To be fair to the lawyers I have also found the rules not 100% clear in the past eg the barrister can hand it to the solicitors too to check. and to "the parties" which in my view includes the client. Whenever I have handed it on to the parties (my client) I give them all kinds of instructions as they otherwise want to start telling the world and his wife they won. Instead they must tell no one. If the client is a company the company can distribute it in confidence within the company. Some companies have 10,000 staff. It is not always really simple as to who can see it.
"2.3 The court will provide a copy of the draft judgment to the parties’ legal representatives by 4 p.m. on the second working day before handing down, or at such other time as the court may direct.
2.4 A copy of the draft judgment may be supplied, in confidence, to the parties provided that –
(a) neither the draft judgment nor its substance is disclosed to any other person or used in the public domain; and
(b) no action is taken (other than internally) in response to the draft judgment, before the judgment is handed down.
2.5 Where a copy of the draft judgment is supplied to a party’s legal representatives in electronic form, they may supply a copy to that party in the same form.
2.6 If a party to whom a copy of the draft judgment is supplied under paragraph 2.4 is a partnership, company, government department, local authority or other organisation of a similar nature, additional copies may be distributed in confidence within the organisation, provided that all reasonable steps are taken to preserve its confidential nature and the requirements of paragraph 2.4 are adhered to.
2.7 If the parties or their legal representatives are in any doubt about the persons to whom copies of the draft judgment may be distributed they should enquire of the judge or Presiding Judge.
2.8 Any breach of the obligations or restrictions under paragraph 2.4 or failure to take all reasonable steps under paragraph 2.6 may be treated as contempt of court."