New offences of detaining a child abroad without consent and three pornography offences took effect in England and Wales on Friday. On Thursday the government said it accepts all ten recommendations of the Legal Services Board review, and the First-tier Tribunal ordered five respondents led by Urban Splash to pay £46,500,650 towards remediation of seven Manchester buildings.
Courts
Urban Splash group faces remediation orders. In a decision handed down on Thursday, the tribunal made remediation contribution orders against Urban Splash Limited, three group companies and a fifth respondent, R11 [7]. No orders were made against four other respondents [9]. Full report.
Court of Appeal refuses Blasket substitution in Spain award case. The court dismissed Blasket Renewable Investments’ appeal on 2 November, upholding a ruling that there was no relevant right of assignment of a €29.3m ICSID award against Spain. Lord Justice Foxton gave the leading judgment, [2026] EWCA Civ 1392. Full report.
Judiciary issues domestic abuse listing guidance. The judiciary said on Monday that Best Listing Practice guidance applies to cases within a new expedited listing Scheme charged on or after 4 January 2027 in the magistrates’ courts and Crown Court. Full report.
Regulation and the profession
LSB accepts every recommendation directed at it. The board said on Thursday that its oversight of the eight frontline regulators will be tied to risk, with fewer routine reporting requirements for those performing well. Chair Monisha Shah said the board “will prioritise our work more sharply on stronger oversight to protect consumers”. Full report.
Legal Ombudsman forecasts 17,675 new complaints. The Office for Legal Complaints said on 3 November that LeO expects that intake in 2026-27, against 14,259 received in 2025/26, a 37% rise on 10,447. Full report.
CMA sets out Google search requirements. The CMA said on 5 November that Google is designated in general search and search advertising, with three conduct requirements imposed on publishers, fair ranking and data portability. A fourth, on user choice, went out for consultation on 23 September. The CMA found Google accounts for more than 90% of UK general search queries. Full report.
Google’s mobile platform designation runs to 2030. The CMA said on Thursday that Google holds strategic market status in its mobile platform until 22 October 2030. Designation, confirmed on 22 October 2025, is not a finding of wrongdoing. Full report.
CMA removes 23 market remedies. The CMA said on Wednesday it removed 23, removed two in part and retained six of the 33 remedies reviewed. Decisions on the retail banking and private motor insurance orders are due later this month. Full report.
Government and Parliament
Government accepts all ten LSB review recommendations. The Ministry of Justice said on Thursday it will carry out a comprehensive review of legal services regulation in England and Wales. It accepted the substance of Recommendation 1B, which sought a new framework by 2029, but said it cannot fully commit to that timeline. Sarah Sackman KC wrote: “The government accepts all the review’s recommendations and supports a reset in how the regulatory system operates.” Full report.
Child detention and pornography offences in force. Section 137 of the Crime and Policing Act 2026 inserts subsection (1A) into section 1 of the Child Abduction Act 1984, closing the gap left by R (Nicolaou) v Redbridge Magistrates’ Court [2012] EWHC 1647 (Admin). The pornography offences, in sections 104, 106 and 107, carry up to five years for publication. Full report.
Births and deaths register provisions start on 9 November. SI 2026/1167, made on 4 November, brings sections 61 to 65 of the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 into force. Full report.
Visitor Levy Bill introduced. The Visitor Levy (England) Bill, introduced in the Commons on Tuesday, would let strategic authorities charge a percentage-based levy on stays, with providers liable to account. Full report.
Designs reform confirmed. The government announced on 4 November new IPO powers to examine registered designs, access to the IPEC Small Claims Track, where compensation is capped at £10,000, and a 30-month deferment period. It ruled out criminal offences for unregistered design infringement. Full report.
Spatial development strategy duty commenced. Section 58 of the Planning and Infrastructure Act 2025 comes into force on 26 November under SI 2026/1157, made on Tuesday. Full report.
Appointments
Carter-Ruck hires Tomas Vail. The firm said on Thursday that Vail, an arbitration specialist who ran Vail Dispute Resolution, joins its International team as partner. Full report.
Clifford Chance hires CMA mergers director. The firm said on Tuesday that Kasia Bojarojć, a Director of Mergers at the CMA, joins its London antitrust practice as counsel. Full report.
Dapo Akande elected to the ICJ. Akande was elected on Tuesday for a nine-year term covering 2027 to 2036, the FCDO said. The UK has not had a judge on the court for almost a decade. Full report.
Mr Justice Green joins the Civil Procedure Rule Committee. The Master of the Rolls appointed the Chancery Division judge as a High Court judge member for three years from 1 November. Full report.
Proskauer promotes five in London. The five corporate lawyers are among 21 new partners firmwide, effective from 1 November. Full report.
International
Lockheed Martin settles discrimination claims. The US Justice Department said on 3 November that Lockheed will pay about $29.5m: $22m under the False Claims Act and about $7.5m to more than 1,000 employees under an EEOC agreement. The settlement is not an admission of liability. Full report.
DEA issues first medical marijuana registrations. The Department of Justice said that registrations went to more than 900 state-licensed dispensaries in seven states, the first phase of the Attorney General’s Schedule III order. Full report.
Ninth Circuit rules on California mail ballots. California’s attorney general Rob Bonta said the court ruled for the state on 30 October against the federal bid to segregate ballots from about 20,000 people it calls likely noncitizens. Full report.