Stowe Family Law acquired by global investment company, Law Society Gazette volume focuses on the use of the inherent jurisdiction
Lauren Coupar-Evans
Barrister Membership Officer / Head of Family at The Barrister Group
FAMILY LAW
Stowe Family Law acquired by global investment company
Yorkshire Post ?
Leeds-based Stowe Family Law has been acquired by global investment firm Investcorp for an undisclosed sum. Founded by Marilyn Stowe in 1982, the firm claims to be the largest specialist family law firm in the UK, with a reported annual turnover exceeding ￡37m. Stowe operates from 90 locations and serves around 5,000 clients annually. Ken Fowlie, executive chairman at Stowe, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, saying: “We are delighted to begin this next chapter in the Stowe story.” Investcorp aims to support Stowe's growth strategy, focusing on the Stowe 3.0 plan, which targets serving over 10,000 clients by 2029. Gilbert Kamieniecky, head of private equity at Investcorp, highlighted the company's commitment to building a resilient business powered by technology.
New volume focuses on the use of the inherent jurisdiction
The Law Society Gazette reviews?A Practical Guide to Exercising the Inherent Jurisdiction in Family Proceedings?by Mani Singh Basi,?a family law barrister at 4 Paper Buildings. The book focuses on the use of the inherent jurisdiction, which it says is a powerful tool to ensure that children subject to proceedings in the High Court are properly protected, and which can be achieved in various ways.
COMMERCIAL LAW
Legal showdown over ￡7.8bn payout
City AM ?
A court case has commenced in London involving major insurers and aircraft lessors, which could potentially result in a ￡7.8bn payout. The dispute centres on aircraft stranded in Russia due to sanctions following the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. After terminating leasing agreements, lessors expected the return of their planes, but most remain with Russian airlines. Insurers have denied liability, prompting litigation in the English Commercial Court. Aercap, a leading US-Irish aviation leasing firm, is spearheading the claim, supported by other companies including Dubai Aerospace Enterprise and Merx Aviation. Mark Howard KC, representing Aercap, said that they have a clear claim under the All Risk policy, but will pursue the War Risk policy if necessary.
Cineworld faces legal battle over rent cuts
Daily Telegraph ? London Evening Standard ? The Independent UK ?
Cineworld is embroiled in a legal dispute with the Crown Estate over its recent decision to implement significant rental cuts as part of its survival strategy. The Crown Estate, which manages properties including three Cineworld cinemas, has filed a legal challenge against the cinema chain's restructuring plan, claiming it violates previous lease agreements. Lawyers for the Crown Estate said: “What [Cineworld] said they planned not to do, they are now doing,” emphasising the breach of trust. Cineworld, which filed for bankruptcy protection in the US in 2022, argues that the UK division is currently unprofitable and requires restructuring to secure additional funding from its US owner.
PROPERTY LAW
New group seeks to counter perceived multiple threats to all property lawyers
The Property Lawyers Alliance (PLA) is a new group which was formed last year to counter what it perceives to be multiple threats to all property lawyers.?The PLA is an evolution of the Property Lawyers Action Group (PLAG) and aims to be a wider, more inclusive group of property lawyers, that it says will support, inform, and protect the integrity of all property lawyers operating as part of the wider legal profession.
Recent case reopens the debate on adverse possession
Writing for The Law Society Gazette, Tony Reeves considers how the recent case of?Brown v Ridley?has reopened the debate on adverse possession as an active legal mechanism. The case highlighted how a title owner still needs to be aware that adverse possession can rob someone of their land, Reeves writes.
EMPLOYMENT LAW
Harrods faces pressure over NDAs
The Observer ?
Lawyers representing women allegedly assaulted by Mohamed Al Fayed are demanding that Harrods disclose the number of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) signed during his ownership. Fayed allegedly used NDAs to silence victims of his sexual abuse, and while Harrods claims it will not enforce these agreements, the total number remains undisclosed. Dino Nocivelli, a partner at Leigh Day, said: "It's important that we know the true scale of this," emphasising the need for transparency regarding the extent of Fayed's abuses. The Metropolitan Police are currently investigating new allegations against Fayed, who died last year, while campaigners are calling for a ban on NDAs in employment disputes. The Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 aims to protect victims' rights regarding NDAs, but its provisions have yet to be implemented.
Prison officers fight for strike rights
The Prison Officers' Association (POA) is challenging the government's ban on strike action for prison officers, seeking to repeal the 1994 law that removed their rights. Mark Fairhurst, the POA's general secretary, said Labour’s manifesto pledged to repeal anti-trade union legislation, but the party has failed to address this issue in their plans for workers' rights. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has accepted the POA's appeal and urged the government to negotiate a compromise before the case is heard. Despite a recent 5% pay increase, the POA argues that this does little to alleviate the ongoing recruitment and retention crisis in the prison service. The Ministry of Justice has confirmed there are “no plans to review this legislation,” leaving the POA to consider further action if necessary.
INDUSTRY
Legal chambers hit by ￡2.75m fraud
London Evening Standard ? The Times ?
Pump Court Chambers has reported a significant fraud involving former credit control manager Gillian Goodfield, who allegedly embezzled ￡2.75m over five years. The High Court, presided over by Deputy Judge Charles Morrison, ruled that the details of the case should be made public, saying: “Former members of the chambers . . . might want to know of the problem at the earliest opportunity.” Goodfield, who represented herself in court, admitted to her wrongdoing, expressing regret for her actions. In a statement, the chambers said the "fraud took place some time ago and did not impact upon the operational running of chambers." It added that having discovered the theft, the?lawyers?"took immediate and decisive recovery action" and were "pursuing all legal avenues vigorously."
