Drug dealers and other criminals have a tendency to launder their profits through the property market, often using family members as go-betweens. As one High Court case showed, however, the authorities are well equipped to deal with such tactics. The case concerned four residential properties
The hazards involved in dispensing with legal formality and making oral contracts are well known – but it is surprising how often caution is thrown to the wind. In one case, the High Court rejected claims that a binding Euros 13.5 million business deal had
The global fight against corporate corruption is gathering pace and English judges are leading the way. In one case that proved the point, the Court of Appeal ruled that £4.4 million held in a UK bank account had rightly been frozen as the suspected proceeds
Lawyers don’t use much Latin nowadays but ‘caveat emptor!’ – roughly translated as ‘buyer beware!’ – is still a fundamental principle that applies to property sales. In one case exactly on point, a builder defeated a breach of contract claim brought by a woman who
The Ministry of Justice has published its long-awaited review of the impact of Employment Tribunal (ET) fees, which were introduced in July 2013. Whilst the review does identify some areas for concern, it concludes that, on the whole, the objectives for the introduction of fees
The Government has published the draft National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Regulations 2017, which are due to come into force on 1 April 2017. The revised rates are as follows: The National Living Wage for those aged 25 and over will increase from £7.20 per hour
Employing an impartial contract administrator to oversee major construction projects is vital. In one High Court case where that did not happen, a company was left with an incomplete housing development and an adjudication bill for almost £870,000. The company had engaged a contractor to
Companies are entitled to reap the benefits of their employees’ inventiveness – but patent law does require compensation to be paid to those whose ideas make an outstanding contribution to profits. In an important test case, the Court of Appeal analysed the circumstances in which
One of the advantages of the English legal system is that even the most convincing lies tend to be exposed under rigorous forensic examination in the witness box. In one case that proved the point, a businessman’s dishonesty was laid bare and he received an
Construction contracts are often replete with detailed provisions in respect of time limits and payment schedules and that is one good reason why their administration is best entrusted to professionals. The point was strikingly made by one High Court case concerning a hospital refurbishment project.
