Mazur Appeal: A Defining Moment for Litigation Rights
The much-watched case of Mazur v Charles Russell Speechlys is now before the Court of Appeal and the stakes could not be higher.
At its core lies a fundamental question: Can legal executives and senior paralegals conduct litigation simply because they are employed within an authorised firm?
Last September, Mr Justice Sheldon held that they may not. His reasoning turned on the statutory framework for reserved legal activities. He concluded that the right to conduct litigation attaches to authorised individuals, not to firms in the abstract. Employment within an authorised practice does not, by itself, confer the right to carry out a reserved activity on someone who is not independently authorised.
The judgment emphasised regulatory clarity and individual accountability. If litigation is reserved, the person conducting it must personally hold the relevant authorisation. Non‑authorised team members can support the process, but the formal conduct of litigation must remain with an authorised individual.
For firms, the implications are considerable. Many operate leveraged models where legal executives and senior paralegals perform substantial litigation work under supervision. If the judgment stands, firms may need to restructure supervision frameworks, reallocate responsibilities, and increase authorised headcount.
We will continue to monitor developments closely and provide further updates as the appeal progresses.
What permission do I need to visit the UK?
Back in the day, the United Kingdom had a manual visa-free entry method for non-visa nationals, who simply had to physically appear at the UK Border and were allowed entry as a visitor for a period of up to 6 months. This changed in May 2023, when the UK Government introduced the Electronic Travel Authorisation (commonly known as ETA) to strengthen border security and digitise immigration.
The ETA is a digital permission to travel to the United Kingdom. It was first launched on the 25th of October 2023 for Qatari nationals, acting as the initial phase of a wider rollout and the first step toward the UK’s transition to the digital immigration system.
On the 1st of February 2024, the ETA was extended to other Gulf Cooperation Council States, namely, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. On the 27th of November 2024, the ETA was opened for other non-European nationalities, including the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
The UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme was opened to additional nationalities in March last year. Although European nationals were expected to begin applying from April 2025, the ETA did not become mandatory at that stage.
Mandatory enforcement will instead begin on 25 February 2026, at which point all eligible non-visa nationals travelling to the United Kingdom, including European nationals, must hold a valid ETA prior to travel.
An up-to-date list of eligible nationalities is available on the UK Government website: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-when-you-can-get-an-electronic-travel-authorisation-eta
At the time of writing, the ETA costs £16. The application process implies the submission of an application form, which can be done via the UK ETA app (available on Google Play and the App Store) or online. The process time varies from 1 to 3 working days, with further delays possible. More information about how to apply can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/eta/apply.
The ETA is valid for 2 years or until the passport, which was used during the application process, expires, whichever is sooner.
The carriers can deny boarding to anyone who requires an ETA but does not have one.
What if I am a visa national?
For visa nationals, the process of acquiring the right to enter the UK as a visitor involves a submission of a visa application and attendance at a designated Visa Application Centre, often in a country of residence, to submit biometric data.
As part of the UK’s wider transition to a fully digital border, physical entry clearance vignettes are being phased out in favour of eVisas, which are digitally linked to a traveller’s passport. While the exact date on which all visa nationals will move entirely to eVisas has not been formally confirmed, it is clear that from 25 February 2026, all travellers to the UK will be required to hold either a valid ETA or an eVisa linked digitally to their passport.
Essentially, an eVisa is a digital record of UK immigration status containing conditions of stay. Upon a successful visitor visa application, the applicant will be given instructions on how to create a UKVI account and how to demonstrate a valid permission to enter the UK to the carriers and at the UK border.
British dual nationals
This cohort of travellers does not require an ETA or eVisa. They can travel on a valid British passport or a passport endorsed with a Certificate of Entitlement (CoE). On the 26th of February 2026, the CoE vignettes will be replaced by a digital CoE and will not require renewal when a passport expires. Instead, the CoE holders will be able to update passport details via their UKVI account for free.
Other travellers
Certain individuals do not require an ETA or eVisa because they are exempt from the UK Immigration control. From the 25th of February 2026, this group of travellers will receive a Digital Record of Exemption, which will replace a physical exempt vignette in a passport.
The holders of Home Office Travel Documents, such as Commonwealth citizens and foreign nationals (often refugees), as of the 26th of February 2026, will be able to automatically link their status to the UKVI account.
Do I need a lawyer to assist with ETA and eVisa?
When applying to visit the UK, visa nationals (eVisa applicants) and non-visa nationals (ETA applicants) must meet the relevant Immigration requirements, which, at the time of writing, are set out in Appendix V: Visitor of the Immigration Rules.
For most applicants, the visa application process is usually straightforward and does not require legal assistance. However, applicants with a past or present criminal records, offences, and visa refusals, or activists should seek legal advice on eligibility under the Immigration Rules, to avoid disappointment of receiving a refusal.
At Chan Neill Solicitors LLP, we have decades of experience in assisting a wide range of travellers to the United Kingdom. Do not hesitate to contact our Immigration Team for advice and assistance.
