Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Key definition

Safeguards definition

What does Safeguards mean? In legal practice, safeguards refers to the systems, records, reporting and inspections that account for nuclear material and verify its non‑diversion to nuclear weapons or other prohibited uses. It is a term of art in nuclear regulation and international law. In the UK, it is used in legislation (notably the Nuclear Safeguards Act 2018 and the Nuclear Safeguards (EU Exit) Regulations 2019) and administered by the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR); in Ireland it is applied under the Euratom Treaty, with the European Commission and the iaea conducting Euratom/IAEA safeguards. Core features include material control and accounting (MC&A), facility...

Client Confidentiality: SRA Duties, Bolkiah Principles and Establishing Effective Information Barriers (England and Wales)

Published by a LexisNexis Practice Compliance expert

Practice notes

Safeguarding confidential information sits at the heart of your client relationship, both as a legal obligation and as a matter of professional conduct. This duty continues after a retainer ends, survives a client’s death, and may apply to prospective as well as current and former clients. When deciding whether you can act where confidentiality is engaged, consider four principal questions:

what amounts to material confidential information?
what is an adverse interest?
what is informed consent?
what does the common law require for effective safeguards, including information barriers?

This Practice Note focuses on safeguards and information barriers. For guidance on the remaining issues, see Practice Notes: Material confidential information and adverse interests, and Informed consent—law firm confidentiality.

The duties of confidentiality and disclosure—SRA requirements

You must keep clients’ affairs confidential unless:

disclosure is required or permitted by law, or
the client consents

For further guidance on the general duty of confidentiality and the relationship between confidentiality and client conflict under the SRA Standards and Regulations, see Practice Note: Duties of confidentiality and disclosure...

To view the latest version of this document and thousands of others like it, sign-in with LexisNexis or register for a free trial.

Web page updated on 21/05/2026

Popular documents

Using the Judicial College Guidelines to assess general damages in personal injury claims

When evaluating a general damages claim, the practitioner ought initially to refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG)...

Tomlin orders in England and Wales: CPR guidance on drafting, confidentiality, approval, variation, enforcement, limitation, CCA issues, court-specific requirements, sample wording and precedents

This Practice Note This Practice Note reviews mechanisms used in settling litigation. A Tomlin order consists of a consent order paired with a schedule. It operates to stay proceedings on terms that have been agreed. The provisions contained in the schedule may remain confidential. This Practice Note describes the scope of confidentiality attaching to the schedule and sets out how it differs from a standard consent order. Sample wording for a Tomlin order is included, alongside links to precedents, as well as guidance on court approval. It also addresses varying, setting aside and enforcing a Tomlin order, including the considerations the court will take into account when handling applications for each. Further guidance is provided on interpreting and applying the relevant provisions of the CPR; however, some courts and divisions impose very specific requirements for both drafting and approval, and for approaching the schedule and confidentiality issues. Accordingly, you must consider the particular rules and court guide provisions in the forum where your claim is proceeding when drawing up the Tomlin order...

Precedent: Deed of Surrender of Lease with Optional Premium, Settlement and Release, Landlord, Mortgagee and Guarantor Consents, Reimbursement and HM Land Registry Provisions (England and Wales)

Date [ date ] Parties [ name of Landlord ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Landlord) [ name of Tenant ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Tenant) [ [ name of Guarantor ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Guarantor) ] [ [ name of Mortgagee ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Mortgagee) ] Definitions Within this Deed, the terms below shall be interpreted as follows: [ Annual Rent • the annual sum reserved under the Lease; ] [ Insurance Rent • the Tenant’s share of the Landlord’s costs of insuring the Property (as set out in the Lease); ] Lease • the lease of the Property dated [ date ], entered into between (1) [ the Landlord OR [ name ...

Precedent Statutory Declaration: Standard Wording under the Statutory Declarations Act 1835

I, [ name ], of [ address ], solemnly and sincerely state that: [ Matters to be verified, set out in numbered paragraphs ] I make this solemn statement in good conscience, believing it to be true, and pursuant to the provisions of the Statutory Declarations Act 1835. DECLARED at [ details ] this [ day ] day of [ month and year ] Before me ................................................................................ [ signature of the person before whom the declaration is made ] A [ commissioner for oaths OR [ solicitor OR [ insert other qualification ] ] authorised to administer oaths ]...