Twenty years ago the idea of any person instructing the Bar other than a private practice solicitor was frowned upon. Although as qualified solicitors in-house counsel always had the right to instruct barristers, convention dictated private practice lawyers acted as gatekeepers of the Bar for companies seeking advice on litigation. But, as the rules have changed and in-house lawyers have expanded their remits, corporate legal teams have come to appreciate the benefits of direct interaction with barristers. Continue reading “Straight to the source”
Passion plays
Working long hours, expected to be available at all hours, and labelled a cost-centre. Such are the pressures of life in-house. The days of commerce and industry as a softer option for lawyers than the toil of the law firm associate track are rapidly drawing to a close. Continue reading “Passion plays”
Goodbye nine to five
In June 2014 the government extended flexible working rights to more than 20 million employees across the UK in a policy shift that recognised the traditional nine-to-five routine no longer dominates British workplaces. But if such attitudes are relatively new to much of the economy, lawyers in in-house roles – traditionally a more progressive environment than private practice – have long put a premium on agile working. Continue reading “Goodbye nine to five”
Drones and robots: liability for designers, manufacturers and insurers
The beginning of 2014 saw the launch of a plethora of smart technology. Amazon grabbed the headlines with the news that they were considering the use of drones for package deliveries. Our prediction (IHL211, June 2013) that driverless cars would be with us sooner than thought came true with an announcement that Milton Keynes is to introduce driverless cars which will be booked through a smartphone app. More recently, Sir James Dyson has invested £5m in a venture to develop household robots. Continue reading “Drones and robots: liability for designers, manufacturers and insurers”
Electricity market reform: an update on contracts for difference
The Energy Bill, legislating for the government’s electricity market reform (EMR), finally became the Energy Act in December 2013. The government initially announced its proposals back in December 2010. This legislation, three years in the making, is central to the government’s energy policy and its stated aims of keeping the lights on, keeping energy bills affordable and decarbonising energy generation.
Over the past three years, the Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) have issued an ever-increasing stream of papers. More recent papers have disclosed some key shifts in original thoughts on implementation, the latest being prompted by EU state aid guidelines. Continue reading “Electricity market reform: an update on contracts for difference”
Devolution of Scottish employment tribunals
On 1 September this year, as part of her ‘Programme for Scotland’ speech outlining proposed legislation in the Scottish parliament, the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon outlined a number of measures that the Scottish Government hopes will ‘place a strong – and growing – emphasis on fair work’. Principally among these was a commitment to abolish employment tribunal fees as soon as the powers become available. Unsurprisingly, the announcement made headlines within the HR community and further afield. Continue reading “Devolution of Scottish employment tribunals”
Another reason to lie awake at night
Being a boss of an SME has been likened to a plate juggler having to be constantly alert to what is happening in all parts of the business and ready to take swift action to avoid smashing the company crockery.
Managing the business in the ordinary course and dealing with matters as they arise (to quote a former Secretary of State ‘the known unknowns’) is bad enough but to cope with the ‘unknown unknowns’ is truly a nightmare. Continue reading “Another reason to lie awake at night”
Energy efficiency in the UK: legal changes and commercial impact
In recent years various UK governments have made commitments at international, European and national levels to reduce overall emissions of greenhouse gases including through the promotion of energy efficiency. These high-level commitments have impacted both commercial and domestic energy consumers through the introduction of regulation, taxation and incentives aimed at helping to meet these commitments. Continue reading “Energy efficiency in the UK: legal changes and commercial impact”
The rule of penalties subjected to a thorough going-over
The much anticipated judgment of the Supreme Court in the conjoined appeals of Cavendish Square Holdings BV v Talal El Makdessi and ParkingEye Ltd v Barry Beavis [2015] was handed down last month. Continue reading “The rule of penalties subjected to a thorough going-over”
Tech Entrepreneurs take on the prime minister on immigration policy
The government’s policy of reducing net migration to the tens of thousands continues to attract fierce debate among important stakeholders. In a recent development, a number of the UK’s most powerful technology leaders have issued a warning to the prime minister that businesses within the technology sector will suffer if the Home Office presses ahead with plans to reduce the numbers of skilled migrants entering the UK from outside the European Economic Area. Continue reading “Tech Entrepreneurs take on the prime minister on immigration policy”
A hostile environment for illegal immigrants: the Immigration Bill 2015
Immigration has become one of the largest public policy issues in the UK. According to the Office for National Statistics, net migration reached an all time high of 330,000 in the year to March 2015. Given the long-term demographic impacts and the effect on public services, the UK government has set ambitious targets to reduce the scale of immigration into the UK. Continue reading “A hostile environment for illegal immigrants: the Immigration Bill 2015”
Shale gas: the developing regulatory regime
One of the challenges facing the shale gas industry is grappling with the different regulatory regimes in each jurisdiction. The UK provides an interesting illustration of these challenges. In England, the Conservative Party supports the progression of the industry. In comparison, the Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish administrations are taking a more cautious approach. This divergence corresponds with recent commitments made by the UK government to devolve onshore oil and gas licensing powers to Wales and Scotland. Consequently, the latest onshore licensing round, which was announced in August 2015, issued petroleum exploration and development licences to operators in England only. Continue reading “Shale gas: the developing regulatory regime ”