But We Agreed, Didn’t We?
Contract law abounds with disputes over whether a binding contract has been created at a point in time, and many cases have been heard in which one side to the dispute alleges that a contract has been made whilst the…
Put Your Affairs In Order Today – Or Your Loved Ones May Suffer!
In a case which proved the wisdom of putting your affairs in order before it is too late, a High Court judge’s intervention was required to ensure that the £500,000 proceeds of a deceased father’s life insurance policy went to…
Premiership Football Club 1 HM Revenue and Customs 0
In a decision of interest to employers and tax professionals – and football fans – a tribunal has ruled that payments made to two professional players by a Premiership club in order to persuade them to accept the early termination of…
7,000 Female Supermarket Workers Launch Ground-Breaking Equal Pay Claim
An equal pay claim involving more than 7,000 female supermarket workers – which is said to be the most economically significant piece of litigation to be launched in the UK in recent times – will be heard by an Employment…
Employer Liable for Banker’s Death in Andes Helicopter Crash
Employers are not legally permitted to delegate their duties to keep their staff safe – even if they are working in challenging environments overseas. In one case which makes that point, the family of an investment banker who died when…
Charities and Legal Liability for the Misdeeds of Volunteers
In an important decision of which charities and religious bodies should take careful note, the Court of Appeal has underlined that they can be held legally liable for the misdeeds of volunteers as well as paid employees. The case concerned…
Extending Your Home? Do You Need Planning Permission?
Planning rules relating to home extensions are complex but a householder's victory in a High Court test case is expected to make it significantly easier for some people to enlarge their homes without the need for planning permission. The man…
Exceptional Cases Justify Experimental Care
In a unique decision, which will give hope to people who have family members being denied experimental treatments by the NHS on costs grounds, the NHS has been ordered to provide a pioneering new drug to a teenager whose bright…
Recalcitrant Ex-Husband Discovers Why Court Orders Must Be Obeyed
It is inevitable that those in receipt of court orders often consider them to be unjust – but that is never an excuse for failing to obey them. The High Court made that point in imposing a suspended prison sentence…
Rushing Into Property Purchase Proves Costly
People often complain about the length of time it takes to complete property deals. However, one Court of Appeal case, in which a contract for sale was signed on the spot after only brief consideration, strikingly shows why property purchase…