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Officer meaning

What does Officer mean?
In legal practice, officer describes a person who holds an office or senior post in a public body or organisation and exercises statutory or managerial functions. The meaning is context-specific and often set by legislation. Local government: an officer is generally an employee of the authority. Certain posts carry statutory duties and decision-making powers (for example, chief executive/head of paid service, monitoring officer and chief finance officer). Titles and legal bases vary across England & Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland, but the concept of authorised employees discharging the authority’s functions is consistent. Company law: officer typically includes a director and the company secretary (UK Companies Act 2006; Irish Companies Act 2014). Numerous regulatory duties, offences and enforcement provisions apply to “the company and its officers”. The term also appears in expressions such as public officer, police officer and officer of the court, each defined by the relevant statute or procedural context. Practical significance: who counts as an officer affects authority to act and sign, delegation, service of proceedings, access to information, vicarious and personal liability, investigations and sanctions. Always check the governing legislation, constitution or contract to identify the relevant officers in the UK and Ireland.
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View the related Checklists about Officer

CHECKLISTS
Corporate criminal investigations: defence checklist for interviews under caution—advice, attendance and follow-up (England and Wales)

This Checklist outlines the matters defence practitioners may wish to weigh up when guiding a corporate client about attending an interview under caution arising from suspected corporate criminal conduct in England and Wales. It should be considered alongside the Practice Notes: Interview under caution and Voluntary attendance at an interview under caution. Advising clients before an interview under caution When a corporate client is asked to attend an interview under caution: Make sure the client grasps what an interview under caution involves and the significance of the caution. Confirm the client appreciates their rights before and during any interview under caution under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE 1984) and PACE Code C. Explain what to expect at the interview under caution and the procedural steps the interviewing officer must take to meet PACE Code C. If the client forms part of a corporate group, verify the request for interview has been addressed to the correct legal entity...

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CHECKLISTS
Local authority meetings and decisions—access to information and transparency checklist for council, cabinet and officer (including key) decisions

Coronavirus (COVID-19): This Archived Practice Note provides guidance on areas that were temporarily modified to aid the handling of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. For more detail, refer to Practice Notes: Local authority meetings during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic [Archived], and Coronavirus (COVID-19)—governance tracker [Archived]. Elements of accessibility The table below outlines the position within a standard authority. Certain authorities extend further rights to councillors and to the public in some cases...

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CHECKLISTS
Template letter to Officer in the Case: no arrest of voluntary interviewee; PACE 1984 s24 necessity and Code G; notify custody sergeant – England and Wales

Attendance at [ insert name of police station ] police station on [ insert date ] at [ insert time ] Dear [Sir/Madam], We act for [ insert client's name ], who has confirmed they will attend an interview at [ insert name of police station ] police station at [ insert time ] on [ insert date ]. As you will know, [ insert client's name ] will be present on a voluntary basis, has fully co-operated with your investigation and continues to do so. Accordingly, we ask that the Custody Sergeant is kindly advised in advance that there is no necessity for [ insert client's name ] to be arrested...

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FLOWCHARTS
UK GDPR rectification requests: evaluation flowchart for lawyers with ICO guidance, DPA 2018 exemptions, temporary processing restrictions, third-party notifications and refusal requirements

This flowchart shows how to determine whether you need to carry out a data protection impact assessment (DPIA) for a specific project, and the steps to complete one if required. It also outlines post‑DPIA tasks, including weaving the DPIA’s findings into your project plan and keeping the assessment under review. See also Precedents: Data protection impact assessment—DPIA and Data protection impact assessment—DPIA—short form, which draws on a template issued by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). The ICO’s comprehensive Data Protection Impact Assessments guidance sets out seven steps to running a DPIA. This flowchart is designed to cover those seven stages, and it also mirrors the ICO’s expectations for post‑DPIA activity, namely: integrating the outcomes of your DPIA into your project plans, and monitoring the ongoing performance of the DPIA Note 1: Identify the need for a DPIA If you have a data protection officer (DPO), seek their advice. For further information, see Practice Note: How to complete a data protection impact...

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FLOWCHARTS
External SARs to the NCA: Decision Flowchart for Lawyers on Internal Referrals, Nominated Officer, LPP and Defence/Consent (POCA, TA 2000, MLR 2017)

Stage 1—preparing to bring a claim and pre-action matters Guidance on UK trade mark infringement, offences, passing off, interim injunctions, running IP disputes, privilege, dispute resolution (mediation and arbitration), and the Disclosure Scheme; plus checklists and forms (injunction, application, hearing) Stage 2—Letter before action alleging infringement Notes on infringement, passing off, unjustified threats and drafting; includes a trade mark letter of claim precedent Stage 3—commencing proceedings Procedure, defences and exceptions, IPEC flowchart, pleadings and initial disclosure precedents, and CPR/Part 36 forms Stage 4—case management Procedure and Disclosure Scheme notes, court guides (Chancery, Patents Court, IPEC and Small Claims), and case management questionnaires, Disclosure Review Document, Certificate of Compliance, budgets and directions Stage 5—disclosure and evidence Surveys and witness evidence (PD 57AC), privilege, disclosure (including electronic) and flexible trials; witness statement and Extended Disclosure precedents; affidavits, applications and certificates Stage 6—trial...

