Adoption meaning

Legislation safeguards the pension entitlements of members of occupational pension schemes and other employment‑related benefit arrangements, including workplace personal pension schemes that receive employer contributions, while they are away from work on statutory family leave. Statutory family leave encompasses: maternity leave paternity leave adoption leave parental leave shared parental leave parental bereavement leave carer’s leave Maternity leave Occupational pension schemes are taken to include a maternity equality rule requiring periods when a member is on maternity leave to be treated in the same manner as periods when they are not on maternity leave. This maternity equality rule applies to both paid and unpaid ordinary maternity leave (OML), as well as to paid additional maternity leave (AML). As a result, under this rule, time spent on OML and paid AML in a defined benefit (DB) scheme is recognised as pensionable service...

This timeline outlines key developments in the UK regulation of central securities depositories, including under Assimilated Regulation (EU) 909/2014 (the UK Central Securities Depositories Regulation), from 2024 onwards. For earlier milestones, see Central Securities Depositories Regulation (CSDR)—timeline (Archived). 2026 26 January 2026 — IA: The Investment Association presents a roadmap for the move to T+1; IA: T+1 Settlement: Navigating the UK, EU and Swiss Transition [PDF]. UK Accelerated Settlement Taskforce Quarterly Review — Q4 2025: FCA welcomes the Accelerated Settlement Taskforce’s 2025 update on T+1 progress. The T+1 Accelerated Settlement Taskforce has issued its Q4 2025 progress review, detailing advances towards adoption of a trade-date-plus-one (T+1) settlement cycle, with 11 October 2027 as the current target. In tandem, the Investment Association (IA) released T+1 Settlement: Navigating the UK, EU and Swiss Transition, which sets out a proposed roadmap for shifting the UK and EU securities markets from trade-date-plus-two (T+2) to T+1. See: Progress report and roadmap published for transition to T+1 settlement cycle...

Search orders Formerly known as Anton Piller orders, search orders are frequently made in conjunction with a freezing order and permit an applicant to attend at the respondent’s premises to search for and safeguard evidence that might otherwise be disposed of, concealed, or destroyed. The order may only be served by a supervising solicitor and is subject to very strict requirements as set out in the Family Procedure Rules 2010 (FPR 2010), SI 2010/2955. The adoption of Anton Piller relief, now codified within FPR 2010 as search orders, gained prominence in family proceedings through two authorities on disclosure and self‑help (L v L and Tchenguiz v Imerman; Imerman v Imerman). The courts have issued a firm caution against self‑help in preference to pursuing the proper court‑based remedies; see Practice Note: Procedural aspects of disclosure in financial proceedings—Disclosure of documents belonging to the other party. Great care should be exercised when drafting the terms of the order. A standard form search order has been produced—see Precedent: Standard order 3.2—search order—family...

In this issue: Horizon scanning Status and worker categories Benefits Prohibited conduct Unfair dismissal Settlement Employment tribunals Dates for your diary Trackers New Q&As Employment resources on Lexis+® LexTalk®Employment: a Lexis®Nexis community Daily and weekly news alerts Horizon scanning What to watch in Employment law this winter In 2025, the government’s suite of employment reforms has set the pace, yet noteworthy shifts in case law and workplace culture also merit close attention as winter draws in. Some updates will stem from regulators, including the Financial Conduct Authority, which is anticipated to finalise guidance on tackling non-financial misconduct. Practitioners should also be mindful of the broader adoption of artificial intelligence, alongside a rise in employees voicing politically sensitive opinions at work, both of which demand vigilance as 2026 approaches. See Law360: What to watch in employment law this winter. Status and worker categories European Parliament ready to negotiate better...

In this issue: Cross border criminal investigations Criminal procedure and evidence Proceeds of crime Bribery, corruption, sanctions and export controls Cybercrime and data protection offences Environmental offences Financial services and pensions offences Fraud, forgery, tax and theft offences Insolvency Local authority prosecutions Money laundering Corporate Crime in Scotland Other corporate crime and crime related news Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Dates for your diary Trackers Useful information Cross border criminal investigations Companies should act as corporate enforcement develops. In late June 2025, SFO Director Nick Ephgrave met with Matthew Galeotti, head of the criminal division at the US Department of Justice (DOJ), and both reiterated a pledge to work together on prominent transnational investigations. Hayley Lund, partner, and Frankie Cowl, counsel, at Weil Gotshal & Manges LLP, consider the UK’s shifting corporate enforcement landscape. See News Analysis: Companies must take action as...

In this issue Security Sustainable finance Debt capital markets Derivatives Regulation for derivatives lawyers Claims and remedies Daily and weekly news alerts Updated Practice Notes Useful information Security HM Land Registry has revised Practice Guide 29—Registration of legal charges and deeds of variation of charge. An update to section 4 now explains how to remove a note recorded in the charges register pursuant to section 859H of the Companies Act 2006. See: LNB News 06/05/2025 2. Source: Registration of legal charges and deeds of variation of charge (PG29). Sustainable finance The European Commission has opened a call for evidence to review the Sustainable Finance Disclosures Regulation (EU) 2019/2088 (EU SFDR). The initiative targets unnecessary burdens by simplifying and streamlining obligations, including easing environmental, social and governance reporting for financial market participants so they can focus on information most relevant to investors. Responses are requested by 30 May 2025, and the feedback will guide...

