daniel Winterfeldt MBE KC (Hon) (pictured left to right). Picture credit to Claire Ballard, founder of ByBallard, event photography sponsor.

The five panellists career choices and experiences were wide ranging and includes switching practice areas, moving from private practice to in-house, setting up a law firm, creating a network, taking a career secondment, having a career break, retraining to become a lawyer midcareer as a second career, having a portfolio career, turning a talent into paid work, deciding to leave the law, becoming a professional support lawyer, negotiating part time working and switching law firms for a better culture fit.

Q+A followed the panel session with questions about: confidence, finding help to ‘find your true North’ (e.g. coaching, therapy and books, advice about transitioning from a traditional law firm into a consultant lawyer role), avoiding career mistakes, whether ambition is useful or not when finding your true North, specific AI tips, and challenges faced by the panel and how they overcame them.

Current WHLS President Suzy Eames chaired the event, and shared updates about the society with the guests, including the next event being the Summer party (date TBC). Details coming soon.

Comments received for the event:

“I attended my first event with the WHLS and it definitely won’t be my last! It was genuinely refreshing to hear from such a diverse mix of speakers across the legal industry, all sharing honest reflections on their journeys. A strong reminder that “finding your true north” looks different for everyone and doesn’t have to follow a straight line.”

“the event made me reflect on my own path so far, and a few things really stayed with me from listening to the panellists:

1. Believing in yourself, even when things feel uncertain.

2. Embracing change rather than fearing it (even in a profession that’s built on anticipating risk).

3. Reframing “failure” as part of growth and

4. Investing in your development and

5. Building meaningful connections”

Another guest posted on LinkedIn following the event:

“I thought I was just going to another event… turns out it was better than most top-rated podcasts I’ve listened to lately. I walked in with high expectations which were quickly exceeded! I left feeling genuinely motivated and a lot more clear-headed. The panel came from such varied backgrounds across the legal industry (and beyond). There were honest conversations about things we’re all actually thinking about: starting out, changing direction, and figuring things out as you go.

There was a lot that resonated, but a couple of things have stayed with me:

1. Being brave enough to “bite the bullet”- but doing it responsibly

2. Learning to see opportunities where you’d normally see challenges

3. And a reminder that success isn’t the absence of failure — something I think a lot of us need to hear/ tell ourselves more often”

We also touched on the idea of feeling the fear and doing it anywayand that really hit home.

Progress doesn’t have to be big or perfect to count.

It was also great that it wasn’t just a one-way conversation -the Q&A felt open, thoughtful, and genuinely insightful.”

“The event was very insightful indeed, plus something a bit different to the usual networking events!”

“It is a really good sign when you as a panelist really enjoy and valuemy head was nodding a lot - what your fellow panelists are saying. I also liked the venue a great deal,” said panelist Rumana Bennett.

Panelist Gabriel Rodriguez: “I enjoyed just being there as an audience member as much as a panelist, and was soaking in the collective wisdom! Lovely to see that it positively impacted so many within the room, a tangible sign of an event delivering real value to people.”

“I really enjoyed speaking alongside such a great panel of speakers!” Daniel Winterfeldt.

Kavitha Joseph, one of the panellists commented on LinkedIn following the event: ‘Finding your “true north” is less about certainty, more about staying open to change and all the panellists spoke about something that doesn’t get talked about enough — that finding your “true north” often comes through trial, change, and a bit of patience. There was great energy in the room and some thoughtful questions throughout. It was great to meet so many people across the profession and have some really open conversations.”

Co-hosts Rachel Brushfield and Philip Lewis, along with WHLS would like to thank Suzy Eames, WHLS President, for supporting the event idea, the 3 event sponsors: Barclays (venue), Moore Kingston Smith ‘MKS, accountants and business advisors (catering) and Claire Ballard, founder of ByBallard who took the images in this article(photography).

committee, pictured, left to right: Aneesha Bhunjun, Deputy Vice President and Chair of Law Reform sub-committee, Marta Sanchez Merino - EDI sub-committee Chair, Suzy Eames- President, Amanda Lathia - Vice President and Anita Winsome- Editor-in-Chief of Central London Lawyer magazine.

Thanks also to WHLS joint Co-Chairs of the Publicity and social media sub- committee, Julia Splavska and Jessica Farnsworth.

If you would like to suggest an event idea, the WHLS committee would love to hear from you. WHLS do events under 4 themes: Social, Networking, Career and Educational. Please e mail: cwhlawsoc@ gmail.com with any event ideas you have. ■

Rachel Brushfield

The Talent Liberator ™, Event co-host, Career and talent strategist and Coach & Founder of EnergiseLegal, Est. 1996.

WHLS

Event Co-hosts- Rachel Brushfield and Philip Lewis

Changing Tides: Major Arbitration Changes to Watch Out for in 2026

As the UK embraces the new Arbitration & Conciliation Act 2025, which came into force on 1 August 2025, what are other significant rules and legal changes taking effect in the arbitration world to watch out for right now? Key trends include a major push for digitalisation, incorporating AI guidelines, and re-visiting the regulatory framework and rules of arbitral intuitions to adapt to the needs of the evolving world.

Here’s a snapshot of some of the significant changes in 2025-26: LCIA Rules Revision Consultation (2026)- The London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) has concluded a public consultation (which closed on 11 May 2026) to update its rules; focusing on making digital proceedings standard, enhancing cybersecurity, and refining expediated mechanisms. The

revisions aim to entrench fully digital proceedings and adapt to the evolving geopolitical environment. The draft versions of the revised rules will be published for a second round of feedback later in 2026.

New ICC Arbitration Rules- The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) is implementing revised rules emphasising accelerated procedures, active early-case management, and enhanced digital /remote process integration. It is launching its highly anticipated ICC Rules 2026 on 1 June 2026. Whilst the full version of the rules is not made available yet, the ICC is publishing a seven-part series on its website outlining the key changes and updates which will be introduced.

AI Integrations & Guidelines- Following the American Arbitration Association’s AAA- ICDR’s ‘AI Arbitrator’ launch, institutions are prioritising guidelines for AI use, focusing on due process and confidentiality. The ‘AI Arbitrator’ is a functional AI feature that is specifically designed for documents-only construction disputes. The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) issued its AI guidelines in 2025, closely followed by the

Vienna International Arbitration Centre (VIAC) which published firm guidelines to ensure that the use of AI maintains strict confidentiality, transparency and due process.

Mandatory disclosure: Regional bodies such as the Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC), via its Suite of Rules 2026, and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CiArb) have enacted mandatory Third Party Funding (TPF) rules. Parties must now proactively disclose external funding sources at the outset of a case to prevent conflicts of interest between funders and panel arbitrators.

France’s Modernisation Decree- The French Ministry of Justice is on track to adopt a sweeping new decree designed to make Paris a premier seat for arbitration by granting tribunals explicit powers to liquidate penalties during active cases and legally recognising electronic awards. It is set to be part of the first phase of a three-step reform of French Arbitration Law- the first since the revision of 2011.

