Court of Appeal case featuring Russell-Cooke listed among The Lawyer’s Top 10 Appeals of 2026
Julia Mazur and others v Charles Russell Speechlys - in which Russell-Cooke is acting for the Law Society - has been named in The Lawyer’s Top 10 Appeals of 2026.
The appeal, listed for hearing on 24 February 2026, challenges a High Court ruling on who is authorised under the Legal Services Act to conduct litigation - an issue that has widespread implications for the legal profession. The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX) has appealed Mr Justice Sheldon’s judgment that only authorised persons may conduct litigation, and the appeal is expected to provide clarity on the roles of legal executives, trainees and paralegals across the profession.
Russell-Cooke is acting for the Law Society, with a team led by Chair and partner John Gould, alongside partner Michael Stacey and associate Megan Knowles. The firm is instructing Richard Coleman KC and Marianne Butler of Fountain Court as counsel for the Law Society.
Other parties include CILEX as appellant, represented by Nicholas Bacon KC and Helen Evans KC of 4 New Square, and the respondents Charles Russell Speechlys, the Solicitors Regulation Authority, and Julia Mazur, who appears as a litigant in person.
We are pleased to support The Law Society in this significant appeal. The issues raised in Mazur go to the heart of effective and accountable professional regulation. Clarifying these boundaries is vital both for the profession and for the public it serves.
This recognition follows Russell-Cooke’s recent inclusion of All England Lawn Tennis Ground v Save Wimbledon Park in The Lawyer's Top 20 Cases of 2026, in which the team represents Save Wimbledon Park.
The article is available to read online at The Lawyer, by subscription only.
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