Law Updates

19/11/2007 - Law Update Powers Of Attorney

The Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) has had a major impact on Powers of Attorney since 1st October 2007. The Act introduces a new Lasting Power of Attorney to replace Enduring Powers of Attorney (EPA). Any properly prepared EPA made before that date will continue to be valid but you will no longer be able to make a new EPA. The Law concerning General Powers of Attorney has not changed. Read Full Article

06/11/2007 - Court of Appeal and Division of Family Assets

The way the Courts have approached the division of the family assets on divorce has undergone radical change since the start of the millennium. Read Full Article

06/11/2007 - Who can you trust? The Court of Appeal decision about Family Trusts

One of the interesting aspects of the recent Court of Appeal decision in the highly publicised case of Charman was the different treatment by the Court of the two family Trusts Mr Charman had set up. Read Full Article

01/11/2007 - Law Update on Capital Gains Tax Following Pre-Budget Report October 2007

In his Pre-Budget Report in October, the Chancellor announced changes to the taxation of capital gains, to take effect next year. Read Full Article

01/11/2007 - Law Update on Inheritance Tax and Wills following the Pre-Budget Report October 2007

With all the press coverage of Mr Darling?s first Pre-Budget Report in October, one could not have missed the changes announced to Inheritance Tax (IHT). Read Full Article

25/10/2007 - Flexible Approach in the Grievance and Disciplinary Procedures

The Employment Appeal Tribunal has upheld a decision supporting an employee?s claim for constructive unfair dismissal on the basis that her employer refused to vary its grievance procedure to deal with her specific complaint. Read Full Article

25/10/2007 - Plans for Family Friendly Policies Delayed until April 2010

Government plans to introduce amendments to the Work and Families Act and which aim to increase Maternity Pay [SMP], Maternity Allowance [MA] and Statutory Adoption Pay [SAP] from 39 weeks to to 52 weeks and to introduce Additional Paternity Leave and Pay [APL&P] leave have been put back. Read Full Article

16/10/2007 - October 2007 Pre-Budget Report

The new Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling, presented his first pre-budget report on 9 October 2007. He has announced a number of changes that are likely to affect many clients. Read Full Article

10/09/2007 - On-line Social Networking - A Double Edged Sword

'Facebook', the social networking website has hit our shores like a tidal wave and we?re all at risk of being swept up. Read Full Article

06/08/2007 - Age Discrimination - One Year On

On 1 October 2006, legislation outlawing age-based discrimination was implemented for the first time in the UK. The Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006, which implemented the European Directive, were hailed by many as the most significant upheaval in employment law for 30 years. The new laws prohibit discrimination on the grounds of age in employment and vocational training, unless the discriminatory aspect can be shown to be objectively justified. Read Full Article

25/07/2007 - Plans for Family Friendly Policies Delayed until April 2010

Government plans to introduce amendments to the Work and Families Act and which aim to increase Maternity Pay [SMP], Maternity Allowance [MA] and Statutory Adoption Pay [SAP] from 39 weeks to to 52 weeks and to introduce Additional Paternity Leave and Pay [APL&P] leave have been put back. Read Full Article

23/07/2007 - Additional Holiday Entitlement for Workers

Following the Government?s response to a recent consultation on proposals to increase the statutory holiday entitlement, the draft Working Time (Amendment) Regulations have now finally been published. Read Full Article

11/06/2007 - The Smoking Ban in England

The provisions of the Health Act 2006 and the various Regulations relating to smoke free premises come into force on 1 July 2007 to impose a ban on smoking in all public places or places of work which are "enclosed or substantially enclosed" Read Full Article

11/06/2007 - Expired Disciplinary Warnings

Question An employer gave his employee a final written warning for bullying a colleague. The disciplinary letter stated that the warning would remain on the employee?s record for a year. 17 months later a further incident of bullying occurs. Can the employer take account of the incident of 17 months ago as part of the background of events to the current situation and use it as a basis on which to dismiss the employee this time round? Read Full Article

11/06/2007 - Grievance Q and A

Question: An employer has just received a letter of resignation from an underperforming employee making adverse comments about his treatment by the employer. He had not previously raised a formal grievance. The employer is relieved that the employee has resigned as it was considering taking performance related disciplinary action against him. Does the employer now need to do anything? Read Full Article

11/06/2007 - Smoking in the Workplace

The anti smoking laws means that all places of work, including company vehicles, become smoke free from 1st July 2007. Read Full Article

28/03/2007 - Planning Gain Supplement

Planning Gain Supplement ("PGS") - why have they not called it "tax"? - is likely to be introduced in 2009. As yet, the details of amount and administration have not been confirmed but the Government has invested time and resources in preparing for it and has consulted quite widely and the outline of the new tax is being generally discussed in some little detail. Read Full Article

28/02/2007 - Check The Law Buying Your Dream Home In France

If you're thinking of buying your dream home in France, then you need to know about three new changes in the law which may affect you. Read Full Article

24/01/2007 - Limited Companies - New Obligations

New legislation has been introduced, effective from 1 January 2007 which imposes new obligations on limited companies concerning the information which a company must display on its correspondence Read Full Article

10/01/2007 - Prenups Are Just Another Kind of Insurance

The recent high profile Miller and McFarlane divorce rulings in the House of Lords have inevitably raised the stakes for prenuptial agreements. Read Full Article