Capping Costs in UK Judicial Review Proceedings – A Practical Guide
Judicial Review is a vital mechanism in the UK for holding public bodies accountable however bringing a claim can be expensive and financially risky. To reduce this barrier to justice, the courts have the power to grant a Judicial Review Costs Capping Order (JRCCO) which limits a party’s exposure to legal costs. This article explains what JRCCOs […]
Awaab’s Law Is Now in Force – Are Social Housing Providers Prepared for the New Legal Risks?
Awaab’s Law came into force on 27 October 2025. Is your organisation prepared? Two-year-old Awaab Ishak died in 2020 after prolonged exposure to mould in his social housing. Despite repeated reports, no action was taken for three years. Now, social housing landlords face strict statutory timeframes: 24 hours for emergency hazards, 14 days for investigations […]
Blue Monday Is a Myth – Employer Mental Health Duties Are Not
Blue Monday isn’t real. Your legal duty to protect employee mental health is. So apparently, today is ‘Blue Monday’, the most depressing day of the year. Except it’s not. It’s a marketing myth from 2005 with no scientific basis whatsoever. But here’s what we know is very real in corporate manslaughter and health and safety […]
AI in the Courts and the Transparency Gap in Criminal Justice
In October, the judiciary published updated guidance on the use of AI. A Tax Tribunal judge recently disclosed he’d used AI to draft a decision on a disclosure application. He wasn’t obliged to tell anyone – he chose to. The guidance doesn’t require disclosure. So, how many other decisions have been AI-assisted without anyone knowing? […]
Judge-Only Trials and the Jury Question – Are We Undermining Justice to Fix Backlogs?
There has been much discussion across media platforms over recent months about the proposals to fundamentally change how justice works in England and Wales and the basic fixable improvements that could be made. The government nevertheless appears hell-bent on moving 75% of Crown Court cases to judge-only trials. Only murder, rape, manslaughter and ‘public interest’ […]
Human Rights Due Diligence Is Coming – What UK Businesses Need to Know Now
Human Rights Day is a timely reminder that business and human rights aren’t parallel conversations anymore, they’re shaping the future of corporate strategy. At the Council of Europe’s first Business and Human Rights Forum (BRAVE 2025) in Strasbourg, leaders from law, policy, and industry came together to discuss how businesses can turn human rights principles […]
Compliance as Strategy – The Businesses That Treat Regulation as an Opportunity
In our role defending businesses against regulatory action, we notice one consistent pattern: the companies that thrive are those who view compliance as an opportunity, not an obligation. With an increasing move towards risk based compliance, having documented systems can mean the difference between constructive dialogue and criminal proceedings. Here are some essentials for UK […]
Non-Financial Misconduct and the FCA – Are Firms Ready for the 2026 Standards?
With the FCA’s updated Code of Conduct coming into effect soon, firms should be actively preparing for the changes that are coming in September 2026 which clarify that serious bullying, harassment and violence qualify as misconduct under the FCA’s Code of Conduct (COCON). Previously implied conduct will be explicitly recognised under the Code of Conduct […]
Leading the Way in Health and Safety Law – Reflections on Chambers Recognition
Being recognised in the latest Chambers Guide to the Legal Profession rankings for Health & Safety is particularly meaningful when clients and peers leave feedback such as “She is leading the way, and she is a good person to deal with.” This recognition reflects the work of the entire team at Harold & McCormack Law, […]
Resilience Before Crisis – Why Employee Wellbeing Matters in High-Stakes Work
It’s International Stress Awareness Week (3-7 November), and this year’s theme “Optimising Employee Wellbeing through Strategic Stress Management,” hits particularly close to home for those of us in high-pressure legal practices. What our years in the field have taught the team at Harold & McCormack Law: Having represented clients through complex investigations, health and safety […]