Shareholder Rule Implications Further to my colleague Luke Hackett’s post reporting that “The Shareholder Rule, a doctrine which had precluded companies from asserting Legal Professional Privilege against their shareholders, is no more” it is important to consider the implications that the Privy Council’s decision has on directors and shareholders alike given this principle, rightly or wrongly, has stood in English [...]
Landmark decision: Ruling on Insurance Rent Commissions Background In May 2025, Mr Justice Richards delivered judgment in the second round of dispute between London Trocadero (2015) LLP, landlord of the Trocadero Centre in London, and Picturehouse Cinemas Ltd, its cinema tenant. The issue in question: Was the landlord entitled to charge the tenant the insurance premium which included the commission [...]
Supplementary Employment for Skilled Workers – Know Your Options If you're a Skilled Worker in the UK considering taking on additional paid work alongside your sponsored job, it's crucial to understand what’s permitted under the latest immigration rules. As of 22 July 2025, the rules on supplementary employment have been updated to clarify who is eligible and under what conditions [...]
Climate Change and Property Law: how changes impact real estate As climate change increasingly shapes the legal and commercial landscape, solicitors must adapt practices to address the emerging risks. The Law Society’s recent guidance and practice notes provide an insightful framework for understanding and responding to climate-related challenges in property transactions. Key highlights The Law Society outlines three key categories [...]
Big changes coming to the skilled worker visa route – what employers need to know On 1 July 2025, the Government released a long-awaited Statement of Changes to the Immigration Rules, confirming several major updates that will reshape the Skilled Worker visa route. These changes will take effect from 22 July 2025 and will apply to any applications relying on [...]
Shared Appreciation, Unshared Burden: The Ethical Failure of Bank of Scotland and Barclays Bank For nearly three decades, a large group of mostly elderly and vulnerable mortgage holders have endured the consequences of a financial product that promised security but delivered profound hardship. The Shared Appreciation Mortgage (SAM), sold in the late 1990s primarily by Bank of Scotland (now part [...]
Garfield.law & the ‘Robot Solicitor’ Sensation In May 2025, legal headlines across the UK proclaimed the arrival of the country’s “first robot solicitor” - a legal AI tool named Garfield.law. Described in the media as a revolutionary step toward automated justice, the reality was more modest: Garfield is a procedural software system with AI capability designed to help individuals pursue [...]
Trump halts international student visas – why you should look to the UK instead This week in the US, President Donald Trump's administration has ordered US embassies around the world to stop scheduling appointments for student visas. This follows on from Trump’s ongoing battle with Harvard to prevent international students enrolling or remaining at the university. This article explores the [...]
Have faith! A High Court ruling on Directors' Authority In Jusan Technologies Ltd v Uconinvest [2025] EWHC 704 (Ch) (24 March 2025), the High Court found that, although the directors acted beyond the scope of their authority and in breach of the company’s articles of association, the claimant could not rely on this as the transaction fell within s.40 of [...]
Update on the Renters Right Bill – It’s nearly time! The Renters’ Rights Bill has progressed quickly and is expected to be passed as law after April 2025. The Bill aims to reform the private rental sector, including abolishing Section 21 evictions, ending fixed term tenancies and introducing a single system of periodic tenancies. Here is a recap of some [...]
