Execution-only meaning

A meeting with your line manager on your first day Setting up a meeting with your line manager on day one of your new role is strongly advisable. Although it will most likely be an initial ‘getting to know you’ chat, there are several questions you can raise to help you feel more at ease in the position. If you are the only in-house lawyer or leading an internal legal team, your line manager will typically be the CEO or Finance Director, though it could be any other director. If you are joining an existing team, your line manager may sit in a legal, regulatory or compliance function, for example: Company Secretary General Counsel Senior Solicitor Legal Director Compliance Director Alternatively, they may hold a non-legal post, such as Finance Director or CEO. In a larger team with multiple layers in the reporting structure, your line manager could be someone else within that hierarchy. This Checklist highlights the key...

Checklist The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI), a part of HM Treasury, is responsible for communicating, implementing and enforcing financial sanctions in the UK. It also holds powers to grant licences that permit an activity or transaction which would otherwise be prohibited under the UK financial sanctions regime. OFSI may only issue licences connected to financial sanctions. If your application concerns a different sanction, such as trade or immigration, you must send it to the appropriate Department. See further Practice Note: Understanding the financial sanctions regime. This Checklist brings together the requirements for applying to OFSI for a financial sanctions licence, alongside recommendations to help make your application faster and easier. These are drawn from multiple sources, including the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 (SAMLA 2018) and regulations made under it, various OFSI guidance materials, and guidance from the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). This Checklist also signposts relevant content to support compliance with these requirements and suggestions. A section is provided for you to indicate completion...

Test for delay A stay is an exceptional measure, invoked only as a last resort. The court will stay proceedings only if it is satisfied, on the balance of probabilities, that delay means a fair trial cannot take place. In this context, two principal bases can justify a stay: the defendant can no longer have a fair trial it is not fair for the defendant to be tried at all The burden is on the defendant to show, on the balance of probabilities, that a fair trial is no longer achievable. Even if delay is proved, the judge retains a discretion to refuse a stay where the trial’s fairness can be protected by appropriate case management...

These Flowcharts These Flowcharts offer direction on the proper method for completing the parts of a stock transfer form that address consideration, stamp duty certification, and execution. They are included within an annotated stock transfer form, which clearly sets out instructions explaining how its sections should be properly filled in...

Procurement process flowchart This Procurement process flowchart outlines the sequence a procurement might follow and highlights the factors to weigh and the considerations involved to maintain a transparent and appropriate procedure. It further points to the Precedents on hand to support you through the procurement steps. This Flowchart serves as a worked illustration and is not meant to be exhaustive. While organisations may adopt quite varied approaches, it offers a useful baseline or point of reference. Any contract value amounts shown here are for demonstration purposes only...

This flowchart sets out the process under the FIDIC Red, Yellow and Silver Books, 1999 editions, for defects under: clause 7.5, where Plant, Materials, design or workmanship are discovered to be faulty or otherwise non-compliant with the Contract, and the Employer rejects the relevant Plant, Materials, design or workmanship clause 7.6, when the Employer directs the Contractor to strip out and substitute any non-compliant Plant or Materials, to take out and reperform any other work that does not meet the Contract, or to carry out any work urgently needed to protect the safety of the Works clause 11.1, under which the Contractor must perform all tasks necessary to make good defects or damage, as notified by the Employer on or before the end of the Defects Notification Period clause 12.3, if a Test after Completion is not passed, and clause 11.1(b) concerning the rectification of defects applies (Yellow and Silver Books only) For further details, see Practice Note: FIDIC Contracts (pre–2017...

Antitrust The application in Case C-60/25 Livronsa has now been published, an Italian national reference asking whether national courts must regard the Euribor manipulation evidence confirmed by the Commission and the Court of Justice as conclusive, and whether the ensuing competition restriction applies only to the derivatives market or instead to all markets that use the manipulated Euribor benchmark—see also the application The General Court has recently issued an order in Case T-413/21 Feralpi v Commission, an action lodged against the Commission for failing to pay Default Interest as required by the General Court in Cases C-85/15 Feralpi v Commission...