For the arbitration community, it is vital to monitor these changes, participate in the consultations and contribute feedback for suggested changes as these will have an impact on dispute timing, settlement strategy, and document management decisions. Considering institutional differences at the drafting stage will help to assess whether chosen institutional rules (whether the ICC, LCIA or any other institutional rules) would best suit the dispute in light of recent reforms- including differences in approaches to expediated procedures, digital filing, remote hearings, tribunal powers, cost control, transparency, the use of AI, early determination and so on.

As we gear up for the London International Disputes Week 2026 (LIDW26) in June this year, we can expect these updates to be the focal point of many conversation and discussions. The central idea is to involve key stakeholders and players, and invite feedback on the changing rules, their potential risks and effects on the global arbitration community. As London continues to enjoy its premier status as a preferred destination for international arbitration and a global hub for dispute resolution, we can best believe that international events like the upcoming LIDW will again prove to be an excellent platform for brilliant minds from around the globe to discuss, connect and debate the trends and changes shaping the arbitration world. ■

Anita Winsome LLM, Comparative & International Dispute Resolution QMUL

“For the arbitration community, it is vital to monitor these changes, participate in the consultations and contribute feedback for suggested changes as these will have an impact on dispute timing, settlement strategy, and document management decisions.”

SPECIALISTS IN THE ANALYSIS OF ROAD TRAFFIC COLLISIONS

Providing tailored solutions for the investigation of incidents involving road users of all types

What experienced serious injury lawyers are really looking for from a modern practice

Richard Harwood, Director of Serious Injury at Minster Law, reflects on what enables lawyers to do their best work and why the structure around serious injury practice matters more than ever.

After more than 30 years working exclusively for claimants in personal injury, Richard Harwood has a clear view on what separates a strong serious injury practice from an average one. Technical ability matters, of course, but so do the conditions in which lawyers are asked to apply it. Here, he shares his perspective on what experienced serious injury lawyers increasingly want from a role, and why Minster Law has built its team the way it has.

Q What do experienced serious injury lawyers increasingly look for from a modern practice?

A For most experienced serious injury lawyers, it goes well beyond title or salary. They are usually looking at the quality of the work, the level of trust placed in them, the support around them, and whether the environment genuinely allows them to do the job properly.

Serious injury work is demanding in a different way to many other areas of practice. It is not simply about progressing a file efficiently. You are often dealing with life-changing injuries, complex futures, family impact, rehabilitation, settlement structure and long-term client needs. Good lawyers want to know they are somewhere that understands that and is set up accordingly.

Q What makes serious injury work easier or harder to do well?

A A lot comes down to the operating environment. The quality of the lawyer clearly matters, but the structure around that lawyer matters too.

If case numbers are too high, if billing pressures drive the wrong behaviours, or if lawyers are weighed down with administration, it becomes much harder to give complex cases the time and thought they deserve. On the other hand, if lawyers have access to the right work, manageable caseloads, good technical support and the freedom to exercise judgement properly, the quality of the work improves quite naturally.

That is especially true in serious injury, where the right outcome often depends on patience, judgement and a willingness to pursue the right course rather than the quickest one.

Q How is Minster Law’s approach different?

A One of the biggest differences is the nature of the work itself. Because of Minster Law’s long-standing relationships in the motor sector, our Serious Injury team handles a substantial volume of complex, high-value cases, with a breadth of injury types that gives lawyers real depth of exposure. That includes everything from serious orthopaedic injuries to amputations, brain injury, chronic pain and spinal cord work.

We have also structured the team so that lawyers can build their expertise progressively. There are clear value bands, and within that there is scope to develop real specialist depth. For some lawyers, that means broad serious injury experience. For others, it can mean purely specialising in one area of injury type.

That combination of scale, complexity and specialist progression is quite powerful for lawyers who want to keep developing.

Q You mention the environment around the lawyer. What does that look like in practice at Minster Law?

A It means giving people the space and support to focus on the case properly.

Our lawyers work in small teams and handle relatively limited numbers of cases, which gives them more time to explore the legal, practical and rehabilitative issues that really matter. It also means they can build stronger relationships with clients and families, which is a very important part of serious injury practice.

We also remove billing targets for our Serious Injury case handlers. That is a deliberate part of our model. It allows lawyers to focus on what is right for the client, rather than what is needed to satisfy an internal target.

Alongside that, the wider support structure is important. Operational managers and the wider team provide support across all aspect of administrative work, allowing our lawyers to spend more their time on legal strategy, client care and achieving the right outcome.

Q Why does that matter so much in serious injury?

A Because the consequences of getting it right or wrong are significant.

In serious injury cases, decisions around rehabilitation, expert evidence, interim support, future needs and settlement structure can have a very long tail. These are not cases that should be rushed or approached too mechanically. Lawyers need time to think, challenge, plan and sometimes hold their nerve.

They also need the confidence to pursue the right outcome for the client, whether that means pushing harder on rehabilitation, thinking carefully about PPOs or provisional damages, or taking a firmer position on indemnity or liability issues where necessary. A good serious injury model should support that kind of judgement, not crowd it out.

Q How important is shared expertise in a serious injury team?

A It is hugely important. No matter how experienced you are, serious injury work is better when expertise is shared rather than siloed. At Minster Law, our lawyers work closely with one another and with senior specialists across the department. Technical discussion is part of the culture. More complex and higher-value cases benefit from close peer input and oversight, and lawyers are encouraged to bring their own style and judgement while also learning from colleagues around them.

That makes the environment more supportive, but it also improves standards. Good serious injury work is rarely about one individual operating in isolation. It is about strong individual capability sitting inside a team that shares knowledge, experience and ideas well.

Q What kind of lawyer tends to thrive in an environment like Minster Law?

A Usually someone who is ambitious about the quality of their work rather than simply their next title.

The lawyers who tend to thrive here are people who want to keep deepening their expertise, who care about getting the detail right, and who value being trusted to think for themselves. They tend to enjoy complex work, but they also understand the human side of serious injury and the importance of building confidence with clients and families.

For the right person, that is what makes serious injury practice rewarding. You are not just managing a case. You are helping shape the client’s recovery, security and future in a meaningful way.

Q What makes a serious injury team somewhere good lawyers want to stay?

A In my view, it is when lawyers feel they can do their best work there.

That usually comes down to a combination of factors: the right work, the right support, the right level of autonomy, and a culture where expertise is respected and shared. If those things are in place, people tend to stay and develop because they can see a long-term future for themselves.

That is what we have worked hard to build at Minster Law. We want to create an environment where experienced serious injury lawyers can handle complex, life-changing cases with the care, judgement and support those cases deserve. For lawyers looking for that kind of practice, that is often what stands out.

MINSTER LAW IS HIRING ASSOCIATES

As an associate in our Serious Injury team, you will:

• Manage a caseload of complex serious injury claims from initial strategy to resolution

• Lead on liability, quantum, rehabilitation, interim payment and settlement strategy

• Work closely with clients, families, counsel, medical experts and other specialists

• Provide direction, oversight and mentoring to junior colleagues

• Contribute to high standards of technical quality, collaboration and client service REMOTE | LONDON | WAKEFIELD

Relaunching the EDI Committee- Asking questions to make change happen

Recently, I had the privilege of chairing the relaunch of the EDI Committee at Dawson Cornwell, in my new role as Chair of the Committee for the Westminster and Holborn Law Society, marking International Women’s Day. It was inspiring to see such a great turnout – so many colleagues came together to reflect, discuss, and share ideas about Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion in our profession, which proves that the EDI Committee is still relevant and must continue to thrive!