This Practice Note outlines the concept of parental responsibility for children under section 3 of the Children Act 1989 (ChA 1989). It describes what sits within the scope of parental responsibility and how the courts have read this concept in connection with matters such as education, religious upbringing, consent to medical treatment, changing a child’s surname, and removing a child from the jurisdiction. Definition Parental responsibility relates to the care and raising of a child until they reach adulthood. Under the ChA 1989, parental responsibility comprises all the rights, duties, powers, responsibilities and authority that, in law, a parent holds in respect of their child and the child’s property. It also embraces the rights, powers and duties that a guardian of the child’s estate (appointed before the ChA 1989 commenced) possessed in relation to the child’s property. Those rights extend to receiving or recovering, in the guardian’s own name for the child’s benefit, property of any description and wherever located to which the child is entitled to receive...

Scope of this Practice Note This Practice Note addresses matters linked to technology used to help firms comply with their regulatory duties—often referred to as ‘regtech’. It reviews how the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Bank of England (BoE) (including the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA)) engage with regtech, highlights industry activity, and records both the proposal and subsequent withdrawal of an FCA ‘Robo Handbook’. It examines these facets of what has come to be known as ‘regtech’: what is regtech? the FCA’s approach FCA TechSprints digital sandbox other regulator-side developments towards a Robo Handbook industry-side developments other initiatives What is regtech? Regtech is a broad label for the use of technology to help firms discharge regulatory requirements more efficiently and effectively than legacy systems allow—and, at times, for the use of technology by regulators to support their own supervisory responsibilities. The expression is used either in contrast to, or as a subset of, fintech....

This Practice Note provides an introduction to the overall structure of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law Arbitration Rules (the UNCITRAL Rules). The UNCITRAL Rules occupy a significant role in contemporary arbitration practice. They are crafted for ad hoc international commercial arbitrations—proceedings not administered by an arbitral institution and, typically, not conducted under that institution’s rules. The Rules may likewise be employed in investor–state arbitrations commenced under a treaty, such as a bilateral investment treaty, where the treaty permits arbitration conducted under those rules. Unless the parties stipulate otherwise, the UNCITRAL Rules govern arbitration agreements concluded on or after 15 August 2010, ie the date the revised Rules took effect. The earlier 1976 UNCITRAL Rules continue to apply to all arbitration agreements entered into before that date. Both the 1976 and 2010 UNCITRAL Rules are separate from UNCITRAL’s Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration, adopted in 1985 and revised in 2006, which has been adopted (often with modifications) by more than 50 jurisdictions—see Practice Note: The UNCITRAL...

The Investment Property Forum (IPF) produced this precedent because they recognise it is very common for the parties to a prospective property deal to enter into a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) so they can review certain marketing material and/or commence due diligence...

Employee name: Employment commencement date and present length of service [ Insert date ] [ Insert length of service ] Job role: Division/Department Assessed by: Assessment date: Role: Approved by: Date: Role: Guidance: When using the criteria (other than disciplinary history), reasonable adjustments might be required for workers with a disability (as set out in the Equality Act 2010, s 6) where not doing so would put them at a significant disadvantage compared with non-disabled colleagues. This exception does not extend to disciplinary records. Service refers to continuous employment with the company and any linked company. Service includes transferred service within associated companies. If the worker has under 12 months’ service, convert the absence record to an annualised figure. Annualisation ensures a balanced and like-for-like assessment. Disregard the following absences: These must be excluded from absence calculations. absences linked to a disability (as defined by Equality Act 2010, s 6); maternity...

1 Introduction 1.1 This policy explains when our staff may qualify for paternity leave and pay, and describes how leave can be taken and the steps to arrange it. 1.2 This policy is issued for guidance only and does not form any part of your employment contract, and we may revise it at any time. It summarises the statutory rights available to employees and others, but is intended as an overview and not a full statement of your rights. If you have any questions about what you are entitled to, please contact [ the HR department ]. 1.3 This policy can apply to either a man or a woman. References to a child also include children where a multiple birth has occurred (eg, twins), or where more than one child is placed as part of the same adoption arrangement or process...

Section 38 agreements These agreements fall under section 38 of the Highways Act 1980; refer to Practice Note: Highways—adoption agreements. There is no statutory route by which agreements can be ended or ‘cancelled’. However, a section 38 agreement may, in principle, be altered by a deed of variation, but this requires consent of all parties to the original agreement...

This Q&A relates to the shared parental leave and shared parental pay regime introduced in respect of children who are: due to be born on or after 5 April 2015, or placed for adoption on or after 5 April 2015 Shared parental leave permits parents, if they prefer, to split up to a maximum of 50 weeks of the leave that would otherwise fall solely to the mother or adopter, which is then treated as shared parental leave. Shared parental pay enables the mother and the father (or, where relevant, the adopter and the adopter’s partner) to divide up to 37 weeks of the pay to which the mother (or adopter) would otherwise be solely entitled. To qualify for shared parental leave and pay, the mother and the father (or, as applicable, the adopter and the adopter’s partner) must satisfy certain eligibility criteria and comply fully with the required notice, declarations and supporting evidence provisions...

Under section 203 of the Highways Act 1980 (HiA 1980) A ‘private street’ is, for the purposes of section 203, a street that is not a highway maintainable at the public expense. Where a highway authority constructs a highway, it becomes maintainable at the public expense (by the highway authority) from the point it is first opened for use. Any highway created after the Highways Act 1835 took effect is only maintainable at public expense if, at some time, the relevant public authority has adopted it for maintenance. Adoption may occur following a request by the owner or be undertaken by the authority itself, and it is mandatory where confirmed under a private street works code or a similar procedure. See Practice Note: Maintenance liability for highways...