Business secrets up for grabs
Six months ago, it became easier for the public to obtain court documents. Now, if a dispute involves issues you’d rather keep confidential you may need to look at ways…
Classic employment traps – redundancy
It’s amazing how many employers perceive redundancy as something quite separate from dismissal, says one of our employment lawyers. At a rough estimate, at least 40 per cent of unfair…
Changes to the Construction Industry Scheme
Changes to the CIS come into force in April this year with the aim of clamping down further on the evasion of tax and NI contributions in the industry. The…
No more Viagra jokes!
It is now unlawful to discriminate against a worker on the grounds of their age. The Employment Equality (Age Discrimination) Regulations 2006 became law in October 2006, affecting and protecting…
Classic employment traps – sick pay and notice
A classic trap arises when an employee is given notice by his employer (lawfully, of course, and after taking legal advice) but then signs off sick. Employers need to tread…
LLPs and ‘catastrophic’ claims
The Limited Liability Partnerships Act 2000 heralded a new era for many professional firms, but is the individual member really insulated against a multi-million pound claim? Six years on, our…
Yeomans Row Management Ltd v Cobbe
Courts can sometimes ‘interfere’ in cases where they feel that to apply strict legal rights would be unfair or unjust, explains one of commercial property lawyers. Most people’s view about…
Have you made a will?
History reveals some fascinating bequests in wills – some extravagant, some mean, some ironically humorous and some completely eccentric. We’ve been investigating in the run up to National Will Week. A…
Battling the bottle: drinking and the workplace
Heavy drinkers can cause serious difficulties for their employers and the problem is widespread. It’s not just a matter of someone having one too many at the firm’s Christmas party…
You can’t bury the evidence
We have reported earlier this year (March 2006) on a High Court case concerning a former landfill site on which contamination had been discovered 20 years after the developer sold…
Do I need to pay part-timers for bank holidays?
This often-asked question was at the heart of McMenemy v Capita Business Services Ltd that went to the Employment Appeal Tribunal recently. Mr McMenemy switched from full- to part-time working…
Marriage and divorce – what a business!
A landmark decision by the Law Lords, giving wives much bigger divorce settlements received acres of news coverage and we won’t repeat all the detail here. In short, Melissa Miller…
Classic employment traps - unlawful deduction of wages
It may startle you to learn that somewhere around half of all tribunal cases relate to unlawful deduction of wages. One of our employment lawyers advises employers on how to avoid…
Short back and sides - discrimination legislation
Discrimination legislation is a serious problem for employers – a rogue manager can be personally at risk as well as putting the company in the firing line for litigation. Consider…
A classic mistake – how not to approach dismissals
Dismissing staff is a horrible job at the best of times but it’s also a real danger zone for employers. We often quote a tribunal case that hit the headlines…
Advertising boards: a warning
If you own property in a prominent location, renting out space for advertising boards or hoardings can be a good way to generate extra income. But check the small print…
Developers’ contamination nightmare
Problems associated with land contamination can cast a very long shadow for developers. Under environmental protection law, there is an ongoing risk that they could be served with a remediation…
Read the lease
If you are a landlord, it pays to read a lease before refusing consent to assign. Willans’ partner Nick Cox, a specialist in landlord & tenant disputes, recently acted for…