As I shared during the event, one of my key priorities for the Committee this year is to launch a series of interviews with solicitors whose experiences and profiles are particularly relevant to EDI. What will make these interviews unique is that each interviewee will answer the same set of questions, allowing us to track patterns, identify trends, and generate practical proposals for meaningful change over time.

But beyond data and analysis, there is a more fundamental point I want to emphasise: we cannot change or improve what we do not understand. Too often, we make assumptions about the circumstances of those around us because it may feel inappropriate to ask the relevant questions. Yet, asking these questions with genuine interest is the first step toward meaningful change. That is exactly what we tried to do during the event: create an environment where it was possible to ask questions, share experiences, and reflect together.

Our guest speaker, Shama Gupta, reminded us of the power of #GiveToGain: by participating actively in communities and initiatives, we can create collective strength to drive progress in EDI. The energy and engagement of our attendees were a perfect illustration of this – it is through listening, questioning, and engaging that we make change happen. I absolutely loved learning more from you, Shama. Thank you!

I hope that, through these interviews and the Committee’s activities throughout the year, we can continue to get real about EDI, spark discussions, and, importantly, implement practical solutions that make a tangible difference in our workplaces.

For those who couldn’t join us but are interested in getting involved, we would warmly welcome new members to the Committee, as well as anyone interested in contributing to our initiatives and conversations. I would be delighted to hear from you. Together, we can continue to make the EDI Committee a space for dialogue, insight, and action. ■

Marta Sanchez Merino Chair, EDI Committee WHLS

The Quiet Art of Making Peace

When dialogue stops and positions harden, one mediator steps forward not with force, but with architecture.

There is a particular kind of silence that falls over a negotiation table when resolution feels truly out of reach. Positions have hardened. Words have stopped working. The gap between parties seems less like a distance and more like a wall. This is not a moment most people seek out. It is, however, where I begin.

I call myself a Peace Architect. Not because the title sounds good on paper, but because it describes something real about how I see conflict. A dispute, in my view, is rarely just an impasse. It is a structure under pressure. And like any structure, it can either fracture further or be carefully, deliberately rebalanced into something stable. That distinction between collapse and rebalance — is where everything happens.

My perspective has been shaped by a life lived across cultures. That experience gave me something harder to learn than legal doctrine: an instinctive understanding of how differently meaning is constructed. How people communicate, what they quietly prioritise, and how quickly things unravel when assumptions go unspoken. In cross-border disputes especially, it is often these invisible layers, far more than the legal arguments themselves, that determine whether resolution is truly possible.

The matters I work across span commercial, civil, workplace, trust, property, and family disputes. Each carries its own weight and its own history. But beneath the differences, the. underlying challenge tends to be the same: how do you shift parties from fixed positions back into a space where genuine dialogue can begin again?

My approach is deliberate. I focus on the internal dynamics of a dispute — where resistance is anchored, where movement still exists, and how communication can be carefully reopened without destabilising the process further. The aim is never imposed resolution. It is agreement that holds, one that the parties themselves have arrived at.

It was this thinking that led me to establish NexuAIMedArb, a practice built around the belief that modern disputes demand more than procedure. They require someone willing to work within complexity itself, where legal frameworks, commercial realities, and human dynamics intersect all at once. Procedure alone does not resolve conflict. People do.

I serve as a judge and mediator at the ICC Paris International Mediation Competition, one of the most respected platforms in global dispute resolution. It draws practitioners from across the world and sits at the frontier of where this field is heading, less procedural, more adaptive, and far more attuned to the human dimensions that determine whether an agreement will truly last.

That same conviction shaped my decision to establish a training and dispute resolution centre in Mauritius. Situated at the intersection of Africa, Asia, and the international legal community, Mauritius offers something rare in cross-border work: genuine neutrality, a sophisticated legal framework, and a natural convergence of cultures that makes it one of the most strategically positioned jurisdictions in the world for resolving international disputes. It is not simply a location. It is a philosophy made physical.

Dispute resolution is evolving, and the most significant shift is not technological. It is human. The practitioners who will define the next era of this field are those who understand that legal complexity and emotional intelligence are not separate disciplines. They are the same work, approached from different angles.

Resolution rarely announces itself. It tends to arrive quietly, in the space where understanding finally catches up to need. ■

Aneesha Bhunjun, Founder, NexuAIMedArb, Peace Architect, CIArb Arbitrator

Strengthening Continuing Competence: What the SRA’s New Consultation Means for Our Profession

Westminster & Holborn Law Society –Education Committee Commentary April 2026

The SRA has launched a major consultation on strengthening the post qualification competence regime. While the SQE has reshaped the route into the profession, this consultation signals an equally significant shift in how the SRA expects solicitors to maintain competence throughout their careers.

For Westminster & Holborn Law Society members - many of whom supervise, train, or lead teams - the proposals deserve close attention. They represent not just regulatory change, but a redefinition of what it means to be a practising solicitor in 2026.

A New Direction: From Trust to Assurance

Since 2016, the SRA has relied on a flexible, trust based approach to continuing competence. Solicitors were expected to reflect on their practice, identify learning needs and address them in a way that suited their role and context.

The SRA now believes this approach is no longer delivering sufficient assurance.

Its monitoring work, including more than 1,000 training record reviews and analysis of 83,000 reports, has revealed persistent issues:

• learning records listing activities without explaining why they were undertaken

• limited engagement with ethical learning

• a narrow focus on technical law

• inconsistent awareness of warning notices and guidance

• difficulty demonstrating meaningful reflection.

As the consultation puts it:

“We cannot be certain… whether decisions about the learning and development carried out by many solicitors had been informed by them fully reviewing all aspects of their role and work.”

This is the foundation for the proposed reforms.

Proposal 1: Mandatory Recording of Learning and Development

• the SRA proposes a new rule requiring all solicitors to keep a reflective record that:

• explains how learning needs were identified

• sets out how those needs were addressed

• confirms that all aspects of their role were considered

• is retained for at least three years.

This is not a return to CPD hours. It is a shift towards documented reflective practice, aligning the profession with other high stakes fields such as medicine and accountancy.

For firms, this will require:

• updated internal processes

• clearer supervision structures

• more consistent documentation

• support for solicitors who have not previously worked in this way.

The SRA intends to introduce the rule from the 2027/28 practising year, giving firms time to prepare.

Proposal 2: Mandatory Annual Ethics Discussions

Perhaps the most significant cultural change is the requirement for three hours of facilitated ethics discussions each year, led by a practising solicitor.

The SRA’s rationale is clear:

“Unethical behaviour can undermine the rule of law and the administration of justice.”

Ethics is no longer treated as a static body of knowledge. It becomes a shared professional discipline, grounded in dialogue, challenge and collective judgment.

For firms, this raises practical questions:

• who will facilitate these discussions?

• how will they be structured?

• how will they be recorded?

• how will small firms and sole practitioners participate?

But it also presents an opportunity to strengthen ethical culture, reduce risk and support junior lawyers navigating complex scenarios.

Proposal 3: Power to Mandate Specific Training

The SRA seeks a new rule enabling it to require targeted learning and development where it identifies competence concerns, either for individuals or groups.

