Narrative meaning

Honduras rejects the ICSID Convention In recent weeks, Honduras announced it would repudiate the international treaty under which it consented to submit disputes to the World Bank’s International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSD), better known as the ICSID Convention. The move followed the country being hit last year with nine distinct ICSID claims, among them a politically charged action brought by a US-based developer seeking up to US$10.7bn in compensation. Honduras now mirrors three other Latin American states that have denounced the ICSID Convention: Ecuador, Bolivia and Venezuela. Across Europe, parliament have also been keen to jettison investment arbitration in favour of a new investor court, promising reforms they believe could rebalance a regime that critics often say tilts towards investors. India, South Africa and New Zealand have likewise taken steps in recent years to curb their exposure to investor–state disputes, so at first sight it may seem these Latin American moves are part of a worldwide revolt against investor–state arbitration. Yet that impression would overlook a...

Watson v Chief Constable of Humberside Police [2025] EWHC 2544 (KB) What are the practical implications of this case? This decision addresses who bears the burden of proof in claims for false imprisonment and assault, and underscores that any detention or use of force by police must be justified by the rationale an officer advances for acting as they did at the material time. It illustrates that disputes should be resolved on the pleaded issues and the evidence tested in court, and not beyond them. Positions resting on a narrative the court rejects will rarely withstand judicial examination, and judges ought not determine matters on hypothetical versions of a party’s case or on speculation. What was the background? The claimant, experiencing several physical frailties and impairments, made an emergency call saying he might cut his own throat owing to the distress he was experiencing. Police officers attended and discovered the claimant seated at a table on the communal lawn...

Vardy v Rooney and another [2022] EWHC 2017 (QB) What are the practical implications of this case? This decision will attract attention as a concrete application of the truth defence, and for Steyn J’s conclusion that the public interest defence failed. It also clarifies the contours of the defences advanced in modern media litigation before the court. It further demonstrates the court’s readiness to make inferential findings of fact where: primary evidence is absent, or has been intentionally lost or destroyed journalists move to set aside witness summonses and disclosure orders by relying on source protection: see section 10 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981, and where waivers of source protection under that provision have been given (Mrs Vardy) or given and then withdrawn (Ms Watt) Mrs Vardy did not witness‑summon her ‘close friend and agent’, Ms Watt, who was by any measure a crucial witness; instead, she sought to use Ms Watt’s trial witness statement as hearsay there is a...

A glossary of frequently used terms and phrases in Scottish Private Client law, with the closest England and Wales equivalents (where applicable) and links to helpful websites Ab intestato Meaning From someone who dies without a will; describes property taken under the laws of intestate succession. Nearest English equivalent None Action of specific implement Meaning A court action seeking an order compelling a party to carry out a particular act. In Scotland there is no division between equitable and legal remedies, unlike England and Wales. Nearest English equivalent Specific performance (an equitable remedy for breach of contract that can be ordered alongside, or in place of, damages) Advance notice Meaning An entry in the relevant property register that protects the grantee of a deed intended for registration in the Land Register of Scotland. The protected period of 35 days begins on the day after registration....

ARCHIVED: Released in 2013, this content is no longer updated. The Market Standards Trend Report reviews the issues that warrant detailed consideration...

ARCHIVED: This material appeared in 2015 and is no longer supported...

1 Introduction 1.1 Precise time capture enables the firm to gauge the real cost of the services we deliver and to supply clients with comprehensive billing details. 1.2 Logging your time swiftly and correctly supports you in meeting your personal performance targets. 1.3 FAQs accompany this policy and can be accessed [ state where, eg on our intranet ]. For any queries about time recording, please reach out to [ state who will deal with queries ]. 2 How is time recorded? 2.1 Time should be entered in [ 6-minute units ]. 2.2 [ State exactly how time is recorded in your firm, which will vary from firm to firm depending on whether you use a case-management system, free-standing time recording system or manual time sheets ]. 3 When should time be recorded?...

Notice of a Force Majeure Event [ Insert lead-in wording ] We hereby give notice to you that the following matters have arisen and are in effect: [ Set out, with a suitable degree of specificity, the facts giving rise to the Force Majeure Event, including the particular force majeure occurrence or act of state. Your narrative should be sufficiently detailed and aligned with the wording of Section 5(b)(ii) so that the counterparty can reasonably understand the basis for your determination. ] This serves as notice pursuant to Section 6(b)(i) of the Agreement. For the avoidance of doubt, this notice does not fix or nominate an Early Termination Date under the Agreement...

Part A Statement of facts I began working for the company on [ insert date ], serving as Mr A’s personal assistant. On several occasions from around [ insert date ], Mr A directed sexually suggestive comments towards me. Specifically, he asked, ‘Did you get any over the weekend?’ and ‘You look glum, that boyfriend of yours not keeping you happy?’ and frequently remarked on my clothing and personal appearance. I made it plain that these comments were unwelcome. In particular, on or about [ insert date ], I stated that I did not wish to discuss my sex life or my appearance and asked that he interact with me in a more professional way. On or about [ insert date ], during my annual appraisal, Mr A called me into a meeting and advised that I had been given a score of 4 (unsatisfactory) in several areas. This was despite my having recently passed my probation and receiving no complaints regarding the standard...