In a decision of huge importance to residential landlords and the public in general, the Court of Appeal has considered the extent to which local authorities can demand improvements, or control the condition and contents, of private rented homes. A…
Children thrive best when they have ready contact with both their parents. However, as one case involving the eight-year-old son of Polish parents showed, difficulties frequently arise where one parent wishes to relocate overseas. The end of the parents’ relationship…
When should a damaged vessel be considered a constructive total loss (CTL)? And how should ship owners go about giving notice of abandonment (NOA)? In a ruling of particular interest to marine insurers, the Court of Appeal considered both those…
Private companies are used to competing fiercely for public contracts but, as a High Court case concerning proposed privatisation of services provided by two NHS trusts showed, public authorities also increasingly find themselves in the bear pit. With a view…
A case in which a son abused his power of attorney to squander £230,000 of his frail mother's money underlined the wisdom of employing an experienced lawyer, rather than a loved one to manage your finances if you lose the ability…
Industrial deafness can be slow to develop and those affected have a tendency to suffer in silence. However, as a Court of Appeal ruling powerfully underlined, you should seek legal advice immediately if you have the slightest suspicion that your…
The cohabiting couple is the second largest family type in the UK, and the fastest growing, with statistics published by the Office for National Statistics in November 2017 forecasting approximately 3.3 million families in 2017. It is worrying, therefore, that…
The insolvency of one of the companies within a contractual chain can cause major difficulties for all concerned. However, as one High Court case showed, professional drafting of agreements can provide invaluable protection against such risks. A large contractor had…
One of the primary purposes of insurance is to give peace of mind, but those who do not read the small print can find that the cover that they have paid for is illusory. Exactly that happened in one case…
When companies hit financial trouble and are at risk of insolvency, directors owe a legal duty to consider the interests of creditors. In one case where that signally did not happen, two directors who credited their loan accounts with large…