This is a notable expansion of regulatory intervention. It allows the SRA to use education as a preventative tool, rather than relying solely on enforcement.

Why This Matters for W&HLS Members

Our Society represents a diverse membership: large firms, small practices, in house teams, sole practitioners and those working across a wide range of specialisms. The impact of these proposals will not be uniform.

For larger firms: The challenge will be cultural. Systems already exist; the question is how to embed reflective practice and ethics discussions meaningfully rather than mechanically.

For small firms and sole practitioners: The administrative burden will be real. The SRA will need to provide clear templates, practical guidance and proportionate expectations.

For in house solicitors: Ethical pressures can be acute. Structured discussions may offer valuable support, but employers must understand their regulatory significance.

For supervisors and COLPs: These proposals reshape the landscape of oversight, training and risk management.

A Moment for Professional Leadership

The SRA’s consultation is not simply a regulatory exercise. It is a call to the profession to articulate what competence and ethical practice should look like in a rapidly changing legal environment.

As a Society, we have an important role to play:

• supporting members to understand the proposals

• representing the realities of practice in our response

• advocating for proportionate, workable implementation

• promoting a culture where ethics and reflection are integral to professional life

The consultation runs until 15 July 2026. We encourage all members, individuals and firms, to engage with it.

The future of competence regulation will be more reflective, more transparent and more ethically grounded. This is a moment to help shape that future. ■

James Catchpole

Associate Professor and Director of Executive Education and Professional Engagement at The City Law School, Chair of the WHLS Education Committee

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From precedent libraries to prompts The next step for legal drafting

Almost every lawyer maintains a Precedent Library, collections of letters, documents, and draft orders that serve as reliable templates for routine legal tasks. Whether housed centrally within a firm or kept individually by lawyers, precedent banks save time, promote consistency, and ensure that essential information is communicated accurately. They prevent lawyers from having to repeatedly craft the same content from scratch.

Yet while precedents are widely used, most lawyers do not yet have something that may soon become equally indispensable: a bank of prompts for automated legal drafting. A prompt is a set of instructions given to artificial intelligence, essentially a command or description designed to generate a specific output such as a document, letter, or analysis. Writing a good prompt is much like instructing a trainee solicitor: the instructions must be clear, unambiguous, and thorough. The more detail the prompt contains, the higher the quality of the result. These prompts often include instructions that might seem obvious, such as avoiding Americanised spellings, but are crucial for consistent outputs.

My recent move from private practice to a role with LEAP, a legal technology company specialising in case management software, has given me a new perspective on both precedents and prompts. As Head of Family Law, I now help shape the software to better support family lawyers. Leaving practice meant leaving behind 18 years’ worth of carefully curated precedents; I was hardly going to commit intellectual property theft to take them with me. Instead, I now work closely with LEAP’s precedent libraries, which contain a wide range of template letters and documents designed to streamline legal workflows.

In exploring these templates, I have begun adapting and creating precedents that offer enhanced automation. One example is a letter of instruction to an actuary, which not only pulls through key case details but also uses LEAP’s Word Add-in to offer dynamic questions. The lawyer indicates, for instance, whether a report is ordered or agreed, and the remainder of the letter changes automatically. This creates a more sophisticated tool than a static template, one that reduces repetitive drafting and accelerates routine tasks.

But this still raises an obvious question: what if technology could answer those questions itself by analysing information within the case file? This is where prompts rather than precedents begin to show their potential.

When I joined LEAP, I had limited experience with AI prompting. My early use of ChatGPT had been purely personal, such as asking

it for the correct reading order of John le Carré’s George Smiley novels. The idea of drafting complex legal instructions for AI was daunting; it seemed faster simply to type the letters myself. Yet the capability of AI systems to read and interpret case data changes that calculation. In theory, AI could identify pensions, values, dates, or factual circumstances directly from the matter, eliminating the need for manual data entry. A precedent could therefore evolve into a prompt, an automated set of rules that instructs AI on how to assemble the necessary document.

Once created, a prompt could be reused just like a precedent. It could tell the AI to consider the Pensions Advisory Group guidance, relevant Practice Directions, or even the terms of a specific court order. It could dictate formatting, tone, style, and legal framing. After the prompt runs within the secure environment of the case management system, the lawyer would receive a completed draft ready for review.

Another example is the preparation of briefs to counsel. Traditional precedents can pull basic information such as names, dates of birth, or case identifiers. But a prompt could go much further. It could analyse the matter file, summarise the children’s arrangements, extract the current issues in dispute, and compile the factual background. This would not replace the lawyer’s judgement, but it would provide a first draft similar to the one a trainee might prepare on their first day, only produced in seconds rather than an hour.

Artificial Intelligence is already reshaping legal practice, whether lawyers embrace it or not. The familiar saying captures the trend well: “AI won’t replace lawyers, but a lawyer using AI will.” Replacing or supplementing precedents with prompts is one way to harness the benefits of AI while preserving the lawyer’s expertise, oversight, and control. Just as precedents did not replace lawyers, prompts will not either. Instead, they represent a natural evolution in how we create, structure, and automate legal drafting in an increasingly digital profession.

Katie Phillips Head of Family Law in LEAP Verticals

Private equity overtakes merger as UK law firms' preferred route to growth, new research reveals

Three-quarters of firms seeking investment now favour private equity as sector faces "once-in-a-generation" transformation according to survey of UK law firm leaders

Private equity has overtaken merger and partnership as the preferred growth strategy among UK law firms seeking investment, according to new research from leading legal technology provider Dye & Durham. According to the results: Among firms seeking investment, 75% now favour private equity, while only 52% cite the traditional route of merger or partnership.

The finding is among several key insights from the extensive research that appear to signal a once-in-a-generation shift in firms' attitudes to investment, technology, and growth.

The data suggests the market shift may be more advanced than many in the profession realise. While previous research has tracked private equity deal volumes and the extent to which firms have been approached by investors, this is believed to be among the first studies to measure law firms' own investment preferences, finding a marked shift toward private equity and away from the traditional merger or partnership route.

Speaking about the release of the report today, Colin Bohanna, Managing Director of Dye & Durham UK, said: "This research confirms what many in the profession are increasingly alert to, and which many more have yet to realise: there is a monumental shift taking place in the UK legal market, and it will affect every part of the profession.

"While the traditional merger and partnership model is in no danger of going away, there is a remarkable transformation taking place in UK law, one that is changing how law firm leaders operate and which will have a growing influence in years to come. We hope this research will be a useful tool to the industry in navigating a way forward.”

Other key findings of the research include:

• 86% of legal professionals polled in a live survey agreed that the business model of UK law firms has evolved more in the past 10 years than in the previous 20

• 88% of senior leaders agreed their technology platform signals their firm's maturity to external investors

• 80% said financial performance expectations are higher today than five years ago

• 45% cited talent recruitment and retention as the single biggest barrier to scaling

The report draws on an independent survey of 200 senior leaders at midsized and large UK law firms, conducted by Arlington Research, with 80% of respondents from firms with 50 or more fee earners. Dye & Durham

supplemented this with a live poll at the British Legal Technology Forum and an in-depth interview with Adrian Jaggard, CEO of Taylor Rose and AIIC Group. Market analysis

The complete whitepaper of the research findings – The Future of UK Law Firms 2026: Changing Leadership, Capital, and Operating Models – also draws attention to what is likely driving these changing attitudes, specifically a "trifecta" of forces driving the shift: the growth of the consultant model (now over 4,000 practitioners)1, the rise of alternative business structures (from 8% of SRA-regulated firms in 2017 to 13% by 2022/2023)2, and an unprecedented influx of private equity (£1.2bn invested over five years, with a record £534m in 2024 alone)3, with 70% of mid-sized UK law firms approached by private equity investors in 2025.4 Together, the paper argues, these forces are reshaping not just how firms are financed, but how they operate and compete.

