Changes to marriage law
From April 2022, civil wedding and partnership ceremonies in England and Wales can take place outdoors, following a decision to make temporary measures permanent. The change offers engaged couples more…
Kristie Silsby LLB (Hons)
Associate, solicitor
Big plans for business immigration
2021 was a year of big announcements for business immigration as the Home Office revealed ambitious plans to modernise and expand the current system. Fast forward to 2022 and it’s…
Hayley Ainsworth BA, MSc
Senior associate, solicitor
What's new for employment law in 2022?
Due to the pandemic, 2021 saw another year of disruption and delay in the employment law universe. Many predicted changes didn’t materialise and therefore, it’s expected these may come to…
Hayley Ainsworth BA, MSc
Senior associate, solicitor
Temporary reintroduction of Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme
As part of its £1 billion support package for businesses, the Government has reintroduced the Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme for small and medium-sized employers. The subject of sick pay…
Jenny Hawrot LLB (Hons)
Partner
License for alterations – do I need one?
As a team, we’re regularly asked by tenants proposing to carry out work at their premises if they really need to document the plans. Often, the landlord has already told…
Alasdair Garbutt LLB (Hons)
Partner
Normality resumes for property possession claims
There’s no doubt that the past 18 months have been difficult for businesses and individuals, both financially and personally. Residential property landlords have been particularly impacted by the ban on…
James Melvin-Bath LLB (Hons)
Senior associate, solicitor-advocate
When is a post-termination restriction unreasonable?
Post-termination restrictions are a constant source of debate and controversy. It is often unclear whether they are enforceable, and in late 2020 the government ran a consultation on reforming post-termination…
Jenny Hawrot LLB (Hons)
Partner
We’re supporting Good Divorce Week 2021
The journey through separation, divorce and beyond is complex and challenging, and for many, this has been heightened further throughout the pandemic. While every family is different, there are ways…
Kristie Silsby LLB (Hons)
Associate, solicitor
The Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Bill
The Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Bill is intended to put an end to ground rents for new qualifying long residential leasehold properties. Currently, freeholders can charge as much as the…
Willans
Solicitors
Key change to capital gains reporting
There is one radical change that may have slipped under the radar of most grappling with the pandemic: changes to how capital gains on the sale or disposal of UK…
Laura Stone LLB (Hons), TEP
Partner
Deeds of variation: When is it appropriate to use them?
If you are due to inherit and you would like to redirect your inheritance elsewhere (for example if you would prefer your children to inherit instead), you can do this…
Jennifer Cockett LLB (Hons)
Senior associate, solicitor
The new Charities Bill – 10 years on
From providing more flexibility to giving greater powers to trustees, the new Charities Bill aims to simplify processes for charities and clarify grey areas in the law. Published on 26…
Charlotte Cowdell BA (Hons), LLB
Senior associate, solicitor
Trademarks – use them or lose them!
In the UK, a trademark may be registered for different classes of goods and services. However, registered or not, if the mark is not used as intended, it’s possible for…
Paul Gordon LLB
Partner
Cladding latest: “Urgent assistance” required for leaseholders
Since the Grenfell Tower tragedy in June 2017, leasehold property owners have been wary of buildings with cladding. Many leaseholders are faced with a large service charge bill, relating to…
Willans
Solicitors
Government releases roadmap for points-based immigration sponsorship system
On 26 August 2021, the Home Office released information about improving the process for businesses to sponsor migrants. Our employment & business immigration team shares the latest. The change will…
Hayley Ainsworth BA, MSc
Senior associate, solicitor
SCCs: New rules governing cross-border data transfers and data exchanges from the EU and EEA
This September brings change to the use of standard contractual clauses (SCCs) governing data transfers from the EU and EEA. In June this year, the European Commission published two sets…
Kym Fletcher LLB (Hons) Euro
Consultant, solicitor
New health and social care tax announced
A new health and social care tax has been announced by the government. This will be introduced across the UK to cover the increasing cost of care and NHS funding…
Janine Guthrie FCILEx, TEP
Senior associate, chartered legal executive
New government guidance on compulsory vaccination for care home staff
The government has released guidance on the new regulations requiring all staff working in care homes in England to be vaccinated against coronavirus (unless medically exempt) from 11 November 2021.…
Hayley Ainsworth BA, MSc
Senior associate, solicitor
Graduate Visa Route launch: Information for employers
On 1 July 2021, the UK Graduate Visa Route opened for applications. This visa enables international students who have completed an eligible UK degree to stay in the UK to…
Hayley Ainsworth BA, MSc
Senior associate, solicitor
Flexible working: New government consultation planned
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the face of working life as we know it, from compulsory PPE in the workplace, socially distanced seating arrangements or the requirement to work from…
Hayley Ainsworth BA, MSc
Senior associate, solicitor
Right to work checks and EEA citizens working in the UK – what’s changing from 1 July?
