Citibank has successfully defended an unfair dismissal claim by an employee who was dismissed for claiming expenses for sandwiches and coffee for his partner. The Claimant brought his unfair dismissal claim against the bank after he was dismissed for gross...
On 5 October 2023, the Law Commission published an update on its wills project in the form of a supplementary consultation to its initial consultation (which was published as far back as 2017), this time with a particular focus on electronic wills. Given...
The Renters Reform Bill sets out reasonable circumstances where the landlord can evict a tenant. What are the changes? The Renters' (Reform) Bill outlines plans to abolish Section 21 notices, strengthen the grounds under Section 8 of the...
Last week, we discussed what to look out for in terms of potential breaches of the allergen requirements and a case study to illustrate that. In this blog, we have condensed our advice into five top tips to help you prevent an allergen incident in your food...
It’s not news that most design expertise in the building industry lies not with main contractors but with consultants and specialist sub-contractors. Often the expertise is such that the main contractor does little except procure and co-ordinate the...
One of the most common breaches of the Food Hygiene Regulations is in respect of incidents involving allergens. In this blog, our Food Regulatory Team discusses the law, what to look for in your business and what to do if you have an allergen incident. Food...
All charities are overseen by their trustees. They give up their time, energy and expertise on a voluntary basis and are responsible for the governance, strategy and overall operation of the charity. The Charity Commission, the independent regulator...
Today the fourth tower of the Sagrada Familia, Gaudi’s iconic cathedral in Barcelona, was completed. It’s a mere 141 years since the building of the cathedral started, which puts the delayed (and, also as of today) partly cancelled HS2 into...
The 1 st of October 2023 marked two years since Natasha’s Law came into force. This legislation, officially known as the Food Information (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2019, made it mandatory for food which is pre-packed for direct sale to include...
Julie Robinson, Agriculture Partner at Roythornes Solicitors, explains why putting land into a biodiversity net gain project is not a walk in the park for farmers. Following the Government’s announcement on 27 September, we now have confirmation...
I’ve read a fair few corporate finance documents over the last few weeks. A work stream that I’ve found myself enjoying more and more. However, all too often I’m told by property colleagues “the client doesn’t want advising on...
Allergen labelling is a hot topic and continues to be one of the most common breaches of food law. It is a legal requirement for all food business operators (“FBOs”) to declare the presence of any of the 14 major allergens (celery, cereals...
It is not unusual for people to have children from different relationships and ‘illegitimate’ children born outside of marriage. Whilst blended families are increasingly common and often have positive relationships, unfortunately, there can...
We all live in an increasingly digital world and social media forms a large part of this for many people. For charities it has opened new ways of engaging with service users, attracting volunteers and raising much needed funds. As with most...
This week, the Government announced it will open a £4million fund to support small abattoirs at the end of 2023. Here, Rebecca Ironmonger of our Regulatory Team discusses what we know so far about the fund and considers what else might be needed to...
With land sales and new farm business tenancies being finalised ahead of Michaelmas, Julie Robinson looks at how parties might deal with the transition between the Basic Payment Scheme and delinked payments, due to be introduced in England in 2024. ...
It is not uncommon for people to make wills in terms that may seem unfair, or even irrational. Family members can be left wondering whether the will actually represented the person’s wishes, or if anything can be done about it. In a recent case the...
In the complex world of construction and engineering, where projects are often intricate and subject to evolving circumstances, the importance of well-drafted contracts cannot be overstated. One crucial aspect of these contracts is the inclusion of no oral...
It will not have escaped attention that the Government plans to do away with legacy EU laws to free up housebuilding in nutrient neutrality catchments. This blog looks at whether and how farmers will be affected by the proposed changes. The Government has...
Whilst many projects are a single building constructed in one hit, there are times when a phased approach is essential. It may be a question of land availability, or building to suit an incoming tenant, or it may be that the facility needs to remain...
In a recent landmark decision, the Court of Appeal delivered its judgment in URS Corporation Ltd v BDW Trading Ltd [2023] EWCA Civ 772 , addressing a complex web of legal issues involving negligence claims, construction law and legislative interpretation....
Construction News recently reported on the theft of tens of thousands of pounds-worth of materials and tools taken in one night from a site in Nottingham. Whilst theft on that scale is relatively unusual, the loss of goods, materials and, in particular, hand...
The Administration of Estates Act 1925 (as amended by the Trustee Powers Act 2014) (Fixed Net Sum) Order 2023 came into force on 26 th July 2023, amending the statutory legacy under the Intestacy Rules (‘the Rules’) to which the surviving...
In the construction and engineering sectors, letters of intent are used all the time. The idea of them is to get a project going – either to allow for the procurement of long lead-time items, or to start design, or to hold a tender price – before...
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched an investigation into the UK’s unregulated market surrounding the provision of legal services, such as will-writing, online divorce, and pre-paid probate services. According to their...
A Talaq divorce is, under traditional Islamic Law, said to have taken place when the husband pronounces ‘I divorce thee’ three times. After the pronouncement the marriage is dissolved instantly. However, for a Talaq divorce to be...
Engineering and construction project success is based on three factors: time; cost; and quality – the classic project management triangle. One of the most important decisions companies starting work on their new or refurbished facilities have to make...
This week, Parliament passed legislation that will change how employers need to deal with flexible working requests and simplifies the process for employees. The key changes are: Employers cannot refuse a request without consulting with the employee; ...
Farm Safety Week (17-21 July 2023) is an annual campaign which focuses on raising awareness and changing attitudes to prevent life-changing injuries. The latest figures from the Health and Safety Executive (“HSE”) for 2022/2023 show that 21...
Many employers are concerned about staff covertly filming footage from, for example, inside factories which may show confidential information or misrepresent their activities. We are often asked by employers whether they can search employees for such...