The full report can be found at: dyedurham.co.uk/resources/ebooks-reports/ About the research

The Future of UK Law Firms 2026: Changing Leadership, Capital, and Operating Models is based on:

• An independent survey of 200 senior leaders and technology decisionmakers at mid-sized and large UK law firms, conducted by Arlington Research between 20 January and 4 February 2026. Respondents included equity partners, salaried partners, C-suite executives, practice managers, and consultant lawyers. 80% were from firms with 50 or more fee earners.

• A live poll of 51 attendees at the British Legal Technology Forum (BLTF) 2026, one of Europe's largest legal technology conferences.

• An in-depth interview with Adrian Jaggard, co-founder and CEO of AIIC Group and Taylor Rose, one of the UK's largest consumer-facing law firms. dyedurham.co.uk ■

Legal profession facing growing and more complex pressures as demand for support triples

Solicitors across England and Wales are facing increasingly complex pressures, with many experiencing challenges that affect their wellbeing, confidence, and ability to cope.

The report shows that demand for support has now tripled since 2023, reflecting both the scale of need and the changing nature of the challenges people are experiencing.

Rather than single-issue cases, many solicitors are now facing overlapping difficulties across emotional, professional, physical and financial wellbeing. These challenges can build over time, making them harder to manage without the right support in place.

In response, The Solicitors’ Charity delivered:

• £1.27 million in financial awards and grants

• Over 5,600 hours of direct case manager support

• Tailored referrals across four areas of wellbeing

The report also shows that when support is accessed, it can make a meaningful difference. 83% of those supported said they felt more positive and able to cope, demonstrating the value of timely, joined-up support when people are facing difficult periods in their lives.

Nick Gallagher, CEO of The Solicitors’ Charity, said: “What we are seeing is not just increased demand, but more complex need. Challenges rarely exist in isolation, which means support has to help alleviate the full extent of what someone is going through.

When people are able to access the right support at the right time, it can positively change how they experience and move through those challenges.”

The findings also underline the importance of continued awareness and engagement across the profession. The Solicitors’ Charity’s work depends on support from firms, organisations and the wider legal community to ensure help remains visible and accessible to those who need it.

An anonymous beneficiary shared: “Support was there when I needed it most, and it helped bring me back from a very dark place.”

As demand continues to grow, the report is a reminder that supporting solicitor wellbeing is not only about responding to crisis, but about ensuring the profession continues to underpin the structures that help people recover, rebuild confidence and move forward.

The full Big Report 2025–2026 is available to read online: https:// thesolicitorscharity.org/big-report/ ■

More information on The Big Report

The Big Report 2025–2026 is part of The Solicitors’ Charity’s ongoing work to understand and respond to the challenges facing solicitors and their families across England and Wales.

Drawing on service data, client experience and insight from across support delivery, it provides a detailed picture of how pressures are evolving across emotional, professional, physical, and financial wellbeing.

Further data, case studies and interviews with Nick Gallagher, CEO of The Solicitors’ Charity, are available on request.

More information on The Solicitors’ Charity

The Solicitors’ Charity provides comprehensive support to improve the wellbeing of solicitors, helping them to overcome life’s challenges.

People approach the charity for help for all sorts of reasons – because of struggles with the cost of living and money management, ill health, disability, distress through domestic violence, and anxiety, often caused by work-related stress or life-connected trauma.

Support in the form of regular donations from trusts, foundations, local law societies, firms and individuals, and unclaimed client balances (RCBs) from firms, is needed more than ever by the Charity in these challenging times.

It operates a corporate giving scheme for firms and suppliers in the legal sector called: Firm Friends and businesses are encouraged to regularly donate to the Charity to ensure a sustainable future for support for the profession.

The Solicitors’ Charity works with clients to identify packages of wellbeing support to help them return to being self-sustaining such as:

Emotional/mental support – with providers of psychotherapy, an initial assessment is offered followed by funded sessions with qualified therapists (from One Bright and Lawsight). The Solicitors’ Charity part-funds the mental health and wellbeing charity, LawCare. LawCare is the mental health charity for the legal sector. LawCare provides free, confidential support, peer support, and information to anyone working in law across the UK, Channel Islands, and Isle of Man. LawCare also works to improve mental health practices in legal workplaces through education, training, and research.

Professional/career support – clients may be returning to work after a break or may need to change the sector of the law they practice in. Perhaps they have been made redundant and need support with securing their next job or want help to consider other options like selfemployment, a move to a different sector or retirement. The Charity funds career coaching support with partner, Renovo.

Physical support – anyone can experience physical illness or disabilities affecting their ability to work or manage at home. The Solicitors’ Charity provides occupational health assessments which help with adaptations to continue with life, through their partnership with The OT Practice.

Financial support – if individuals are struggling with finances and money management, then CAM and Pennysmart, the Charity’s expert partners help with budgeting and drawing up practical money management plans. Because of increasing demand, the charity signed up money and benefits advice experts, Pennysmart and Cardiff & Vale Citizens Advice, to provide more capacity and expertise for clients to tap into in 2024 and 2025.

Find out more and ‘Play Your Part’ in supporting the charity at: https://www.thesolicitorscharity.org/play-your-part/

Find out more about The Solicitors’ Charity by visiting: thesolicitorscharity.org

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TPresident of The Law Society highlights “24/7

pressure” and the reluctance of the legal profession to seek support

Mark Evans has called for greater openness and attitudes to change across the legal profession in a new episode of The Legal Pause podcast.

he President of The Law Society of England and Wales has spoken candidly about the constant pressure facing solicitors and the ongoing reluctance for them to seek support

Speaking on Episode 6 of The Legal Pause podcast, hosted by Nick Gallagher, CEO of The Solicitors’ Charity, Evans highlighted how changing client expectations and technology are contributing to an “always on” culture in law.

“Consumers can drive this ‘24/7 always on’ approach… there is the expectation that someone replies outside of usual office hours,” he said.

The episode explores how these pressures are reshaping the profession, alongside the barriers that continue to prevent many solicitors from asking for help.

Reluctance to seek support remains

Despite increased awareness of wellbeing in the legal sector, Evans acknowledged that many solicitors still found it difficult to identify and access support.

The profession’s traditional emphasis on independence and resilience can make it harder for individuals to speak openly when they are struggling, even when support services are available.

Leadership and visibility key to change

Evans also emphasised the importance of leadership in driving cultural change, highlighting the role of openness and visibility in encouraging others to speak up.

“I want people to know I am a human being with emotions… talking about something can make a difference,” he said.

