A new legal giant emerges today as London-based Herbert Smith and Australian group Freehills start formally trading under the same banner.

The Rugby Football Union and its top professional clubs were contemplating the hazardous traverse of a legal minefield yesterday after informing London Welsh that they had failed to meet promotion criteria and would not be admitted to next season's Premiership, even if they succeed in beating Cornish Pirates in a two-leg Championship final that kicked off in Penzance last night. The Exiles, who had nominated the Kassam Stadium in Oxford as their home for 2012-13, spoke of their "grave disappointment" and hinted strongly at the possibility of court proceedings.

James Murdoch is being prepped by a litigation specialist to help explain why he failed to tell MPs of discussions he had with the News of the World editor on the "options" they faced over phone hacking.

PR firms and lawyers campaign without revealing clients' identity

The Press Complaints Commission has named Lord Grade, the former BBC chairman, as one of its new commissioners.

Despite the recession causing a fall in the combined billing fees of the UK's 100 biggest law firms for the first time in nearly 20 years, top lawyers are earning more than ever.

Gartmore, the investment group, yesterday reinstated Guillaume Rambourg, the fund manager it suspended last month.

The unanimous judgment by the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg that an order to hand over a journalistic document infringed the media's right to free expression is a reminder that media freedoms are about more than a balanced defamation law.

England will host the 2015 Rugby World Cup, the International Rugby Board have announced.