Thousands of shop workers who were made redundant when their employers went bust in the recession have suffered a set-back in their fight for compensation after the European Court of Justice (ECJ) clarified a crucial issue of law in relation to collective redundancies. The workers lost their jobs when nationwide retailers Woolworths and Ethel Austin became...

A struggling finance company, which encountered a perfect storm when Ukraine’s currency was dramatically devalued on the outbreak of war, has enlisted the aid of the High Court in its attempt to restructure itself and avoid insolvency. The company was engaged in raising funds on the capital markets for a power conglomerate in Ukraine, of which it was a...

Many people might think it neighbourly for landowners to allow members of the public to take short cuts across their land. However, such kindness can have unforeseen consequences, as one High Court case vividly revealed. A homeowner drew objections when he erected metal gates to block off a one metre wide alleyway which ran beside his property and which had been...

In a guideline decision, the Court of Appeal has ruled that final warnings given in bad faith are not to be taken into account when assessing whether there was sufficient reason for dismissing an employee. A contracts manager had been given a final warning in respect of alleged breaches of his employer’s recruitment policy. He was said to have assisted his...

In a galling decision for HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), an employment agency which was granted a VAT rebate of almost £1.4 million – allegedly in error – can keep hold of the cash after a tribunal ruled that it was paid under a binding contract. The agency, which specialised in finding work for dental nurses, claimed exemption from VAT and sought...