From social mobility to sector-wide support

Reflecting on his own journey into the profession, Evans spoke about the importance of widening access to legal careers and ensuring that individuals from all backgrounds feel able to pursue law.

He also highlighted the role of organisations such as The Solicitors’ Charity, LawCare, and The Law Society in supporting solicitors throughout their careers including in less talked about situations like disciplinaries.

“The Law Society has a Practice Advice Line, Wellbeing Hub and information about charities providing support. And support for people facing disciplinaries as well and signposting to other

organisations. Every time I speak to a relevant audience, I mention The Solicitors’ Charity, LawCare, The Law Society and hope that others get the message and amplify it too.” Evans said.

A call for a more supportive profession

The episode reinforces the need for continued change across the legal sector, ensuring that support is not only available, but actively used and publicised. By combining leadership, openness, and greater awareness, the profession can create a more sustainable and supportive future.

You can hear the whole conversation: https://thesolicitorscharity. org/the-legal-pause/

Episode 6 of The Legal Pause is available on all major streaming platforms. ■

About The Legal Pause

The Legal Pause is The Solicitors’ Charity’s podcast series exploring the pressures, challenges, and opportunities shaping today’s legal profession.

Hosted by Nick Gallagher, CEO of The Solicitors’ Charity, the podcast features conversations with leaders and voices from across the sector on topics including wellbeing, culture, access to the profession, and the support available to solicitors and their families.

Episode 6 features Mark Evans, President of The Law Society of England and Wales, in conversation with Nick Gallagher about leadership, social mobility, pressure within the profession, and the challenge of asking for help.

Listen to the full conversation here: https://thesolicitorscharity.org/the-legalpause/

Interviews with Nick Gallagher are available on request.

About The Solicitors’ Charity

The Solicitors’ Charity provides comprehensive support to improve the wellbeing of solicitors and their dependants, helping them to overcome life’s challenges.

People approach the Charity for help for many reasons, including financial difficulty, ill health, disability, domestic abuse, anxiety, work-related stress, and life-connected trauma.

The Charity works with clients to identify packages of support across emotional, professional, physical, and financial wellbeing, helping them move towards greater stability and independence.

Find out more about The Solicitors’ Charity by visiting: https:// thesolicitorscharity.org/

Westminster & Holborn Law Society –

Public Statement on the SRA’s

Continuing Competence Consultation

Westminster & Holborn Law Society welcomes the SRA’s April 2026 consultation on strengthening continuing competence for solicitors. The proposals represent a significant moment for the profession and raise important questions about how we support, evidence and sustain high standards of practice.

The consultation highlights several areas where the current regime is not delivering the level of assurance expected by the regulator or the public. In particular, the SRA’s monitoring work points to inconsistent reflective practice, limited engagement with ethical learning and variable awareness of regulatory guidance. These findings underline the need for a more structured and transparent approach to ongoing professional development

The consultation highlights several areas where the current regime is not delivering the level of assurance expected by the regulator or the public. In particular, the SRA’s monitoring work points to inconsistent reflective practice, limited engagement with ethical learning and variable awareness of regulatory guidance. These findings underline the need for a more structured and transparent approach to ongoing professional development.

We note the SRA’s proposals for:

• Mandatory reflective learning records, requiring solicitors to demonstrate how they identify and address their development needs

• Annual facilitated ethics discussions, recognising the central role of ethical judgment in modern practice

• The power to mandate specific training where competence concerns or patterns of poor practice emerge

These proposals mark a shift towards a more evidence based and preventative model of regulation. They also raise practical considerations for firms, educators and individual practitionersparticularly around implementation, proportionality and the need to avoid unnecessary administrative burden.

As a Society, we recognise the importance of maintaining public confidence in the profession. We also recognise that competence is not static: it requires continual reflection, learning and adaptation. At the same time, any changes to the regulatory framework must be workable, clearly communicated and sensitive to the diverse contexts in which solicitors practise.

We will be engaging with our members, local firms and education partners to gather views and ensure that the profession’s voice is represented in the consultation process. We encourage all solicitors and organisations within our community to review the proposals and contribute their perspectives.

The consultation presents an opportunity for constructive dialogue about the future of professional competence - one that balances regulatory assurance with the realities of practice and supports a culture of ethical, reflective and resilient legal work.

Westminster & Holborn Law Society will continue to monitor developments closely and provide updates as the consultation progresses. ■

Law Firm Insurance in 2026: Key Questions Answered

The insurance landscape for law firms is shifting. While professional indemnity insurance (PII) remains a regulatory requirement, firms are facing a broader and more complex range of risks, from cyber threats to increased regulatory scrutiny. Here are the key questions firms should be asking in 2026.

Has the PII market improved?

To an extent.

After several years of sharp increases, premiums have stabilised for many firms. However, insurers remain highly selective. Areas such as conveyancing, high transaction volumes, and client money exposure continue to attract scrutiny.

Firms with strong processes and a clean claims history are seeing the best outcomes. Pricing may have steadied, but underwriting discipline has not. Why is renewal still so detailed?

Because risk has evolved.

Insurers now focus heavily on how firms operate, including file management, financial controls, and fraud prevention measures. With the rise in email compromise and fraudulent transactions, firms that can clearly demonstrate strong internal controls are in a far better position at renewal. Do we need cyber insurance if we have PII?

In most cases, yes.

PII often provides limited cover for cyber incidents, particularly where losses arise from internal process failures or social engineering attacks. Cyber insurance is designed to fill that gap, covering incident response, data breaches, business interruption, and ransomware. Many policies also include preventative support, such as system monitoring and access to specialist response teams. For most firms, it is now a core cover rather than an optional extra.

What is management liability?

Management liability protects partners, directors, and senior decision-makers.

It covers exposures such as regulatory investigations, employment disputes, and allegations of mismanagement, areas that are becoming more common with increased oversight and a more litigious environment. For growing firms or those undergoing change, this is often overlooked but highly valuable protection.

Alex Hill

Client

specialising in

Konsileo is a Chartered insurance

Are firms missing any key risks?

Yes, client-related risks.

Policies such as executor and inheritance insurance, and unoccupied property cover during probate, are becoming increasingly relevant. They protect clients from personal liability and disputes, while also reducing the firm’s exposure to potential claims. Despite this, they remain underutilised across the sector.

How has risk changed for law firms?

Significantly.

Risk is no longer limited to legal advice. Operational and technological exposures, particularly cyber risk and financial crime, are now among the most material threats. At the same time, regulatory scrutiny has increased, placing greater emphasis on governance and internal controls. How has risk changed for law firms?

Significantly.

Risk is no longer limited to legal advice. Operational and technological exposures, particularly cyber risk and financial crime, are now among the most material threats. At the same time, regulatory scrutiny has increased, placing greater emphasis on governance and internal controls.

What are insurers looking for?

Clarity and control.

Firms that understand their risk profile, maintain clear processes, and actively manage their procedures are viewed more favourably. It is no longer just about what work a firm does, but how well it is managed.

What should firms be doing now?

Start early and take a proactive approach.

Engage with your broker well ahead of renewal, review how your risk profile has evolved, and ensure your cover reflects how the firm actually operates. Looking beyond PII is key, cyber and management liability are now fundamental parts of a well-structured programme.