This article is provided for general information only. It is not intended to be and cannot be relied upon as legal advice or otherwise. If you would like to discuss any of the matters covered in this article, please contact us using the contact form or email us on reception@cnsolicitors.com
Ground Rent Reform
What the £250 Cap Means for Leaseholders and Investors
Last year, the Government signalled its intention to reform the leasehold system as part of its wider housing and cost-of-living agenda. In January 2026, that intention took a concrete step forward.
On 27 January 2026, the Government published the draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill (the Bill) for pre-legislative scrutiny, describing it as a key measure in its manifesto commitment to bring the “feudal leasehold system to an end” in England and Wales.
A central feature of the Bill is the reform of ground rent payable under existing long residential leases.
What is changing: the £250 ground rent cap
Under the proposals:
- Ground rents on existing long residential leases will be capped at £250 per annum
- The cap will apply for a 40-year transitional period
- After 40 years, ground rent will be reduced to a peppercorn (effectively £0)
This reform extends the protections introduced by the Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act 2022, which abolished ground rents for most new residential leases, to leases granted before 2022.
The stated policy objective is to end leaseholders paying “over-the-top bills for no clear service in return”, while addressing the saleability and mortgage ability issues associated with escalating or uncapped ground rent clauses.
The Government estimates that some leaseholders could save more thousands over the life of their lease, and that the reform will help unlock stalled property sales where ground rent terms have made homes difficult to sell or refinance.
Why the ground rent cap is significant
Ground rent has long been a routine feature of residential leases, often payable without any corresponding service and, in some cases, subject to escalating clauses that significantly increase costs over time.
By introducing a statutory cap and a long-term transition to a peppercorn rent, the proposed reform marks a clear shift in how ground rent is treated within the leasehold system. It is intended to reduce financial pressure on leaseholders while addressing wider market issues, including saleability and mortgage lender concerns, by improving certainty and confidence in the residential property market.
Ground rent reform is also intended to address market dysfunction, particularly:
- Flats rendered unsellable due to onerous ground rent clauses
- Mortgage lender reluctance to lend on leases with escalating rents
- Leaseholders trapped in properties with diminishing marketability
How we can help
Chan Neill Solicitors LLP has an experienced residential conveyancing team advising on both leasehold and freehold transactions. We regularly assist clients in navigating regulatory change and its practical impact on property transactions and investment decisions.
What’s next?
In our next article, we will look beyond ground rent and explore other proposed reforms under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, examining how they may affect landlords, tenants, and the residential property market more broadly.
Litigation Essay Competition 2026
Here at Chan Neill Solicitors, we are committed to delivering high-quality legal expertise, providing client-focused services tailored to businesses and individuals alike. We pride ourselves on providing strategic guidance and well-considered advice whilst protecting our clients’ interests. Our team of skilled legal professionals strive to become their clients’ trusted advisors in all aspects of their clients lives and businesses, working to help clients navigate complex legal challenges, fostering trust and long-term relationships.
We are, therefore, pleased to announce our inaugural Litigation Essay Competition! We are looking to foster debate, critical thinking, and practical writing abilities in law students and legal professionals at the very start of their career. Entries will be judged on the quality of their legal research, understanding of statute and case-law, and their ability to set out and defend it.
Please select from one of the following questions:
- Part 36 offers of settlement serve the purpose of ensuring parties to litigation seriously consider settlement. However, to what extent can Part 36 settlement offers be strategically misused and/or abused, and how?
- The use of AI has become increasingly common in everyday life. To what extent should litigants make use of AI, and what are the potential pitfalls of doing so?
- The “Mazur decision” has sent shockwaves throughout the litigation market. What areas within the litigation sphere have been most impacted, and what steps should be taken to ensure compliance?
- “Ignorance is not a defence”. To what extent does this fundamental legal principle still hold true?
This opportunity is open to undergraduates, post and recent graduates without a training contract or pupillage.
In addition to your essay submission, please write 50 words outlining what stage you are at in your studies and that you do not yet have a pupillage or training contract. Please also confirm that you have not used Artificial Intelligence.
Rules
- Essays must be no more than 1,500 words (excluding footnotes).
- Answers should be sent to tboyton@cnsolicitors.com in Microsoft Word format. The covering email should state the entrant’s full name, present (or most recent) university/college and contact details (judging is anonymous). All submissions will be acknowledged.
- Any submissions found to be AI led will be immediately disqualified
- This opportunity is open exclusively to those in the UK.
- The deadline to submit is Monday, 2nd March 2026
Each essay is judged against the following criteria:
1. Legal and case analysis;
2. Structure; and
3. Legal writing style.
HOW THE COMPETITION IS JUDGED
Essays are judged in two stages:
- In the first instance, members of the Litigation Team will review all entries to select a shortlist.
- At the second stage, the prize-winners are decided by the Head of Litigation.
REWARD
The top prizes for the competition are as follows:
Winner – Two week Vacation Scheme and a 1-1 discussion on work with Litigation Head ·
Runner Up – One week Vacation Scheme
The winning essays will also be published on the Chan Neill Solicitors LLP website.