Glenn Mulcaire, the private investigator hired by News Group Newspapers, and one of the most prominent casualties of the phone-hacking saga, may yet be compelled to shed further light on the goings on at the media group. Earlier this month the Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal against two orders of the High Court in favour [...]

 Employment Status – Jurisdiction of the Employment Tribunal A swathe of employment cases have sprung up over the last few years which have considered whether employees working abroad are able to bring unfair dismissal claims; building upon the categories set out in the landmark House of Lords case of Lawson v Serco Ltd[1]. The cases [...]

Lord Jackson has recommended changes to part 36 of the Civil Procedure Rules. The recommendations propose to reward claimants for making reasonable part 36 offers in settlement of their claims.  Where the claimant makes a successful part 36 offer, damages are to be increased by 10% which has a detrimental effect on the defendant for [...]

In George Osborne’s autumn statement last year the government announced a big change in the tax incentives available for investors looking to invest in UK small businesses and start-ups with the introduction of the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS), due to take effect on 6th April 2012. Key benefits of SEIS for investors SEIS investors [...]

Somali piracy – Is the insurance industry part of the problem? The Commons Select Committee on Foreign Affairs has recently published a report on the levels of piracy off of the coast of Somalia, which over the past four years, have blighted global trading routes in the Indian Ocean to the tune of some $300 [...]

Dispute settled by phone – a case of unintended consequences. The recent case of Thameside Construction v Arthenella Ltd provides a stark reminder of the legal effect (and the inherent risks) of conducting verbal negotiations – a party may end up unwittingly snatching an agreement from the jaws of a dispute. Most parties to a [...]

Litigation Funding – a new idea? It all about the money and now there is a new entrant to the market with a name, Caprica,  that might sound familar to those who followed the prequel to Battlestar Galactica The difference is that Caprica, the TV series, was a fantasy adventure involving far fetched ideas.  Caprica, [...]

Many people assume that when judgment is given in a money claim, if the debtor does not pay the debt the court will automatically enforce the judgment. Unfortunately, this is not the case and a creditor faced with the situation of a debtor who will not pay the debt has a number of options for [...]

European Commission proposes an optional common sales law. It may surprise some readers but less than 10 per cent of European trade is cross-border with the vast majority of businesses preferring to stick to national borders.  With the long-term goal of greater integration and harmonisation, the European Commission has invited consultation on a suggested common [...]

For the latest retrenchment in the law of unfair dismissal, look no further than the learned discourse featuring Philip Henson, Head of Employment, at http://bit.ly/uqIweK