LAW
Debate over class action funding
The largest class action in British legal history, focussed on a dam disaster in Brazil, is set to commence this month, and will draw attention to the contentious issue of litigation funding. Seema Kennedy, the executive director of Fair Civil Justice campaign group, says: "When people go to court, they deserve to keep more of the pound in their pocket, rather than lose the lion's share to?lawyers?and unaccountable litigation funders." The ￡36bn claim against BHP, following the 2015 Fund?o dam collapse, has raised questions about the fairness of funding arrangements, particularly after Pogust Goodhead's CEO, Tom Goodhead, indicated ambitions for his firm to become the first ￡1bn legal company. Critics argue that excessive fees for lawyers and funders undermine justice, while supporters claim that litigation funding enables access for those unable to afford legal action. A review by the Civil Justice Council is anticipated next year, potentially leading to formal regulation of the sector.
Court interpreters protest over pay and conditions
BBC News ? Law Gazette ?
Court interpreters and translators have withdrawn services at a court in a protest over freelance working conditions, with one claiming her peers live "pretty much on the poverty line." Interpreters outside Chelmsford Crown Court said the introduction of a booking app by contractor thebigword (TBW) has led to problems with invoicing and payments. The services - which help witnesses and defendants understand court procedures and language - were outsourced by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) in 2012. A spokesperson for His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service said it was aware of walkouts "at a small number of criminal courts" but measures were in place to minimise disruption.
LEGAL TECH
Bloomberg Law launches AI-powered dockets enhancement tool
LawFuel ?
Bloomberg Law has launched an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered feature that provides complaint summaries directly on docket sheets, significantly enhancing legal research efficiency. This innovation allows users, including litigators and corporate counsel, to quickly assess case relevance without reading entire documents. Todd Barton, vice president of product at Bloomberg Law, said: “The ability to access complaint summaries directly on the docket sheet not only streamlines the research process, but also significantly enhances our users' ability to make quick, informed decisions about the relevance of cases.”?
FIRMS
Leigh Day is 'the bête noire of corporate Britain'
In an interview with the Sunday Times'?Laith Al-Khalaf, Artan Day, co-founder of Leigh Day, reflects on his career. Leigh Day has a history of high-profile cases, with Mr?Al-Khalaf saying the firm "has become the bête noire of corporate Britain," having take on huge companies including Volkswagen, Shell and British Airways. Mr Day says he remains committed to fighting for justice, stating: "We feel pretty bullish that we're likely to win" in ongoing equal pay disputes.?It is noted that the firm is currently representing women alleging sexual abuse by Harrods' former owner, Mohamed Al Fayed
Davis Polk expands UK headquarters
City AM ?
Davis Polk has secured over half of the office space at the Whittington Building in London's Square Mile, marking a significant expansion of its UK headquarters. The five-storey mixed-use development features Category A offices and prioritises environmental efficiency. Chair of Davis Polk, Neil Barr, said: “We are excited to grow our London practice in a space that reflects our commitment to excellence”.?
CASES
Shamed human rights lawyer faces jail for fraud
The Daily Telegraph ? Daily Mail ? The Times ?
Phil Shiner, a former human rights lawyer, is facing imprisonment after admitting to three counts of fraud at Southwark Crown Court. Shiner, who previously received the title of "solicitor of the year" in 2007, fraudulently obtained ￡3m in taxpayer funds to support false claims against British soldiers regarding the torture and murder of Iraqi prisoners after the 2003 invasion. The National Crime Agency (NCA) revealed that Shiner's firm, Public Interest Lawyers, failed to disclose crucial information during legal aid applications, including paying referral fees and using cold-calling tactics to attract clients. Andy Kelly, head of the NCA's international corruption unit, stated that Shiner's actions caused "untold pressure and anxiety on members of the British armed forces." Shiner is scheduled for sentencing on December 2.
Council of Europe declares Julian Assange a political prisoner
Middle East Monitor ? The Guardian ?
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has criticised the UK?for failing to protect Julian Assange’s freedom of expression and right to liberty and urged the US to reform its espionage laws, under which he faces the prospect of life imprisonment. A motion designating Assange a political prisoner was passed following Assange’s address to PACE’s Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights during which he stated: “I am not free today because the system worked. I am free today after years of incarceration because I pled guilty to journalism.” In a dissenting opinion, the British conservative peer Richard Keen argued it was “regrettable” to describe Assange as a political prisoner in Belmarsh because, he wrote, the WikiLeaks founder had been detained lawfully having violated earlier bail conditions and was considered a flight risk.
Crypto ATM operator pleads guilty
City AM ?
The first individual charged for illegally operating a crypto ATM network in the UK has pleaded guilty to five offences at Westminster Magistrates' Court. Olumide Osunkoya ran at least 11 unregistered crypto ATMs, processing over ￡2.6m in transactions, despite being denied registration by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in 2021. Osunkoya was also charged with creating false documents and possessing criminal property, including ￡19,540 in cash suspected to be from his operations. Therese Chambers, the FCA's joint executive director of enforcement and market oversight, said: “If you're illegally operating a crypto ATM, we will stop you.” Sentencing will occur at Southwark Crown Court at a later date.