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R (Greyhound Board of Great Britain Ltd) v Welsh Ministers [2026] EWHC 670 (Admin) What are the practical implications of this case? The ruling reinforces the constitutional divide between the courts and the legislature. It explains that the scheme and framework of the Government of Wales Act 2006 (GWA 2006) embody that separation of powers, and that any judicial attempt to recognise and enforce a common law obligation on Welsh Ministers to consult prior to introducing legislation in the Senedd would trespass upon that boundary. This is not a departure from established principle; case law has already upheld comparable rules for lawmakers in Scotland and at Westminster. However, this is the first express confirmation of the position for Welsh lawmakers, and the first time this dimension of the GWA 2006 has been analysed in such depth. The court examined earlier
The solution arrived through the United Nations Compensation Commission (UNCC), a quasi‑judicial body handling mass claims, created under UN Security Council Resolution 687. By addressing environmental harm—most notably via its ‘F4’ claim class—the UNCC set a seminal benchmark shaping how international law and contemporary arbitral panels allocate financial responsibility for wartime ecological devastation. With present-day wars in areas such as Eastern Europe and the Middle East bringing dam breaches, strikes on chemical facilities, and the burning of farmland, the UNCC’s legacy endures as an essential reference point for states, global investors, and companies engaged in post‑conflict arbitration. The F4 claims: Quantifying the unquantifiable Prior to the 1990s, mechanisms in international law for war reparations overwhelmingly favoured property loss, foregone earnings, and bodily injury. The natural world was commonly treated as a mute, non-compensable victim of armed hostilities...
Understanding the farming business as a business Many farms still use long-standing structures that arose by habit, not strategy. Sole traders, informal partnerships and outdated partnership deeds are common. While once effective, such setups can cause major issues around succession, tax planning and involving the next generation. A corporate team can take a fresh, business-led view of the farm, asking: Who owns the land and other critical assets? Who manages daily operations? Who carries the risk and who enjoys the return? What is the enduring plan for succession? From this review, the team can confirm whether the current setup is fit for purpose or if an alternative — for example an updated partnership agreement, a company, a limited liability partnership, or a blended model — would better meet the family’s aims. Tax efficiency through joined-up advice Tax sits at the centre of most
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Alongside the articles reported in full within the Financial Services news feed on 9 February 2024, subscribers could be interested in the following further developments of note: FCA: Shifting the dial on financial crime......
Defining parallel proceedings Opposing parties may pursue cross-border disputes in several fora at the same time. This multi-pronged tactic can arise from necessity, as different venues may offer distinct remedies, capture different defendants, or tackle particular strands of a wider conflict. At other times, it reflects straightforward forum shopping and litigation tactics, with parties gravitating towards more accommodating (or more obstructive) forums. Often, necessity and forum shopping intertwine. Sometimes both impulses overlap. Parallel proceedings are actions in two separate forums that involve largely the same parties and largely the same claims or issues. The worry is that twin actions might produce conflicting or preclusive judgments. As a federal system comprising many sovereigns, the US generally tolerates such parallel proceedings across US states and between state and federal courts. Under the Full Faith and Credit Clause of the US Constitution, US courts must in turn give full effect to...
Thatchers Cider Company Ltd v Aldi Stores Ltd [2024] EWHC 88 ( IPEC) What are the practical implications of this case? This ruling spotlights the challenges brand owners face in tackling lookalikes in a fast-moving, competitive alcoholic drinks market. The court assessed evidence on reputation, intention, confusion and damage, but found it fell short for both trade mark infringement and passing off. Showing that the Thatchers product acted as a benchmark for Aldi’s development was not, on its own, compelling. Numerous design choices were said to have been reached orally within Aldi, hindering Thatchers’ ability to prove how much its brand was relied upon. Internal emails indicated the Thatchers brand was considered; however, viewed together, that material did not meet the thresholds for reputational advantage or harm. Reputation, intention, confusion and damage not proved to the requisite...