Antitrust Commission issues SO to Meta over WhatsApp AI access limits; flags possible interim measures The Commission has delivered a statement of objections to Meta, outlining its preliminary assessment that Meta blocked third-party artificial intelligence (AI) assistants from accessing and engaging with users on WhatsApp, infringing Article 102 TFEU (AT.41034). The Commission considers that Meta’s behaviour risks preventing competitors from entering or growing in the rapidly expanding market for general-purpose AI assistants and has therefore indicated its intention to impose interim measures (subject to Meta’s rights of defence) to avoid serious and irreparable harm to competition. Background On 15 October 2025, Meta announced changes to its WhatsApp Business Solution Terms, effectively prohibiting third-party general-purpose AI assistants from the platform. Consequently, from 15 January 2026, Meta’s own assistant, Meta AI, has been the only AI assistant available on WhatsApp. On 4 December 2025, the Commission opened formal proceedings to examine whether this policy shift amounts to an abuse of dominance. The investigation covers the EEA, excluding Italy, where...

In this issue: Key developments and materials Electricity and gas market regulation and licensing Renewable energy Conventional power, waste to energy, biomass, and CHP projects International energy Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Dates for your diary Trackers New Q&As Key developments and materials DBT publishes UK’s critical mineral strategy The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has released a suite of resources setting out the government’s plan to secure supplies of critical minerals for UK industry and energy security. The Resilience for the Future policy paper explains that the UK will speed up growth of domestic capability, work with international partners, and strengthen global markets so they are more responsive, transparent, and responsible. See: LNB News 10/05/2024 31. Electricity and gas market regulation and licensing Ofgem launches BAT consultation Ofgem has opened a consultation on lifting the current prohibition on acquisition-only tariffs (BAT). The ban was...

This Practice Note forms part of the Lexis+® UK Corporate private equity buyout transaction toolkit. The reporting process Every adviser appointed to carry out due diligence ought to flag principal findings as they emerge, particularly any significant risks or concerns, and then prepare a due diligence report to highlight material issues arising from their review work and analysis. The advisers’ engagement letters must clearly define the agreed timetable, format and scope of the due diligence report. Draft or interim reports can be produced and shared at intervals during the process, enabling material issues to be promptly addressed as they arise. Frequently, by the point the final report goes to the private equity investor, they will be aware of all material matters that could affect the transaction in question. The aim of a legal due diligence report is to: provide the investor with adequate information about the target and to summarise that material in a succinct and comprehensive ...

CASE HUB ARCHIVED This archived case hub reflects the position as at the judgment of 7 December 2022; it is no longer maintained. See further, timeline. Case facts Outline Appeal before the General Court seeking annulment of the Commission’s readopted infringement decision of 17 December 2020, which imposed a reduced fine amounting to €9.4m (AT.39563). Latest development On 7 December 2022, the General Court delivered its judgment and dismissed the appeal in full. In particular, it found that: (i) CCPL grasped the Commission’s reasoning, and the material presented by CCPL was insufficient to overturn the presumption applied by the Commission that CCPL exercised decisive influence over entities within the CCPL group; and (iii) the Commission did not err in concluding that a fine reduction can only be warranted by the aim of preventing the undertaking’s economic viability from being irreparably endangered and its assets stripped of value, so the applicant’s intention to develop operating companies of the CCPL group cannot, in principle, justify such...

This Practice Note sets out the principal tax considerations where creditors move to enforce security over the assets of a distressed company or corporate group. Related Practice Notes in this series address tax issues concerning: acquisitions of distressed debt, and debt restructurings (ie waivers, debt/equity swaps or renegotiations) In addition, Tax and distressed debt—checklist of points to consider distils the main tax points to bear in mind when dealing with distressed debt in general. This Practice Note reviews the enforcement routes open to creditors of troubled businesses and the consequences that may follow. For a detailed look at the loan relationships provisions on debt releases, see: Loan relationships—impairment and debt releases Loan relationships—impairment and debt releases: connected companies Types of enforcement As explained in Practice Note: Tax and distressed debt—debt restructurings, lenders will frequently engage in a restructuring of a distressed group’s debt to help the underlying business continue. Enforcing security over a borrower’s assets...

