Cost of justice debate

Lord Justice Jackson’s proposals for cutting the cost of dispute resolution will be the subject of a debate hosted by the Law Society on 30 June. The panel, chaired by Joshua Rozenberg, includes Robert Heslett, president of the Law Society, Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury, master of the rolls (pictured), Lord Whitty, chair of Consumer Focus and Nick Starling, director general of health and general insurance at the Association of British insurers. For more information see lawsociety.org.uk/events

Welsh legislation first
Wales is set to become the first part of the UK to embed the rights of children and young people into legislation. The proposed Rights of Children and Young Persons (Wales) Measure, laid last week, puts a duty on the assembly to have regard to the obligations in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child when taking strategic decisions.

City merger talks
City firm Simmons & Simmons and US firm Mayer Brown have resumed merger talks, according to reports. A
tie-up, which would create a firm with combined revenues above £1bn, would mark the third major transatlantic merger of
the year.

CPS contract deal ‘soon’
Talks between the Crown Prosecution Service and Bar Council on contracting arrangements are reaching a conclusion, according to Keir Starmer QC, the director of public prosecutions. He told a bar council event that the CPS faces ‘severe’ budget cuts and a recruitment freeze.