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FLOWCHARTS
Section 8 HA 1988 possession (England and Wales): flowchart for terminating assured and assured shorthold tenancies—grounds, notice, proceedings, orders, enforcement, and Renters’ Rights Act 2025 changes

Is the risk assessment overseen at the highest level in the company? To demonstrate commitment from the top to anti-bribery controls, a company officer or a member of the Board should be designated to supervise the anti-bribery and risk assessment process. See Practice Note: Anti-bribery and corruption policy. Consider: Do senior management or the Board hold ultimate responsibility for the risk assessment process? Have duties for anti-bribery and corruption been delegated; if so, to whom and on what basis? How is this recorded? Has the company allocated bribery risk assessment to employees (for example, a compliance officer) who report directly to the Board? How has the company ensured the risk assessment is fit for purpose and able to withstand scrutiny?...

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NEWS
Employment law weekly: 2024 case law and legislation highlights, Employment Tribunal Rules 2024, discrimination and TUPE updates, immigration trends, EHRC guidance, and 2025 horizon scanning

In this issue: Horizon scanning Status and worker categories Cross-border, international and jurisdictional issues Benefits Prohibited conduct (discrimination etc) TUPE and asset purchases Bribery, modern slavery, tax evasion and fraud Employment Tribunals Immigration IRLR Highlights—January 2025 Dates for your diary Trackers New Q&As Employment resources on Lexis+® Daily and weekly news alerts Employment Highlights 2024/2025 Horizon scanning Employment Law—looking back at 2024 and ahead to 2025: The Lexis+® Employment team provide a concise overview of the standout employment law changes across 2024 and signpost what to watch in 2025, including movement on the Employment Rights Bill, the forthcoming employer duty to prevent sexual harassment, the Equality (Race and Disability) Bill, plus other impending legislation and significant cases. See News Analysis: Employment Law—looking back at 2024 and ahead to 2025. Status and worker categories MoD loses application to rehear army reservists pension bias case: In Milroy v...

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NEWS
First-tier Tribunal (Tax) upholds HMRC discovery assessment (TMA 1970 s 29); denies ITA 2007 loss relief for uncommercial Bafana football venture; actual knowledge vs Sanderson hypothetical officer

Original News Anderson v HMRC [2016] UKFTT 0565 (TC) What was the case about? In his tax return, Mr Anderson sought £3m of relief under sections 64 and 72 ITA 2007, claiming losses from trading activities labelled ‘football development’. He had put funds into the Bafana soccer academy in South Africa, created to cultivate emerging football talent and generate income through the profitable transfer of successful players. HMRC issued a discovery assessment, asserting the losses did not stem from a trade conducted on a commercial basis with a view to profit, and that the predominant purpose of the activity was to secure a tax advantage. Why did the appellant dispute the validity of the discovery assessment? The appellant’s central challenge was that there had been no ‘discovery’. At the point the assessment was raised, HMRC, he said, lacked reasonable grounds to believe Mr Anderson had been under-assessed, as it did not possess adequate information to support such a conclusion at the relevant time. In particular, the...

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NEWS
High Court: Police liable for false imprisonment and assault after pleaded case rejected—no reliance on unpleaded justification (Watson v Chief Constable of Humberside, England and Wales)

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...

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PRACTICE NOTES
Water pollution liabilities and enforcement in England and Wales: offences, permitting, agricultural controls, nuisance claims, penalties and remediation, including corporate and officer liability

Water pollution Polluted water can kill fish and other aquatic life, harm habitats, threaten drinking supplies, lower water quality and foul beaches. Many kinds of contaminant can enter waters—chemicals, microplastics, petrol, oils and fats, ammonia in sewage, mine waste, nitrates from farming and solid waste. Definitions of water ‘Controlled waters’ Relevant territorial waters (seawater to three nautical miles) Coastal waters (eg tidal waters) Inland freshwaters (rivers, streams, watercourses, lakes and ponds) Groundwaters (water stored in rock layers beneath soil) Section 104 of the Water Resources Act 1991 (WRA 1991) ‘Surface water’ Inland waters (all standing or flowing surface water, except groundwater) Transitional waters (partly saline estuaries substantially influenced by freshwater flows) Coastal waters (water up to one mile seaward) The Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) (England and Wales) Regulations 2017, SI 2017/407, Sch 1 ‘Groundwater’ — all water below the ground surface...

