Given the Law Society’s ongoing attempts to amend the Property Information Form (see July/August 2024 edition (p7)), it is fair to say that any cases involving misrepresentation and land law are likely to be closely scrutinised. The HC dismissed a recent misrepresentation claim, but the judgment included a helpful summary of the principles relating to …
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Practitioners will welcome new Law Society guidance on advocacy in the youth court. Children are particularly vulnerable, and may be in care and have complex needs. The guidance provides a ‘basic introduction’ to working with children in the youth justice system, and signposts readers to regulatory guidance and several further resources. The guidance follows last …
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PI practitioners should note an interest rate reduction as this will affect interest calculations in PI cases. In response to the decrease in the Bank of England base rate on 1 August 2024, the Court Funds Office (CFO) rates of interest payable to clients have been reviewed and from 19 September 2024 these will change …
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Practitioners should note recent changes to the Criminal Procedural Rules which came into force from 7 October 2024 (made by the Criminal Procedure (Amendment No. 2) Rules 2024). The Criminal Procedure Rules and PD 2020 includes those changes, which are: Replaced: Parts 36 (appeals to the CA) and 43 (appeal or reference to the SC) …
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Conscious of high-profile cases involving legal fees, the LSB has issued some common questions they receive regarding requests for costs information. They have also published some illustrative case studies, setting out the types of issues involved in these cases, and how they would be likely to approach them if they were referred to the LSB. …
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The government has set out its proposals for sweeping employment rights changes. The bill was introduced to the House of Commons on 10 October 2024. Consultation is proposed in 2025. Most reforms will take effect no earlier than 2026. Some of the headline proposals include: banning zero hours contracts; banning fire and rehire; introducing basic …
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The SC has overturned a CA decision relating to a case involving assessment of solicitors’ costs. The case summary states: ‘Background to the Appeal This appeal concerns the circumstances in which a solicitor’s client may apply to the court for assessment of their solicitor’s bill of costs. The court has the power to assess the …
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The SC has prevented an employer from using fire and rehire tactics to remove employee benefits which had been described as ‘permanent’. The case summary is as follows: ‘Background to the Appeal This appeal concerns whether Tesco Stores Ltd (“Tesco”) can terminate the employment contracts of its employees, for the specific purpose of depriving them …
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Most conveyancers probably do not need reminding that the current SDLT rates were only a temporary measure, introduced in 2022. From 1 April 2025 the rates for a freehold purchase by a UK resident individual replacing a main residence will be: Relevant consideration Percentage Up to £125,000 Nil The next £125,000 (the portion from £125,001 …
The Worker Protection Act (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023 will come into force on 26 October 2024 and changes the duty on employers from redress to prevention. All employers will be required to take ‘reasonable steps’ to prevent sexual harassment. Tribunals will have the power to increase compensation by up to 25% if …
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