Final Thoughts

PII remains central, but it is no longer enough on its own. Firms taking a broader, more strategic approach to insurance are better positioned to manage risk, protect their clients, and operate with confidence. ■

across professional indemnity, cyber, management

protections, with access to a broad

as well as

Inside the UK & Ireland Legal Insights Report 2026: AI, integration, and the firms pulling ahead

AI use across UK and Ireland law firms is now near-universal. Nearly 9 in 10 legal professionals use the technology in some capacity, with 70% adopting it within the past year alone. For a profession that tends to move carefully on new technology, that's a remarkable pace. And the knock-on effects are showing up everywhere: in caseloads, in how firms talk to clients, in the way they price their work.

Those numbers come from Clio's inaugural UK & Ireland Legal Insights Report 2026, based on surveys of more than 500 legal professionals and 500 members of the public. The takeaway? Adoption has already happened. The harder question for firms now is how to turn scattered AI use into sustained value across the full client journey, from intake to resolution.

Four dynamics shaping the region's legal market

The report identifies four forces defining the UK and Ireland legal landscape right now:

1. Technology has moved from adoption to execution, and workflow design is now the differentiator.

2. Governance gaps are creating risk around data security and client disclosure.

3. Clients weigh reputation, experience, and communication alongside price.

4. Fixed-fee billing has become the dominant pricing model.

The gains are real for firms that integrate deeply

When firms get integration right, the numbers are hard to ignore.

Among active AI users:

• 81% say AI helps them respond to clients more quickly and proactively

• 78% are handling a higher volume of work

• 77% say the quality of their legal output has improved

• 71% say AI is reducing cost per matter by absorbing drafting, research, and admin work

That said, only 27% of firms have embedded AI widely across the organisation. The majority describe partial or minimal integration, confined to specific tasks or teams. That difference between light use and deep integration is where most of the untapped value still sits, waiting to be claimed.

Integration is the top barrier, and it hits mid-market firms hardest

So why aren't more firms getting there? More than a third of legal professionals (37%) point to a familiar culprit: integrating new tools into existing workflows. Among mid-market firms, that figure rises to 40%, compared with 23% in smaller practices.

The real cost of fragmented systems shows up in a typical working day. Context-switching between applications. Re-entering the same data into different tools. Coordination work that absorbs the attention that fee earners would otherwise spend on substantive legal work.

Governance hasn't kept pace with use

Governance sits right alongside integration as an area where firms are exposed. Adoption has moved faster than policy, and 17% of firms have no AI policy in place at all, even though they're allowing and often encouraging AI use day-to-day.

The disclosure picture is wider still. 81% of firms say they tell clients about AI use at least occasionally. Only 7% of clients recall their lawyer actually doing it. That's a 74-point gap between what firms intend and what clients experience.

Public attitudes suggest firms can't afford to leave that gap unaddressed. 79% of the public think lawyers should disclose when they use AI, which makes transparency a client-trust issue as well as a compliance one.

Pricing is shifting with the work

The business model itself is moving too. As AI compresses the time that once justified billable hours, pricing is catching up. Fixed or flat fees now account for 53% of matters across UK and Ireland firms, while hourly billing has dropped to 32%.

Firms that price with intent are better placed to compete on value and protect healthy margins along the way.

What this means for UK and Ireland firms in 2026

Adoption across the region is already happening. The remaining work, and where most of the value still sits, is moving from scattered, task-level AI use to cohesive, firm-wide workflows that free up capacity, improve client experience, and reduce risk. Solo, small, and mid-sized firms are often the most agile in moments like this, and the report suggests they stand to gain the most from moving decisively.

For the full findings, including data on workload, wellbeing, and how clients choose lawyers, read the UK & Ireland Legal Insights Report 2026 here. https://www.clio.com/uk/guides/2026-legal-insightsreport/ ■

PAROLE BOARD HEARINGS Law and Practice 4th edition

LEGAL ACTION GROUP

The access to justice charity

By Hamish Arnott, Simon Creighton and Dr Laura Janes KC (Hon)

AN INDISPENSABLE HANDBOOK FOR ALL INVOLVED IN PRISON AND PAROLE LAW

An appreciation by Elizabeth Robson Taylor MA of Richmond Green Chambers and Phillip Taylor MBE, Head of Chambers, Reviews Editor, “The Barrister”, and Mediator

The authors of “Parole Board Hearings” are Hamish Arnott, Simon Creighton and Dr Laura Janes KC who rightly state that this is the only book to comprehensively cover the decision-making powers and procedures of the Parole Board.

The Legal Action Group (LAG) are to be commended for the continued publication of this new edition. For those new to LAG, it is a national, independent charity which campaigns for equal access to justice for all members of society.

LAG’s mission aims to strengthen the voice of the people and communities denied access to justice; to support frontline charities, lawyers and advisers to deliver access to justice; and to influence law and policy to improve access to justice and create a fair legal system for all.

This book remains an easy-to-use handbook which provides practical and detailed guidance on parole processes, including recall, for those serving both determinate and indeterminate sentences and we think it is helpful to both professionals and lay people interested in parole.

In the twelve years since the publication of the last edition in 2014, the legal and political landscape around parole has changed almost beyond recognition. It is vital for practitioners to have access to a textbook that brings up to date the current state of parole law and the powers and duties of the Parole Board.

The new edition includes the following detailed information depending on what you are looking for. It offers a comprehensive overview and analysis of the statutory framework, guidance and case-law affecting Parole Board hearings. Of additional assistance is an overview of how risk is assessed with practical guidance on effective representation at parole hearings and the legal aid scheme.

The authors offer a detailed analysis of the duty imposed on the Parole Board to investigate disputed allegations and it includes latest guidance on public parole hearings and the Parole Board’s drive for greater transparency.

We found that the four appendices remain of great additional assistance, containing the Parole Board Rules 2019 plus relevant statutory extracts and guidance to help with an understanding of what can be a formidable and difficult area for many practitioners.

“Parole Board Hearings: law and practice” by Arnott, Creighton and Janes remains essential reading for lawyers, advisers, prisoners and their families, and all those working within prisons and for the prison and probation services and related bodies.

The final word should go to Alexandra Marks CBE, the Chair of the Parole Board for England and Wales, who writes in the Foreword: “I warmly welcome this timely and long-awaited edition as a vital tool for those navigating the complexities of prison and parole law, ensuring justice, public safety and the rehabilitation of offenders”. Sums the book up nicely to us! ■

LAND REGISTRATION MANUAL 4th edition

WILDY, SIMMONDS AND HILL PUBLISHING

By Ash Jones

AN IMPORTANT UPDATED FOURTH EDITION ON THE SYSTEM OF LAND REGISTRATION

An appreciation by Elizabeth Robson Taylor MA of Richmond Green Chambers and Phillip Taylor MBE, Head of Chambers, Reviews Editor, “The Barrister”, and Mediator

Land Registrar, Ash Jones has updated his excellent manual, now in a fourth edition, to give us, as practitioners, what he describes as “an authoritative source of technical and practical advice on all matters relating to registered land and interests affecting it”. And the manual just does that.

The book has an alphabetical approach (A to Z) and allows practitioners to focus on the specific topic they are researching, knowing that the book will provide useful background commentary, along with clear guidance on the form and content of relevant Land Registry applications specific to that topic.

