Social workers wield real power over people’s lives and, when they fall down on the job, it is only right that compensation is paid to those who suffer. In a case on point, a local authority was ordered to pay £40,000 in damages to a
Employers who put their staff at risk by failing to abide by health and safety rules are routinely hit hard in the pocket. Exactly that happened to a discount chain that was fined £1 million after admitting shoddy practices at three of its stores. The
One of the important protections afforded to consumers under European law is that they are generally entitled to be sued in the country in which they are domiciled. The High Court made that point in ruling that a London casino must pursue its £250,000 debt
Contested divorces are a rarity and that is hardly surprising given that, following two years of separation, marriages can be ended by agreement. However, they do still occur and, in one such case, a judge was critical of a husband who wasted family money in
Ease of communication by email is vital to any modern business, but also presents a golden opportunity to fraudsters. A Court of Appeal case in which a small company was devastated by an all-too-simple trick showed why it is so important to employ professionals to
One good reason why parents of children who are the victims of hospital blunders should take legal advice is that they may not always be there to provide all the care their loved ones need. In a High Court case that considered this issue, lawyers
Farmers tend to resist residential developments close to their land due to concerns that new residents may complain about the noise or smells that agriculture inevitably generates. However, in a High Court case on point, a farmer failed to block plans for a residential barn
Fabled diamonds company De Beers sells rough diamonds into the jewellery trade at so called ‘sights’ that were once held 10 times annually in London. However, in a guideline case of interest to anyone engaged in commerce, the Court of Appeal has ruled that its
So-called urban explorers risk their lives for the thrill of scaling tall buildings, but they are also trespassers who expose landowners to substantial liability risks. In a case on point, five teenagers who climbed a skyscraper which was under construction narrowly avoided being jailed for
Architects, surveyors and other property professionals often refer to the ‘elevations’ of buildings – but what exactly does the word mean? In a guideline ruling, the Upper Tribunal (UT) has resolved that question in the context of a landlord and tenant dispute. The case concerned