This Agreement, dated [ • ] 20[ • ], is entered into between the following parties: Parties [ insert name of Borrower ], a company incorporated in England and Wales with registered number [ insert company number ], whose registered office is at [ insert address ] (the Borrower); and [ insert name of Lender ] of [ insert address ] (the Lender). Background (A) [ insert description of background to transaction ]. (B) The Lender has agreed to provide the Facility (as defined below) to the Borrower on the terms and conditions contained in this Agreement...

Suggested email to arrange counterpart completion with other solicitors SUBJECT: [ Transaction Name OR Details ] – Completion Arrangements We write to outline, for the purposes of these arrangements, our intended approach for arranging the signing and delivery of the documents required for the anticipated completion of [ insert details ]. We confirm that [ insert firm name ] is prepared to serve as nominated person pursuant to section 2(1) of the Legal Writings (Counterparts and Delivery) (Scotland) Act 2015 (the Act), and, as agreed, section 2(3) of the Act is hereby excluded and will not apply to these Completion Arrangements...

The Contract comprises the completed Standard Building Contract Without Quantities for use in Scotland 2016 published by the SBCC subject to the following amendments: Recitals and Articles updated: contractor to provide a master programme and Schedule of Information Requirements; CDP responsibility accepted; Principal Contractor duties priced; arbitration deleted; Schedule of Amendments prevails; Third Party Agreements duties. Contract Particulars: arbitration entries removed; Rectification Period set at 12 months; fluctuations and certain PII/guarantee entries deleted. Conditions: key definitions revised (Practical Completion, Copyright Material, Design sub‑contractors, Funder, Site); Scottish jurisdiction; approvals mean principles only; entire agreement; variations in writing. Design/materials/programming: contractor accepts ER/CP; quality and non‑deleterious materials; programme reporting; site risk; drawings/info supply; tighter discrepancy notices. Time/defects: mitigate and advise on delay; narrower Relevant Events; Practical Completion clarified; stronger rectification, consequential damage and indemnity; phased as‑built/occupation information. IP/confidentiality/BIM: broader licence, moral rights waivers and delivery; confidentiality reinforced; BIM where adopted. Management/sub‑contracting: access, approved Site Manager, meetings; prescribed sub‑contracts; collateral warranties/third‑party rights; CDM duties; insurance...

Under WTR 1998, workers get 5.6 weeks’ annual leave each year: a basic entitlement of four weeks’ leave (20 days for a standard full‑time worker) implementing article 7 of the Working Time Directive (WTD) an additional 1.6 weeks’ leave (eight days for a standard full‑time worker) created by domestic law only Understanding this distinction is important because: European Court of Justice case law concerns the WTD alone, so it applies only to the basic four weeks’ paid leave holiday pay is calculated differently for: the basic four weeks, and the additional 1.6 weeks The general rules as to the right to carry forward accrued holiday entitlement are that: the basic four weeks must be taken in the leave year earned and cannot be carried over (though an employer may choose to allow it) a relevant agreement may allow the additional 1.6...

Duty to make reasonable adjustments The Equality Act 2010 (EqA 2010) establishes a duty to make reasonable adjustments (referred to below as ‘the duty’), which contains three distinct requirements. The third requires that, where a disabled person would, without the provision of an auxiliary aid, face a substantial disadvantage in relation to a relevant matter when compared with people who are not disabled, such steps as are reasonable must be taken to supply the auxiliary aid. The situations in which the duty arises differ across workplace settings. Accordingly, the precise circumstances that engage the duty will not be uniform across all settings. For all three requirements, the duty is triggered only where a disabled individual is placed at a substantial disadvantage compared with non‑disabled people ‘in relation to a “relevant matter”’, and what counts as a ‘relevant matter’ (as defined in EqA 2010, Sch 8 Pt 1) varies according to the particular type of workplace. As a result, application of the duty is context‑specific to the workplace in question....

In any specific context, a controller handling personal data or information must assess if the processing activity complies with what is now the applicable Assimilated Regulation (EU) 2016/679, the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018)...