People in debt are highly vulnerable and professionals who advise them are for that reason subject to intense regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the courts. The point was made by a case in which a debt management specialist whose conduct fell far below required standards of competence and probity was banned from[…]

Contract terms that seek to set agreements in stone, preventing their subsequent oral modification (NOM clauses), have long been controversial – but the Supreme Court has ruled in a guideline case that they perform important functions and neither frustrate nor contravene any policy of the law. A property company that operates office developments in London[…]

It may soon be illegal in Ireland to smoke in any outdoor areas where food is being served. Legislation has been proposed to the cabinet that would see the smoking ban extended to any outdoor areas of restaurants, cafes and pubs where customers are eating. Former Minister for Health James Reilly was one of the[…]

Employers and occupiers of premises owe strict legal duties to protect the health and safety of their staff and visitors. However, as one High Court case showed, judges are not in the business of setting impossibly high standards and recognise that accidents can happen without anyone being at fault. The case concerned a careers adviser[…]

A vast amount of personal data necessarily comes into the hands of public officials and that can sadly prove a temptation to the dishonest. In one case, a corrupt police officer made over £360,000 by abusing his position to access the details of people involved in road accidents, before selling them to claims handling firms.[…]

The 2018 Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup commences on Thursday 14 June with a match between Russia and Saudi Arabia that kicks off at 4:00pm UK time in the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow. Employers who have not already done so should ensure they have policies in place to deal with any issues[…]

Those who suffer unlawful discrimination in the workplace are entitled to be compensated for injury to their feelings, and such payments are usually tax free. The Court of Appeal recently considered whether this applied where the payment is part of a termination settlement. The case concerned a company director, aged in his mid-50s, who claimed[…]

This week is Mental Health Awareness Week (14-20 May), and this year the Mental Health Foundation is focusing on stress. Whilst not a mental health problem in itself, stress can lead to depression, anxiety and other mental health problems. According to the Foundation, one in four people will experience a mental health problem at some[…]

In an important decision for educational charities, the Court of Appeal has ruled that a college that charged students fixed, but publicly subsidised, fees was engaged in a business or economic activity for tax purposes and was thus not entitled to a VAT rebate in respect of the construction costs of a new campus building.[…]

Some companies are so large and strategically important that their insolvency can have grave national implications. However, as one case concerning a subsidiary of Carillion plc showed, the law is well equipped to manage such crises in a way that minimises damage to the wider economy. Carillion employed thousands of people and had a plethora[…]