In our regular monthly update, we share the latest news from our firm.
We were ranked Band 1 for Group Litigation in Chambers and Partners UK 2023
In October 2022, our firm was ranked Band 1 for its Group Litigation expertise in the Chambers and Partners UK Guide 2023.
We filed for a Group Litigation Order against PFEW
In October, we applied for a Group Litigation Order against the Police Federation of England & Wales over a 2019 data breach and ransomware attack which targeted its headquarters.
We currently represent over 12,500 officers across all ranks and service areas of the Police Force in relation to the severe data breach and ransomware attack targeting the Police Federation of England & Wales (PFEW) headquarters in 2019.
News of this has been published in MLex, 25 October 2022, and can be found here.
We signed the Greener Litigation Pledge
We recognise that our functions and operations have an impact on the environment. In response, we seek not only to reduce the environmental footprint of our own activities, but also the wider impact of dispute resolution. To help advance this aim, we signed the Greener Litigation Pledge.
The Greener Litigation Pledge is a commitment to action by solicitors’ firms, barristers’ chambers, lawtech companies, and other dispute professionals. In signing the Greener Litigation Pledge, our firm committed to taking active steps to reduce, with a view to minimising, the environmental impact of our practice in England and Wales, and to the reduction of our emissions in line with the objective of restricting global warming to 1.5°C.
We celebrated Pro Bono Week
Pro Bono Week recognises and supports the voluntary contribution made by the UK’s legal profession. This year, our Pro Bono Committee raised awareness about the voluntary legal work being done by the people in our firm. This included:
Paralegal Nikoleta Fytrou, who participated as a pro bono volunteer in the Amicus Florida Project. The initiative focuses on equal access to justice for individuals facing the death penalty in the United States of America.
Senior associate Nathanial Barber, who has been involved in a number of pro bono matters during his career, including representing clients in cases before the First Tier Tribunal (Social Security and Child Support). These cases were for people who had been denied welfare benefits to assist them with their disability.
Paralegal Molly Rowe, who has become involved in pro bono work within a few different types of law. She first began pro bono work when she realised the full extent of medical negligence within the disabled community – a community that is much less likely to be able to afford legal advice when the need arises.
Kingsley Hayes discussed the government’s plans to publish a White Paper on regulating Artificial Intelligence
Partner and Head of Data and Privacy Litigation, Kingsley Hayes, discussed the Department for Work and Pensions, algorithms, and universal credit in relation to the UK government’s plan to publish a White Paper on regulating Artificial Intelligence. Kingsley’s article was published by the British Computer Society, and can be found here.
Mark Kenkre spoke at the TL4 Disputes Group Litigation and Class Actions conference
Mark Kenkre, Partner and Head of the Investment Mis-selling and Fraud team, spoke on the factors behind bringing a successful claim at the TL4 Disputes Group Litigation and Class Action conference in London.
Mark discussed how the utilisation of technology, After The Event insurance, funding, and the role of a lead lawyer all play an integral role in the success of a group action claim. More information about the conference can be found here.
Eleanor Leedham was nominated for the Rising Star category at the inaugural Women and Diversity in Law Awards 2022
In October, we were delighted that Legal Director, Eleanor Leedham was nominated for the Rising Star category at the inaugural Women and Diversity in Law Awards 2022. The awards, hosted by The Global Legal Post, celebrate equity and inclusion in the legal profession, and recognise outstanding individuals and teams making the UK legal profession more diverse.
Eleanor Leedham commented on the Molly Russell inquest in the Daily Mail
Commenting on the Molly Russell inquest, Eleanor Leedham, explored whether a group action can be built against social media companies for failing to prevent users from viewing harmful content. Eleanor’s comments were published in the Daily Mail print edition, 1 October 2022.
We look forward to bringing you more news next month.
