Rachel Reeves’ sister takes top legal role in Burnham’s Cabinet overhaul Politics Prime Minister Andy Burnham has picked Ellie Reeves, the sister of former Chancellor Rachel, to serve as the chief legal adviser to the government. Lord Richard Hermer KC, a close ally of Keir Starmer who played a pivotal role in shaping the legal and international stance of Starmer’s government, was dismissed as attorney general and [...]
Uber slams £340m London cabbie case as ‘completely unfounded’ Tech Uber slammed a court case brought against it by thousands of black cab drivers as “completely unfounded” on Monday as the £340m lawsuit headed to trial. The preliminary hearing, which took place at the High Court, marks the first major test in one of the UK’s biggest competition and damages claims, brought by the 13,000 [...]
From bathroom to courtroom: Lush chief’s squabble set to fizz in £6m trial Legal The former chief executive of cosmetics giant Lush is set to face off against the current chief executive in a 19-day trial that spans more than 30 years of the company’s history and may cost over £6m in legal fees. The dispute stems from former chief executive Andrew Gerrie’s 2014 exit from the company, after [...]
Ex-Lush chief’s lawyers hike costs to ensure their AI model isn’t trained by juniors June 16, 2026 Lawyers for the former chief executive of cosmetics giant Lush, Andrew Gerrie, have hiked their fees ahead of a trial this month, partly as they will not allow junior staff to train their AI model, City AM can reveal. A court heard this morning that Gerrie’s legal team from Brown Rudnick have pushed up a [...]
Activist investor pushing for M&C Saatchi break-up builds stake June 16, 2026 A notorious activist investment firm has added to its stake in M&C Saatchi in a move that brings it a step closer to orchestrating a break-up of one of Britain’s best-known advertising companies. Harwood Capital now owns more than eight per cent of the eponymous agency founded by advertising tycoons Maurice and Charles in 1995, [...]
Workplace NDA ban may lead to more tribunals May 28, 2026 A government proposal to ban the use of non-disclosure agreements in cases of workplace harassment or discrimination may make it harder for disputes to be settled outside of tribunals. The proposal, ‘Make Work Pay’, which is open for consultation until 8 July and part of the recent overhaul of the Employment Rights Act, would ban [...]
More Than Half of UK Businesses Say Hiring Has Become Harder as Employment Costs Rise by Almost 10% in a Year May 28, 2026 Employment Hero, the AI-powered employment platform, has published new data revealing that more than half of UK businesses believe employing staff has become more complex in the past 12 months, as rising costs and fears around new employment law requirements put fresh pressure on employers. The findings follow earlier research conducted by Employment Hero ahead [...]
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 [...]