1EC Barristers Newsletter May 2026

Welcome to the 1EC Barristers Newsletter, May 2026 Edition.

New Member

Please join us in welcoming Leslie Allen as our newest member.

Leslie joins us as a Door Tenant and is a senior tax litigation specialist with over 40 years of experience representing clients in complex tax disputes in the UK and European Union. He joins our growing Tax Team.

You can read more about Leslie’s profile here.

Podcast Episode

Lisa Hatch appeared on the Get Legally Speaking podcast to discuss the topic of ‘Holiday Entitlement – what you need to know before you lose it!’

With over 180,000 downloads per month, this is a popular podcast and well worth the listen here.

Ecological Debt and Colonial Accountability

Diego Soto-Miranda writes on the intersection of sovereign debt, infrastructure and climate justice, with the article to be published in the Business Law Review here.

Seminar

Stenio de Araujo and Michael Cameron-Mowat delivered another seminar on the Renters’ Rights Act this time to Aston Bond Law Firm.

The Act brings about one of the most significant reforms to residential landlord and tenant law in decades. With the end of the “no-fault” possession route, the shift from the familiar section 21 framework to a fully grounds-based system will require landlords, agents and practitioners to rethink strategy, procedure and risk from the outset of a tenancy.

Our thanks to James Dyche and the team for hosting such an engaged and thoughtful discussion on a reform that will reshape the possession landscape.

Not one for rest, Stenio also hotfooted it over to a conference at Citigroup Centre in Canary Wharf on UK–Latin American finance, looking at the intersection between AI-driven investment tools, crypto and digital assets, the duality between traditional banking and the fast-evolving fintech landscape, and the regulatory pressures shaping all of this in different jurisdictions.

Becoming a barrister

Kolarele Sonaike spoke on a panel to address students at the ‘Becoming a Barrister’ event organised by The Junior Legal Fellowship Programme, held at the offices of Mishcon de Reya LLP.

These were the questions:

1. What motivated you to become a barrister?

2. What made you decide on your Inn?

3. Barristers are often portrayed as very serious people. What do you like to do for fun outside of law?

4. Were there any myths about being a barrister that turned out to be completely different in real life?

5. If you could give one piece of advice to our students thinking about law, what would it be?

6. If a film or TV show were made about your life as a barrister, who would you want to play you?

What would your answers be?

Private Client Dining Club

Last week, Emma Kiver caught up with international private client professionals at a dinner on the Isle of Man, hosted by the PCD Club. As a former resident and now regular visitor, Emma is well-placed to assist Manx-based companies and law firms with matters that involve an English law aspect.

Spring Drinks

Is it spring or is it summer? Either way, it’s always a good time for some drinks at the Pegasus bar in Inner Temple with a few friends and clients.

And finally…

AI and tech billionaires may be taking over the world, but the courtroom still belongs to us…at least for now.

In the $150 billion lawsuit between Elon Musk and OpenAI, the creators of ChatGPT, over the status of the company, Musk was getting a little too fresh for the liking of US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez-Rogers, the no-nonsense judge hailing from South Texas.

As Musk increasingly sought to play the part of his own legal counsel, accusing OpenAI’s lawyer of asking leading questions, (Yes, Elon, that’s how cross-examination works, I’m afraid). Judge Gonzalez-Rogers interjected with a swift shut-down:

Judge Gonzalez-Rogers: ‘Let’s remind everyone in the courtroom that you are not a lawyer!’

Musk: ‘Well, technically, I did take law 101 in school’

(stern look from the Judge)

Musk (sheepishly): ‘Yes, I am not a lawyer’

Lawyers (and Judges) of the world, unite!

Until next time…

1EC Barristers