Devonshires InLaws 2026/27
Celebrating ten years of our forum dedicated to in-house legal teams.
This year marks ten years since the inception of InLaws and, as one of the founding Partners, the anniversary has given me a great opportunity to reflect on how both the programme and the role of the in-house lawyer have evolved over that time.
InLaws was created as a forum specifically for in-house legal teams - a space to share practical legal updates, develop wider professional skills and connect with others facing similar challenges. Ten years on, that purpose remains just as relevant, even as the role of the in-house lawyer has broadened considerably.
We responded to those changes and our programme has evolved, expanding from core legal updates into areas such as communication, technology and AI. The pandemic made us realise the importance of the relationships the InLaws had promoted and, in response to feedback, an increased focus was given to supporting and facilitating opportunities for networking and collaboration. Engagement has grown with it too: in the last two years alone, registrations have increased by almost half and attendance by nearly a third, showing the continued appetite for practical, relevant support for in-house legal teams.
As InLaws enters its next decade, we want to build on that momentum. Last year I was delighted to pass the baton to Pauline Lépissier who has already taken InLaws to the next level, curating an exciting and diverse programme which not only responds to the current issues that matter to in-house teams but takes the lead in starting conversations about how the sector can rise to the many challenges ahead.
Pauline said
“It has been an honour to take on the leadership of the InLaws programme and continue to build on the success of the last decade. I’ve enjoyed meeting our lovely InLaws community, learning about the challenges they face and devising a targeted programme to meet their needs.
“This year is particularly special as InLaws celebrates its 10th anniversary in November, which happens to coincide with my marking ten years at Devonshires. Having worked closely with many in-house lawyers during that time, I know the increasingly varied and demanding role that you play within your organisations.
“InLaws aims to continue to provide relevant content and useful opportunities for your teams. With this in mind, please do get in touch with any requests for anything that you would like to see on the programme!
“Invitations for our events will be sent throughout the year as usual. In the meantime, this newsletter offers a flavour of the programme ahead, together with a selection of ten articles published in the last year tackling some key issues for in-house lawyers.
“I hope to see most of you soon at one of our events.”
To those of you who have been part our journey this past ten years, thank you for your support and engagement, and for those who are new to us, we look forward to welcoming you to an InLaws event soon!
Key contacts
Donna McCarthy
Consultant
Pauline Lépissier
Partner
InLaws 2026/27 programme
Privilege
September 2026
A practical refresher on legal professional privilege for in-house teams, looking at common issues that can arise when giving internal advice, managing investigations and handling disputes.
Soft skills
A practical session focused on developing the wider communication and people skills that are increasingly important for in-house lawyers.
AI
A practical look at the current state of AI for in-house legal teams, including what is working, what is not and how legal teams are beginning to use AI in practice.
Contract law update
An update on recent developments in contract law, focusing on key cases and practical issues for in-house lawyers drafting, reviewing and managing commercial agreements.
Compliance round-up
A broader look at key compliance developments affecting in-house teams, bringing together areas such as AML, data protection and Lexcel compliance.
Companies House and Corporate Records: Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
A practical session covering Companies House reforms, share capital issues, board decision-making, common transaction clean-up issues, shareholder activism and contentious governance, and employee incentive plans.
Top 10 articles from the past year
Alongside looking ahead to the new InLaws programme, we also wanted to take the opportunity to look back at some of the key issues we have covered over the past year.
From disputes risk, contracts, data protection, AI and procurement to communication and influencing, the programme has continued to bring together technical updates and practical skills relevant to in-house legal teams.
We have therefore brought together 10 of our most useful articles from the past year, covering many of those themes and providing a practical resource for in-house lawyers to revisit as the new programme begins.
27 Apr 2026
A Win for In-house Counsel: The Glencore Privilege
A helpful update for in-house lawyers managing privilege in the context of internal advice, investigations and disputes, particularly where communications involve a defined client group within the organisation.
Read article →
13 May 2026
Widening the net: the expansion of corporate criminal liability
A significant development for legal teams advising on governance, compliance and investigations, with corporate liability now extending more widely to conduct by senior managers.
Read article →
06 Feb 2026
Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 update: Secondary legislation gives effect to majority of key provisions
An update for in-house teams responsible for data protection compliance, including changes affecting recognised legitimate interests, subject access requests, data re-use and complaints processes.
Read article →
19 May 2025
Another warning about AI hallucinations in cited legal authorities
A reminder for in-house legal teams to approach AI-generated legal research with care, particularly where AI tools are being used internally or by external advisers in litigation or advisory work.
Read article →
12 May 2026
When “indefinite” is not permanent in commercial contracts: lessons from the Court of Appeal
A useful commercial contracts update for in-house lawyers reviewing long-running agreements, exit rights and termination provisions, particularly where contracts are described as continuing “indefinitely”.
Read article →
21 May 2026
The Commercial Payments Bill: A solution in search of the right problem?
An update for in-house teams involved in construction, development, procurement or supplier arrangements, looking at proposed changes to cash retentions and the potential impact on contract risk.
Read article →
05 Mar 2026
NDAs and Confidentiality in Joint Ventures and commercial relationships – Illiquidx v Altana: One Year On
A useful reminder for in-house legal teams advising on joint ventures, commercial partnerships and information sharing, where confidentiality protections can become critical if the relationship breaks down.
Read article →
01 May 2026
Government launches consultation on restricting the use of NDAs in harassment and discrimination cases
An employment update for in-house teams advising HR and leadership on workplace disputes, settlement strategy and the use of confidentiality provisions in harassment and discrimination cases.
Read article →
06 May 2026
Settlement Agreements: a word of caution
A practical reminder for legal teams involved in settlement negotiations, particularly around broad release wording and the risk of unintentionally compromising wider group claims.
Read article →
19 May 2026
Procurement Act 2023: early judicial guidance on automatic suspension
A useful update for in-house teams involved in public procurement, looking at the courts’ early approach to automatic suspension under the Procurement Act 2023 and what contracting authorities and suppliers should consider when procurement challenges arise.
Read article →
Thank you to everyone who has been part of InLaws over the past 10 years and continues to support the programme.
We hope this edition has been a useful chance to look back at some of the key issues we have covered, as well as a preview of what is coming next. Our new programme gets underway later this month, and we look forward to seeing many of you at the sessions ahead.
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Devonshires Solicitors LLP 30 Finsbury Circus London EC2M 7DT
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