Buying investment properties overseas can be fraught with hazard but, if the worst happens, specialist English lawyers will do all in their power to ensure that you do not lose out. In one case, investors who ploughed funds into a disastrous Italian apartment development were
In order to be divorced you obviously have to be validly married, and bigamy remains a surprisingly common occurrence. In one case, the High Court found that a couple’s overseas wedding did not render them husband and wife – because she was already married to
The tough approach being taken by hard-pressed social housing providers towards those who have obtained their tenancies by deception has received the backing of the Court of Appeal. The case concerned parents of two young children who sought homelessness assistance from a local authority which
The government’s ‘furlough’ scheme is an unprecedented means of saving jobs and viable businesses in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis – but how does it interact with the insolvency regime? The High Court addressed that burning issue in the context of a restaurant chain
Complying with planning laws can be expensive and inconvenient, but failing to do so is likely to result in a criminal record and a severe financial penalty. In a case on point, a property owner who simply ignored an enforcement notice requiring him to remove
It is for local authorities to ensure that non-domestic rating lists are accurate and up to date and businesses are under no obligation to point out errors. The High Court made that point in ruling that one such mistake entitled an IT company, at least
Commercial arbitrators’ awards are meant to be final, rather than merely the opening salvo in full-blown litigation. A High Court ruling on a big money dispute concerning a Ukrainian gas field showed that challenging such awards is always an uphill task. A Texas-registered oil and
The purpose of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) is to ensure that workers receive decent pay packets, into their own hands and free from deductions. The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) underlined that point in ruling that a football club failed to pay the NMW because it
The distinction between employees and independent contractors is replete with grey areas but could hardly be more important. The Supreme Court gave authoritative guidance on the issue in ruling on the case of numerous bank workers who claimed to have been sexually assaulted by a
Failing to make a professionally drafted will is a positive invitation to family strife after you are gone. In one case, a spectacular falling out between two brothers could have been averted had their mother taken the time to consult a solicitor. The woman died