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PRACTICE NOTES
UK Bribery Act 2010: offences, corporate and senior officer liability, failure to prevent, extraterritorial reach, facilitation payments, penalties and the adequate procedures defence - practical guide for lawyers

The Bribery Act 2010 (BA 2010) Enacted to secure the UK’s adherence to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, the Bribery Act 2010 (BA 2010) delivers an effective framework to address corruption across public and private spheres, updating the UK’s anti-corruption regime and supplanting Prevention of Corruption Act 1906 and Prevention of Corruption Act 1916. BA 2010 carries significant consequences for any company incorporated in, or trading from, the UK. Its global reach covers bribery undertaken by a business, or by third parties acting for it, regardless of where in the world the conduct occurs...

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PRACTICE NOTES
Client Account Fraud: Immediate Response, SRA Compliance, Required Notifications, Client Communications, Operating During Investigation, Recovery and Prevention Guidance (England and Wales)

This Practice Note sets out advice for law firms on responding to client account fraud and outlines the applicable legal and regulatory duties. Client funds are inviolable and their careful stewardship is essential and paramount. What is client account fraud? A firm suffers client account fraud where money is unlawfully taken from its client account. Immediate steps to take Act swiftly to limit harm in the immediate aftermath of client account fraud. Do everything possible to prevent further loss and disruption promptly. Form a fraud response team and appoint someone to lead the incident without delay; suitable choices include: the compliance officer for finance and administration (COFA) the finance director the compliance officer for legal practice (COLP) the nominated officer the senior partner another appropriately senior person within the firm The SRA warning notice, Money missing from client account, states that if you discover that funds are missing, you must take steps to ensure...

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View the related Precedents about Officer

PRECEDENTS
Precedent: Data protection complaint investigation report—findings, remedies and recommendations (UK GDPR)

1 General information Date complaint received [ Enter date ] How was the complaint received? ☐ Email ☐ Letter ☐ In person ☐ Telephone ☐ Other—[ please specify ] When replying to the complainant, choose the most appropriate communication method. Date complaint acknowledged [ Enter a date that should be 30 days from the date you received the complaint. ] Proposed deadline for responding to complaint [ Enter a date that meets the expectation that you will handle the complaint without any delay. ] Person investigating complaint and completing this record [ Provide details of the individual who investigated the complaint and completed this report. This could be your data protection officer. ] Date of report [ Enter date ] 2 Complainant Name of data subject ...

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PRECEDENTS
Deputy MLCO and Deputy Nominated Officer: Combined Job Description and Role Profile Template for SRA-Regulated Law Firms (AML/CTF/Proliferation Financing)

1 Introduction This role description and profile concerns the combined post of Deputy Money Laundering Compliance Officer (MLCO) and Deputy nominated officer (nominated officer). Any references to MLR 2017 relate to the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017, SI 2017/692, as amended. 2 MLCO/nominated officer role holder details Firm name [ Insert firm name ] Name of Deputy MLCO/nominated officer [ Insert name ] Reports to: MLCO/nominated officer [ Insert name of MLCO/nominated officer ] Working pattern ☐ Full time ☐ Part time Details of any additional positions within the firm [ Insert details ] Date of appointment by the firm [ Insert date ] 3 Role summary 3.1 Serve as deputy to the firm’s MLCO/nominated officer...

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PRECEDENTS
CDD Beneficial Ownership Material Discrepancy Report Form and Guidance (UK—reporting to Companies House/other registrars)

1 Instructions on completing this form If while carrying out Client Due Diligence (CDD) checks, or through your ongoing monitoring duties as part of your obligations once a business relationship is already in place, you identify a material discrepancy between the beneficial ownership details supplied by the client and those appearing on the relevant registers (eg the Companies House register), you must complete this form and forward it to the [ state who the form should be sent to, eg nominated officer, head of risk, compliance officer ]...

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Q&As
Is a tax-related conviction a bar to being Authorising Officer?

Our Practice Note: Applying for a Workers and Temporary Workers sponsor licence: key personnel and representatives Our Practice Note sets out that a sponsor licence application can, and in some instances will, be declined or, where applicable, the licence later revoked, if any of the Authorising Officer, Key Contact, Level 1 user, or any owner, director or other individual involved in the day-to-day running of the organisation: has any unspent convictions relating to immigration offences or a number of listed serious offences in Part 1 of the Sponsor Guidance at Annex L4 (Part 1, para L4.3)—mandatory refusal of the application (Part 1 Annex L1(b)) and/or mandatory revocation of the licence (Part 3, Annex C1(b)) has previously been dishonest in their relationship with […] any other government department) […]—a licence application will normally be refused/existing licence will normally be ...

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Q&As
Dual UK/EU nationals using EU and UK passports to avoid ETIAS/ETA

Where an individual holds British citizenship as well as citizenship of an EU Member State and is arriving in the UK, the passport that should be used for entry is their British passport. This serves to confirm that they possess the right of abode in the UK in their capacity as a British national. See Q&A: What is the law that governs the entry of British citizens to the UK and in particular, what documentation they must provide to an immigration officer as evidence of their nationality? Comparable considerations are likely to arise for their admission to the EU Member State of which they are a national, subject to the domestic law of that state...

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