Method

Primary sources first

Briefings start with the original material: legislation, regulator announcements, judgments, company filings, official consultations or published data. Secondary reporting can provide context and help identify a story, but factual claims are checked against the original source.

Written and checked by the author

The author writes the published analysis and checks every fact against the original source. Sources are linked so readers can inspect the basis for the Briefing. Assumptions and uncertainties should be clear, and the last-checked date records when the content and sources were checked.

How AI is used

AI is used to find stories and check the work, not to write the published analysis. Its output is treated as something to verify, rather than a source. The author remains responsible for the analysis and factual checks.

The client decision format

Each Briefing takes one development and asks what decision it creates for a client. The structure is consistent:

1. What happened: establish the development and relevant context.
2. Who it affects: identify the businesses or clients exposed to it.
3. The client's decision: set out the choice and commercial trade-offs.
4. My recommendation and the main risk: explain a proposed course of action and what could go wrong.

Briefings aim for 350–450 words, with a maximum of 500. The format is educational; it does not replace advice on a client's particular circumstances.