Smoking Policy – Time to Update for E-Cigarettes
E-cigarettes are becoming more and more popular and, as is common when an innovation occurs, the law struggles to keep up. In a recent case, the Employment Tribunal (ET) had to consider a claim for
Company Winding Up Ruling Boosts HMRC’s Armoury
In a fresh warning to companies that falling out with the tax authorities can have the most severe consequences, a Court of Appeal ruling has significantly boosted the armoury of HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)
Public Sector Workers Score Important Win
In a vitally important decision for public sector workers, the High Court has ruled that a government department had no lawful right to unilaterally change the terms of its employees’ contracts to their detriment without
Commercial Tenants – Are You as Secure as You Think?
Most commercial tenants will know that they have a right to apply for new tenancies at the end their leases. However, many will be ignorant of the fact that their security of tenure can be
Collective Redundancy Consultation – Advocate General’s Opinion on the Meaning of ‘Establishment’
In May 2013, in a decision involving the protective awards payable to employees made redundant by Woolworths and Ethel Austin, the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) ruled that the words ‘at one establishment’ in Section 188
Generic Version of Wonder Drug under Legal Spotlight
The public interest in incentivising research into new pharmaceuticals, and the rights of doctors and pharmacists to prescribe and dispense the cheapest available drugs, collided head-on in a High Court test case. Company A manufactured
Squatters’ Rights Survive Criminalisation of Trespass
In a landmark decision with important implications for all landowners, the Court of Appeal has ruled that the criminalisation of trespass in 2012 had no impact on the law of adverse possession – more commonly
Leaving Contract Drafting to Laymen Fraught With Danger
In a warning to businesses that the drafting of commercial contracts by laymen is fraught with risk, a lack of precision in an agreement between a golf club and its caterers resulted in lengthy court
Fines – Business Expense or Not?
A recent tax case involving the McLaren racing team highlights the grey area that surrounds the tax treatment of fines for breaches of member rules in commercial groupings. McLaren was found to have breached several
Edwardian Indenture Put Home in Jeopardy
A householder ended up in a nightmarish cycle of litigation and under threat of losing his home after falling behind on the ‘trivial’ ground rent – just £2.75 a year – he was obliged to