From today (1 July 2021), citizens from the European Economic Area (the EU plus Iceland, Liechenstein and Norway) (“EEA”) will no longer be able to rely on their passport or…
Hayley Ainsworth BA, MSc
Senior associate, solicitor
New flexibility for commercial buildings as rules allow empty premises to be changed into homes
In a further relaxation of planning regulations, new rules allowing commercial premises to be converted into homes kicked in at the end of March this year. The government claims this…
Alasdair Garbutt LLB (Hons)
Partner
Lasting powers of attorney for business owners
Many people have heard of lasting powers of attorney (LPAs) for their health and personal affairs, but did you know you can put LPAs in place for your business, too?…
Helen Howes LLM
Senior associate, solicitor
LEGO wins important intellectual property case
The General Court of the European Union (GCEU) has ruled in favour of the toy brick manufacturer LEGO in a recent intellectual property dispute. A patent gives the owner the…
Paul Gordon LLB
Partner
Ending a commercial lease: Key takeaways for tenants from our recent webinar
Your business’s property needs won’t always align perfectly with the expiry of your commercial lease, so it’s common for tenants to want to exit their lease early. In this scenario,…
Nick Southwell BA (Hons)
Partner
Lockdown business rent arrears are recoverable: High Court
Commercial landlords will welcome a recent High Court decision, in which an application for a judgment against a tenant in arrears was upheld. In the first judgment of its kind…
Nick Cox LLB (Hons)
Consultant, solicitor
“I know we’ve had that conversation, but it isn’t logged anywhere…” | The importance of a lasting power of attorney
Good Morning Britain’s Kate Garraway has revealed the legal difficulties that she has faced on top of her husband’s battle with coronavirus, in a recent interview with The Times. The…
Simon Cook LLB (Hons), TEP
Partner
IR35 and the off-payroll working rules
IR35: The (delayed) new off-payroll working rules apply from 6 April 2021 Traditionally, contractors like being self-employed because they pay reduced National Insurance contributions, and are able to set various…
Matthew Clayton MA LLM (Cantab), CIPP/E
Partner
Asda – the Supreme Court’s landmark decision on ‘common terms’
A Supreme Court case involving supermarket ASDA has thrown equal pay claims into the spotlight. There has been much media coverage about the Supreme Court decision in the equal pay…
Jenny Hawrot LLB (Hons)
Partner
Brexit and your intellectual property: the changes
The Intellectual Property Office has provided useful guidance on the key changes post-Brexit. The Brexit transition period, set out in the UK and EU’s Withdrawal Agreement, came to an end…
Paul Gordon LLB
Partner
Land access for digital infrastructure is subject of new consultation
The government has opened a consultation to help them understand whether changes to the Electronic Communications Code are required. A government consultation is underway to review the legal framework for…
Alasdair Garbutt LLB (Hons)
Partner
US $1.7 billion deal hangs in the balance as court examines validity of clause
A recent High Court decision has shone the spotlight on material adverse change (MAC) clauses and their effectiveness. What is a material adverse change clause? You will most likely come…
Helen Howes LLM
Senior associate, solicitor
Pretty vacant: When stripping out goes too far
In an interesting case decided in December 2020, the High Court considered whether a tenant who exercised a break clause went too far in making sure that he gave vacant…
Nick Cox LLB (Hons)
Consultant, solicitor
Biden’s proposed personal tax plan explained
Democrats will now control the House and Senate for at least the next two years and, as a result, President Biden will likely be able to bring more of his…
Laura Stone LLB (Hons), TEP
Partner
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme guidance & updates
Employment lawyers Matthew Clayton and Jenny Hawrot summarise the latest developments on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme to emerge. Thursday 1 July 2021 The furlough scheme is due to close at…
Matthew Clayton MA LLM (Cantab), CIPP/E
Partner
Land Registry’s proposed Safe Harbour scheme
Some aspects of the conveyancing process can seem archaic, but the Land Registry has suggested a way to revolutionise one aspect – identity checks. Prior to COVID-19, we routinely invited…
Willans
Solicitors
