The law of intellectual property is seldom simple or without surprises. In 2014, the High Court decided that the 'corrugated' shape of the Kit Kat chocolate bar, whilst unremarkable in itself, had acquired a 'distinctive character' by way of use…
A recent case has illustrated that a lack of formal agreements regarding the ownership of assets is a proven recipe for dispute when a relationship breaks up. It involved a couple who ran a frozen food business and lived together…
Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs) are a relatively new form of business, having only been introduced following the passing of the Limited Liability Partnerships Act 2000. An LLP is, as the name implies, a sort of cross between a limited company…
'Buyer beware' is a legal concept with which purchasers of goods and property have had to contend for centuries. It applies to most transactions where specific protection for purchasers is not provided under the law. It was rigorously applied in…
A civilian police worker whose claims of psychiatric disability were disbelieved by her bosses, and who was sacked on the basis of vague allegations, has won the right to substantial compensation for the mistreatment she endured. The woman had worked…
Employers are reminded that the following changes to the National Minimum Wage (NMW) rates came into effect on 1 October 2015: the adult NMW rate increased from £6.50 to £6.70 per hour; the NMW rate for workers aged 18 to…
Workers whose contracts are shifted from one employer to another are protected by law against the consequences of commercial deals over which they have no control. However, the complications involved in such transfers were highlighted by the case of a…
In whistleblowing cases, the employee’s state of mind is the decisive factor and that was certainly so in the case of a college lecturer who was dismissed after being accused of making groundless allegations against a colleague. The lecturer faced…
Anyone tempted to vent their spleen against their employer on the Internet should take careful note of a case in which a canal worker was sacked after using a string of offensive expletives to describe his supervisors on Facebook. The…
The Rugby World Cup 2015 commences on Friday, 18 September 2015, with a match between England and Fiji, with the final due to be played at Twickenham on 31 October 2015. Employers who have not already done so should ensure…