Jump to: General Brexit headlines Brexit SIs and sifting updates Made Brexit SIs laid in Parliament Post- Brexit transition guidance Editor’s picks—the practice area/sector view New and updated Brexit related content Lex Talk®Brexit: a Lexis®Nexis community Useful information General Brexit headlines This area sets out the principal, overarching Brexit news items. Brexit Bulletin— Weekly round-up of EU- UK TCA Specialised Committees’ publications—6 February 2024: the round-up covers material issued by Specialised Committees created under the EU‑ UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement ( TCA) for the period 31 January 2024 to 6 February 2024. See: LNB News 06/02/2024 52. Brexit SIs and sifting updates Here you’ll find updates on the newest made and draft Brexit SIs laid in Parliament, together with notices of proposed negative SIs sent for sifting. Made Brexit SIs laid in...
Statement follows: Commission is gathering views on draft DSA guidelines for election integrity Today, the Commission opened a public consultation inviting feedback on draft Digital Services Act ( DSA) guidelines concerning the integrity of electoral processes. These represent the inaugural guidelines issued under Article 35 of the DSA, intended to set out for Very Large Online Platforms and Search Engines recommended practices and potential actions to curb systemic risks on their services that could endanger the integrity of democratic electoral processes and related activities. The draft text outlines illustrative mitigation options for election-related risks, targeted measures addressing Generative AI content, and the planning of risk responses ahead of and following an electoral event, including preparation in advance and implementation afterwards, as part of mitigation strategies and procedures across services......
Misuse of private information claim based on broadbrush allegations fails ( Hussain & others v Rahman & others) Hussain and others v Rahman and others [2024] EWHC 116 ( KB) What are the practical implications of this case? An appraisal of the evidence led the court to determine that the second claimant’s choice to halt the third claimant’s proceedings against the defendants arose from the pressures of the coronavirus ( COVID-19) pandemic and his health anxieties in March 2020, decisively dismissing the claimants’ contention that intimidation by the defendants prompted the abandonment of the action. The court reaffirmed adherence to the approach articulated in Murray v Express Newspapers plc [2009] Ch 481 when assessing whether private information has been misused. On these facts, the court concluded that the first claimant—a young woman from a traditional Muslim household who had sought to shield her social...
On 7 February 2024, the Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP) announced it had established the Small Pots Delivery Group to help savers find small inactive pensions and deferred small pension pots. Pensions Minister Paul Maynard noted that these pots, which frequently stem from a previous job and hold relatively small sums, are difficult to monitor, while also being costly and inefficient......
Southwark Crown Court: Judge Philip Bartle KC sentences Narinder Sandhu Judge Philip Bartle KC sentenced Narinder Sandhu to a custodial term at Southwark Crown Court. His brother, Parmjeet Sandhu, and postage logistics director James Mooney received suspended terms for cheating the mail service. In 2023, the trio admitted fraud and conspiracy after prosecutors said they had exploited Royal Mail's self-declaration system for major postage-service firms by undervaluing consignments and keeping the difference. The judge said the men achieved 'substantial personal gain as a result of their involvement' in the fraud. Identified as the 'leading' participant, Narinder drew a £1m salary, the court was told. He owned a mansion outside London, a Rolls- Royce, a Bentley and sports memorabilia. Parmjeet, whom Judge Bartle described as 'middle-management', took a £495,000 salary for one year and held £2.6m in property, the judge added. Both men, the judge...
Blake and Seymour v Fox [2024] EWHC 146 ( KB) What are the practical implications of the case? The judgment provides a thorough examination of the elements needed to prove serious harm and the supporting evidence, especially where a prominent defendant, already associated with controversy and criticism, seeks to show that the particular allegations complained of caused reputational damage. It further highlights that ‘indiscriminately lobbed’ claims can land on ‘highly combustible material’; the consequences in the real world matter even if allegations are promptly removed, and it is often the ‘insidious creation of a “bad odour”, together with the difficulty of establishing a negative, that does the most reputational harm’. Practitioners should also advise clients pursuing vindication through specific findings of fact that the court will not stray beyond what is strictly necessary. In this instance, because the defendant failed to prove serious harm on his...