The topics are geared to aspects of day–to-day procedure practice rather than academic areas of law – making the book more accessible and more relevant to our needs as busy practitioners.

Fully updated to take account of all the changes in land registration law and practice arising both from legislative changes. It includes those introduced by the Land Registration (Amendment) Rules 2018 Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Act 2022 and arising because of Brexit, with new cases such as Antoine v Barclays Bank PLC [2018] and Brown v Ridley [2025].

This new edition covers the usual subjects, but also many less frequently encountered topics which are often not covered elsewhere. Its remit extends not only from transfers to leases, but from bare trusts to franchises; options to powers of attorney; and chancel repair to embankments and sea walls.

Each topic contains accurate commentary to aid understanding and clear guidance on the relevant applications which may need to be made to complete a transaction or protect a client’s interests.

This edition includes several new topics, including the most welcome electronic signatures, land transparency and the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 and maladministration. The book also contains all the current versions of the standard form restrictions and the prescribed lease clauses, along with a list of Land Registry forms and other useful information, making the “Land Registration Manual” an invaluable ‘one-stop’ source of guidance for busy practitioners at all levels of experience, enabling them to research topics and deal with matters quickly, efficiently and effectively.

Wildy, Simmonds and Hill Publishing is an independent, family-owned law publisher. Its history goes back to a time when publishers, printers and booksellers were one and the same. While the Wildy & Sons bookshop has been trading from Lincoln’s Inn Archway since 1830, the shop has come across books published by the firm in the early 1820s.

Throughout the years Wildy has continued to publish law titles and work closely with experienced and valued authors, while maintaining the company’s high levels of service to the legal community. In 2002 the publishing imprint became known as Wildy, Simmonds & Hill.

Today, Wildy publishes legal titles for practitioners on a wide range of subjects from wills & probate and criminal law to legal skills and property law ■

ED CAPE’S DEFENDING SUSPECTS AT POLICE STATIONS

The practitioner’s guide

to advice and representation 9th edition

LEGAL ACTION GROUP

By Ed Cape, Matthew Hardcastle and Sandra Paul with Jawaid Luqmani

HIGHLY TOPICAL FOR THOSE DEFENDING AT POLICE

STATIONS

An appreciation by Elizabeth Robson Taylor MA of Richmond Green Chambers and Phillip Taylor MBE, Head of Chambers, Reviews Editor, “The Barrister”,

This work remains the definitive guide for those advising detainees at the police station. It’s an essential purchase for solicitors, duty solicitors, custody officers, criminal law students and for those preparing for police station accreditation. And it is written for, and dedicated to, all those lawyers, trainee lawyers, students, and others who are committed to fairness and justice in our criminal process.

The authors are Ed Cape, Matthew Hardcastle and Sandra Paul with Jawaid Luqmani. They offer us authoritative guidance which remains unrivalled. Comprehensive yet highly accessible and practical, “Defending Suspects”, first published in 1993, provides us with the answers to every day practical questions and problems. We think that the Legal Action Group (LAG) are to be commended for the continued publication of this new edition. For those new to LAG, it is a national, independent charity which campaigns for equal access to justice for all members of society.

LAG’s mission aims to strengthen the voice of the people and communities denied access to justice; to support frontline charities, lawyers and advisers to deliver access to justice; and to influence law and policy to improve access to justice and create a fair legal system for all. And they do just that.

The first few chapters of the book explain the basic principles of defending clients at the investigative stage and examine the key provisions of PACE and the Codes of Practice which are now over 40 years old. As the authors state: “much has changed during that time”, and we are lucky enough to have this book as a result!

Subsequent chapters tackle the various stages of advising a client including taking instructions, advising on ‘silence’, interview strategies, samples and searches, identification procedures and the charge decision. The book also includes dedicated chapters on advising and assisting vulnerable clients, on enforcement of the PACE and Code provisions, and on advising immigration detainees.

This ninth edition has been fully updated to include all key developments since the last edition in 2020, plus the latest codes, regulations and guidance issued by the Home Office, the College of Policing and the CPS and the latest case-law.

“Defending Suspects at Police Stations” is supported by bi-annual police station updates in the excellent “Legal Action” magazine. Cape and Hardcastle and Paul of Kingsley Napley bring years of experience between them. And Jawaid Luqmani of Luqmani, Thompson and Partners provide his expertise in immigration law for the chapter on immigration detainees.

The election of a new government two years ago, in 2024, has “had less of an impact on the investigative stage of the criminal process than some might have thought” write the authors. They go on to say that “the government has committed to increasing the number of police officers which will have an impact on the number of arrests and place greater strain on the criminal defence profession”. And at the time of writing, we await Sir David Gauke’s review on sentencing, so it is most important to keep up to date with changes as they take place. ■

ADOPTION LAW: A PRACTICAL GUIDE

WILDY, SIMMONDS AND HILL PUBLISHING

By Nasreen Pearce

AN UPDATED COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO CURRENT ADOPTION LAW FOR 2020s

An appreciation by Elizabeth Robson Taylor MA of Richmond Green Chambers and Phillip Taylor MBE, Head of Chambers, Reviews Editor, “The Barrister”, and Mediator

For law students and practitioners alike, there has been concern in recent years that some fundamental reform of the law of adoption is urgently needed. We welcome the new, second edition of “Adoption Law: A Practical Guide” by Nasreen Pearce from Wildy, Simmonds and Hill Publishing for 2025. The title arrives at an interesting time for the modern development of adoption as the strains on the system continue to show. Wildy have provided us again with another excellent book in their practical guide series of titles. We thank Nasreen Pearce for her wise counsel in offering a comprehensive guide to the law, practice, and procedure for lawyers, adoption agencies, support services and other professional bodies who are concerned with adoption for a wide readership. It can make all the difference to the advice we give clients.

For practitioners new to the work, the author covers each stage of the adoption process, including what are difficult issues of contact between the child and their birth parents. It includes the alternative options available by reference to the relevant case law and regulations in relation to domestic adoptions as well as adoptions involving overseas jurisdictions.

The title considers registration of adoption and the sensitive issue of disclosure of information which are explaining in straightforward terms to both knowledgeable readers and those new to this subject. Pearce explains the rights of those parties to challenge decisions made by the professional bodies involved in the process so do use the detailed index at the back for any specific areas you are interested in exploring further.

Nasreen Pearce in updating the second edition has included important developments in this principal area of family law for those wishing to adopt. The book looks at the impact of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms on all aspects of the law relating to adoption.

As we expect with all Wildy guides, recent case law has been included in areas such as the notification to fathers and the child’s birth families of any plans to place a child for adoption. We are grateful for the inclusion of the procedure relating to preparation before proceedings begin, and the procedure for applications in the Family Court and, where relevant, the High Court.

The book also includes case law citations in relation to placement orders. It covers leave to revoke a placement order and to oppose adoption and postplacement arrangements for contact. The text sets out new coverage of postplacement contact, and post-adoption contact details to update advisers. The commentary covers recent reports and research plus the important decision in R & C (Adoption or Fostering) [2024].

We also found the inclusion of two recent lectures by the President of the Family Division on the modern approach to adoption and open adoption to be of great additional assistance.

The second edition of this hardback book from Wildy was published in 2025. ■