Very occasionally, issues of great commercial or social importance can hinge on the correct legal definition of a single word. That was certainly so in one case in which the meaning put upon the word ‘mast’ by the Court of Appeal had a major impact
Helping friends in financial trouble is one thing, but assisting them to defraud their creditors is quite another. In a case on point, a woman who came to the dishonest aid of a businessman facing bankruptcy was herself hit hard in the pocket. The woman
Even those whose medical conditions or incapacities are not so grave as to amount to disabilities can win compensation if they suffer discrimination in the workplace. The Court of Appeal made that clear in upholding a substantial damages award made to a police officer whose
Regulatory decisions can have a devastating, even fatal, impact on businesses, but to what extent can their effect be suspended pending appeal? That burning issue was addressed by the Supreme Court in a test case focused on the alcohol industry. The case concerned three alcohol
Very rich people often live jet set lifestyles of ceaseless travel and pinning down the country in which they are domiciled can be a serious challenge. The High Court faced exactly that difficulty in a case concerning the acrimonious breakdown of a relationship between a
Many vulnerable people who fall into debt are tempted to raise cash on the security of their homes. However, a case in which an elderly couple came within an ace of losing the roof over their heads stands as a warning to all that such
In a guideline decision of great interest to commercial property landlords, the Upper Tribunal (UT) has ruled that prestige office premises which were stripped bare in preparation for the arrival of a new tenant had a nil rateable value. The case concerned two floors of
Public procurement exercises must be conducted in accordance with strict rules and, where their fairness is challenged, the award of contracts is instantly suspended. That, however, can have a grave impact on essential public services and, as a High Court case showed, that factor is
Property purchases are, for the majority of people, the highest value deals that they ever enter into and that is why they should never be reached in haste or without expert legal advice. The point was powerfully made a case in which an amateurish, home-made,
Employers are generally barred from circumventing collective bargaining agreements by going behind trade unions’ backs and making direct offers to the workers they represent. In a ground-breaking decision, however, the Court of Appeal has ruled that that does not amount to trade unions having a
