Validly restricting the post-termination conduct of employees and partners involves striking a careful balance between business protection and personal freedom, and that is why professional drafting is indispensable. An instructive case on point concerned a
In the interests of future flexibility, local authorities often understandably wish to keep housing land in reserve for longer-term development. However, as a High Court case showed, the pressing need for more new homes is
The territorial reach of UK Employment Tribunals (ETs) is not without limit and the overseas presence of many British businesses can give rise to difficult jurisdictional issues. A recent case concerned a French lawyer who
Patents are designed to encourage innovation and are effectively state-sponsored bargains which confer time-limited monopoly rights on inventors. As an important Supreme Court ruling made clear, however, such rights are restricted to ideas and products
When sick or infirm people lack the capacity to make decisions for themselves, the law steps in to protect them – even against the well-meaning interference of loved ones. In a case on point, the
When the real owner of an asset is different from its formal owner, that fact should always be recorded in writing. However, as a High Court case showed, repeated judicial warnings to that effect all
Not every breach of contract is so serious as to justify its complete cancellation. The Court of Appeal made that point in a case concerning student accommodation blocks which were not built precisely to specification.
It is sadly common for wealthy people to exhibit extreme reluctance to disclose their assets if their marriages end in divorce. However, as a case concerning a husband worth more than £300 million showed, family
Money spent on ensuring that health and safety rules are religiously met is money well spent. The point was resoundingly proved by a case in which a car parts manufacturer’s failings led to outbreaks of
Few would fail to appreciate the irony of the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) being embroiled in a dispute with a trade union representing its own employees. However, the falling out provided the occasion
