Legal departments in local authorities are taking back in house the work they were once told to outsource and are even offering services to new 'clients', but will the new generation of lawyers have the requisite skills, ask Suzanne Bond and John Emms
A more restrictive definition of 'hunting' has helped to clarify some of the more ambiguous provisions of the Hunting Act but cases yet to be decided will bring further changes, say Kris Lines and Pippa Wilding
On the face of it the Yearworth case has merely resolved a narrow point on the ownership of sperm but it also re-opens a range of ethical and legal questions on the status of live body parts, says James Lawford Davies
Forensic evidence that can be called upon in establishing whether a crash victim has failed to wear a seat belt is vital in awarding damages, but gathering the evidence is a complex process, says Steve Parkin
Expert financial analysis is crucial to the assessment of personal injury damages, particularly where issues of capacity are concerned, says Stephen Ashcroft
In child care cases, it is important to seek independent experts with well-recognised specialisms and ensure they are instructed early on in proceedings, says Kay Marriott