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| Concern over new planning enforcement regime |
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| Posted: 19.04.2011 |
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| Changes proposed in the new Localism Bill could bring uncertainty and chaos to the property market. The Bill proposes changes to the planning system including strengthening authorities' powers to tackle abuses of the system. The Bill will allow local planning authorities to pursue a planning enforcement order at any time after it becomes aware that there has been a breach of planning control and requiring a property owner to remedy that breach. |
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| Read more... |
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| Looking like an employee |
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| Posted: 14.04.2011 |
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| Just because you look like an employee, and act like an employee, it doesn't mean you're an employee - Official.
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| Read more... |
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| Separating couples to be forced to consider mediation option |
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| Posted: 07.04.2011 |
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| From April separating couples will be required to consider whether their disputes can be settled by mediation rather than through the courts, justice minister Jonathan Djanogly has announced. |
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| Read more... |
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| New Bribery Act Coming Into Force |
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| Posted: 06.04.2011 |
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| Companies need to revise their policies and guidance to employees in the light of the Bribery Act 2010. The government has recently announced that the implementation date will be April 2011 which does not leave much time to revise procedures. |
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| Read more... |
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| Mounting care home fees can 'empty' wills |
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| Posted: 13.02.2011 |
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| The elderly need to be aware that increasing care home fees could mean they have nothing left to leave in their wills. The charities Age Concern; Help the Aged; and the Law Society are all concerned. |
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| Read more... |
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| European Contract Law |
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| Posted: 15.12.2010 |
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| The European Commission has published a Green Paper on contract law. Following on from that, the Government has now in the UK issued a Call for Evidence which will lead to the UK's response early next year. |
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| Read more... |
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| A New Tax Year - Finance Act 2010 |
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| Posted: 12.12.2010 |
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| The new tax year is a good time to put your personal tax affairs in order. Are you taking full advantage of all personal tax reliefs? Have you taken lawful tax avoidance measures to reduce the amount of tax you, or indeed your company, are paying? |
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| Read more... |
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| Whose Contract Terms Apply? |
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| Posted: 29.11.2010 |
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| Do you have terms and conditions of sale and purchase for your business? If not your legal position may not be properly protected.
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| Read more... |
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| Company Law Update |
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| Posted: 02.11.2010 |
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| It has been all change for company law recently. Now the new Companies Act is all in force Companies House has been very busy updating company forms, all of which have new numbers such as appointment of director forms and plenty of companies are adopting new Articles of Association to reflect the new Model Articles under the Companies Act. |
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| Read more... |
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| Guides to Equality Act 2010 Published |
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| Posted: 01.10.2010 |
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| re you an employee or do you employ people? Either way the Equality Act 2010 which is due to come into force in October 2010 may affect you. The Government has now published guides to the Equality Act. |
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| Read more... |
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| You and your bank charges |
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| Posted: 21.09.2010 |
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| Your private clients will have noticed the press coverage of the decision of the new Supreme Court (formerly House of Lords) about bank charges. The Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999 were the law in question. They state that unfair contract terms in contracts with consumers will be unfair and void. However, they specifically say the price cannot be challenged as unfair. |
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| Read more... |
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| Safeway Sues Employees |
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| Posted: 20.09.2010 |
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| Plenty of employees get the law wrong and the employer picks up the tab in areas as far apart as health & safety and data protection. Companies can only operate through employees and are responsible in most cases for what employees do. In a ground breaking case, Safeway has sued personally former employees and directors for alleged breach of the competition rules. |
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| BSkyB wins Dispute - Fraudulent Misrepresentation |
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| Posted: 17.02.2010 |
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| Be careful what your salesmen say! In a recent important court case the court looked at a perennial issue of salesmen conning customers about what was on offer to induce them to sign the contract. |
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| Read more... |
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| International Contracts - Rome Regulation in Force and whose terms apply? |
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| Posted: 20.01.2010 |
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| Does your company ever do business abroad? If so, you need to know about the Rome 1 Regulation. This EU regulation comes into force on 17 December 2009 as to the UK regulations which go with it - The Law Applicable to Contractual Obligations (England and Wales and Northern Ireland) Regulations 2009. The regulations makes it clear that throughout the EU if you choose English law in your contract then that will apply. |
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| Read more... |
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| Export and Import of Goods, Internet selling and EU Law |
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| Posted: 01.12.2009 |
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| Do you export or import goods? If so the new draft EU block exemption regulations and guidance issued at the end of July 2009 may be of interest. Most distribution agreements in the EU are drafted with an eye to the EU regulation in this area (the vertical agreements block exemption) and the guidance notes which go with it. The EU has proposed a replacement for this legislation on which comments are sought by September.
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| Swine flu - The Law |
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| Posted: 28.11.2009 |
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| Lawyers are finding an increase in requests for legal advice about the implications of the swine flu pandemic. Do you know your legal position? |
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| Read more... |
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| New Intestacy Rules |
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| Posted: 02.11.2009 |
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| From 1 February 2010 new intestacy rules apply. "Intestacy" means who inherits if you leave no will. The law decides. In most cases it is better to make a will. It is rarely sensible to write your own will as the rules are complex. Two witnesses must sign in the presence of the person making the will at the same time, and there are other legal complications. Get it wrong and the will is invalid. |
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| Read more... |
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| October 2009 Employment Law Changes |
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| Posted: 04.10.2009 |
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| From 1st October employers must not include tips in calculating if an employee is paid the national minimum wage. Until then it is lawful to do so. In addition, the Work and Families (Increase of Maximum Amount) Order 2009 comes into force. |
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| Read more... |
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| Assisted Suicide |
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| Posted: 30.09.2009 |
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| Many of our local private clients wrestle with legal issues over elderly relatives and their wishes. We can advise on writing a "living will" setting out how someone might prefer to be treated as they become less competent and we can draw up a lasting power of attorney to deal with other legal matters. |
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