Pinsent Masons is not the only City law firm walking a dangerous AI tightrope May 28, 2026 A junior lawyer at Pinsent Masons used AI to draft misleading emails for a High Court case, highlighting how generational attitudes and lack of training risk new mistakes as law firms rush to adopt new technology, writes Maria Ward-Brennan. It has been a slow burner, but we finally have the first notable UK law firm [...]
David Lammy rejects higher pay rise for judges amid recruitment crisis May 26, 2026 David Lammy turned down an independent recommendation for a higher judicial pay increase, instead approving a 3.5 per cent rise amid government efforts to tackle recruitment challenges for senior judges. The Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB) report, published last week, recommended a 3.8 per cent pay increase across the judiciary, estimated to cost taxpayers around [...]
Businesses brace for more layoffs as redundancy warnings climb to post-Pandemic high May 22, 2026 Last year emerged as the most severe year for redundancy warnings since the height of the Covid pandemic, and early 2026 is already accelerating that trend. According to new data from the Liquidation Centre, sourced via an FOI, 2025 was the most severe year for redundancy warnings since 2020, with 315,605 jobs flagged for potential [...]
Employment Rights Act will turbocharge creative interview techniques May 22, 2026 Driven by the upcoming Employment Rights Act, which grants unfair dismissal rights to new starters after July 1, 2026, businesses are expected to increase the use of creative vetting methods – like Duolingo’s “taxi driver test” – but this exposes them to legal risks of inadvertently causing discrimination or generating a costly perception of unfairness [...]
Rising hiring costs push British businesses to the brink May 21, 2026 UK businesses are on the brink due to the government’s highly contentious employment rights agenda and cost hikes, following the first provisions of the Employment Rights Act, which came into force in April. According to new research from Employment Hero, an AI-powered employment platform, more than half of UK businesses feel employing staff has “become more [...]
Three reasons AI will not replace the mortgage broker April 29, 2026 Mortgage advice has never been a simple numbers game, and it is becoming even less so. Technology is speeding up sourcing, suitability checks and paperwork. Clients are also more digitally confident than ever, and lenders are ever more competitive. But for anyone advising complex borrowers, especially in the high-net-worth space, the idea that AI will [...]
Firms barred from speaking to lawyers before ‘workers’ rights police’ raid April 9, 2026 Bosses will be barred from seeking legal advice if the government’s new workers’ rights police choose to raid their company’s property unannounced, under new powers handed to it as part of Labour’s flagship employment rights overhaul. Fresh documents outlining the role of the Fair Work Agency reveal business will not be able to delay the [...]
Look East to understand how AI is shaping the future April 2, 2026 While the West is still debating an AI bubble, China and Singapore are developing strategies to adapt to the forthcoming civilisational change, says Lewis Liu Over the past few months, I’ve spoken with hundreds of asset managers, pension funds, central banks, and sovereign treasuries about AI, collectively managing over $100tn in assets. The same three [...]
Vodafone set for £85m court showdown with ex-franchisees March 26, 2026 An £85m court battle between Vodafone and its former franchisees will kick off on Thursday over claims the telecoms giant imposed cuts on franchises which left managers facing closures and bankruptcy. The 62 ex-franchisees pursuing a civil action against Vodafone – recently renamed VodafoneThree – will launch their case at the High Court for the [...]
Crispin Odey tells court sacked receptionist was ‘dismissed for being a flirt’ March 24, 2026 Hedge fund tycoon Crispin Odey took the stand at the High Court in his case against the City watchdog, as he faced questions over his alleged behaviour toward young female employees at his eponymous hedge fund. Odey said he had a “very flirtatious relationship” with one of the women who alleged sexual harassment against him, [...]