The SRA’s Warning Notice on Strategic Lawsuits against Public Participations (SLAPPS) follows reports that solicitors are facilitating the suppression of free speech by bringing meritless claims on behalf of wealthy clients to intimidate journalists/the wider media from publishing stories on matters of public interest. The Warning Notice makes clear that acting in this way would breach […]
- Posted in
- Comments Off on SLAPPS – What are they and why are the SRA concerned about them?
Do Firms Need to Restructure Due to Recession?
November 22nd, 2022 by Stuart Smith
The UK is facing a period of considerable economic uncertainty. Compared to the past decade, everyone is feeling the effects of increased living costs, high inflation, high interest rates and a recession is on the way, if it is not already here. In this article, first published in IFA Magazine, Partner Corinne Staves considers how wealth management firms […]
- Posted in
- Comments Off on Do Firms Need to Restructure Due to Recession?
15 important things Senior Executives often forget or leave to the last minute when considering a move
November 3rd, 2022 by Stuart Smith
Senior Executives on the move are understandably very focused on their new opportunity, and primarily on the terms of their new service agreement (and you can see some tips on this in our Little Book of Senior Executives Appointments & Agreements.) But often in practice the other crucial issues be forgotten or left to the […]
- Posted in
- Comments Off on 15 important things Senior Executives often forget or leave to the last minute when considering a move
Employee Rights on Returning to Work after Maternity Leave and Time Off to Care for Children
October 17th, 2022 by Mitchell Blythe
In our latest alert, Senior Partner Sarah Chilton sets out some frequently asked questions and answers about employee rights to return after maternity leave and entitlements to time off in certain circumstances. It is important to note that the points discussed in this alert apply to employees and do not go into detail in relation […]
- Posted in
- Comments Off on Employee Rights on Returning to Work after Maternity Leave and Time Off to Care for Children
15 Self-Preservation Tips For Partners To Avoid Sexual Misconduct Risk
October 3rd, 2022 by Stuart Smith
These are the top 15 practical things that – in our experience – partners in law firms can do to protect themselves against allegations of sexual misconduct, and the internal and regulatory investigations, and potential harm to their reputation, career, family life, and more, that can result. This follows the SRA’s recently published Guidance on […]
- Posted in
- Comments Off on 15 Self-Preservation Tips For Partners To Avoid Sexual Misconduct Risk
Families, Financial Services and the Professions: The Many Uses of Partnerships and LLPs
September 28th, 2022 by Mitchell Blythe
Partnerships, Limited Partnerships and Limited Liability Partnerships (LLPs) have a wide range of uses and occur in a range of structures. In this article, Partner Corinne Staves explores these business forms and their uses, with a focus on families, financial services and in the professional practices world (including internationally). A wise corporate lawyer once introduced […]
- Posted in
- Comments Off on Families, Financial Services and the Professions: The Many Uses of Partnerships and LLPs
Hybrid Working vs Working from Home: What are Employees Expecting Going Forward?
August 24th, 2022 by Stuart Smith
How successfully an employer manages hybrid working going forward, at a time when skills are in short supply, will be core to attracting skilled talent. In this article, Partners Emma Bartlett and Andrew Pavlovic consider what employees appear to be expecting, whether such expectations are both realistic and sustainable, and how employers can manage those […]
- Posted in
- Comments Off on Hybrid Working vs Working from Home: What are Employees Expecting Going Forward?
The 4-Day Working Week Pilot – “The New Frontier for Competition?”
August 17th, 2022 by Stuart Smith
Just over a century ago, at the end of the first Word War and following the foundation of the International Labour Organisation, the average work week for industrial workers in the UK was reduced from 100 hours to 48 hours. At that time, some form of 8 hours per day standard was adopted widely across Europe, […]
- Posted in
- Comments Off on The 4-Day Working Week Pilot – “The New Frontier for Competition?”
Tackling Workplace Culture Wars: What does the SRA’s Guidance on Workplace Environments and Consultation on Health & Wellbeing mean for Firms?
July 26th, 2022 by Stuart Smith
In this article, recently published in the New Law Journal, our regulatory and professional discipline partner, Andrew Pavlovic, considers the issues raised by the SRA’s current focus on workplace culture, looking at both the guidance/thematic Review on workplace environments and the consultation on health and wellbeing at work, and what this focus on culture means for firms.
- Posted in
- Comments Off on Tackling Workplace Culture Wars: What does the SRA’s Guidance on Workplace Environments and Consultation on Health & Wellbeing mean for Firms?
Why the Whistleblowing Bill must become Law
July 5th, 2022 by Stuart Smith
In this article, first published in The Law Society Gazette, our partner, Merrill April, discusses the need for a Whistleblowing Bill and greater protection for whistleblowers in the UK employment arena.
- Posted in
- Comments Off on Why the Whistleblowing Bill must become Law