Mergers The Commission cleared Dachser’s acquisition of sole control of Frigoscandia ( M.11452) and Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company/ Mubadala’s joint control of Kiinteistö Oy Viinikankaski 1 ( M.11403) following phase I inquiries—see Midday Express. Notifications were filed for LPG/ HG/ Iris Software ( M.11455), Rheinmetall/ KNDS/ UAB Lithuania Defense Services JV ( M.11390) and OEP Hitch/ EMC/ CBM ( M.11317) under the simplified procedure—see EU mergers—ongoing cases tracker. State aid The Court of Justice issued an order in C‑522/23 P NO v Commission, rejecting the appeal against T‑771/22 on the Commission’s refusal to act on a complaint about an Irish Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal aid scheme as partly inadmissible and partly unfounded—see order; see also Court of Justice State aid appeals—ongoing cases tracker. Digital markets In T‑1077/23 Bytedance v Commission, the General Court denied interim measures against the 5 September 2023 gatekeeper designation for Tik Tok under the...
Williams v Williams and others [2024] EWCA Civ 42 What are the practical implications of this case? The key takeaway is that where a commercially used property is owned jointly, and the co-owners have neither stated their beneficial shares in an express declaration nor reached a proven express agreement, the default position is that the beneficial interests are held as tenants in common rather than as joint tenants. That contrasts with the longstanding general presumption of beneficial joint tenancy for homes and other domestic property. The difference matters particularly on the death of one co-owner, when rival claims may arise about the scope and proportion of the beneficial interests. What was the background? The dispute centred on a long-established family farm situated in West Wales. The parties to the claim were brothers and sisters. Their father had for many years previously worked the holding as a tenant. In 1986, the...
Royal London On 7 February 2024, Royal London reported that research it had asked Oxford Economics to undertake found that raising contributions by either employers or staff would bolster retirement outcomes for large numbers of Britons. The insurer noted that prospects have been lifted by recent measures such as automatic enrolment. Under this system, employees are put into a scheme by default, and monthly pension payments are set at a floor of 8% of pay—5% from workers and 3% from employers. Jamie Jenkins, Royal London’s director of policy, called the policy a “huge success” that has reversed the decline in workplace pension saving. However, he cautioned that it remains unfinished business, as current contribution levels will still leave many unable to afford the standard of living they hope for in retirement, Jenkins said......
Private actions High Court issues judgment in the UK’s third ever damages claim regarding LDC panels cartel The High Court has handed down its judgment in Granville Technology Group ( In Liquidation) and others v Chungwa Picture Tubes Limited and others, a follow‑on damages action brought against manufacturers of LDC panels that were found by the European Commission (the Commission) to have infringed Article 101 TFEU, in case COMP/39.309— LDC— Liquid Crystal Displays. The ruling is notable as it is only the third cartel damages claim to proceed to a final judgment in the UK, following Britned and the Royal Mail Truck claim......
Commission adopts revised Market Definition Notice for competition cases Brussels, 8 February 2024 The European Commission has today officially endorsed an updated Market Definition Notice ('the Notice'). Defining markets involves determining where competitive constraints lie between firms when reviewing mergers and the majority of antitrust matters. The updated Notice aligns the Commission's guidance with current market conditions and dynamics, and reflects advances in the institution's decisional practice and EU jurisprudence......
Per court records and filings, the video-sharing platform has initiated proceedings against the Commission at the EU’s lower-tier General Court, as records show. A company spokesperson confirmed the action concerns the fee it is obliged to pay under the EU DSA. ‘ We dispute the fee and are appealing on a number of grounds, including the reliance on defective third-party estimates of our monthly active user figures used to determine the overall amount,’ a Tik Tok spokesperson said......
On 2 February 2024, TPR wrote to the Work and Pensions Committee ( WPC), stating it now holds a 'more robust picture' of the durability of LDI funds’ finances, instruments pensions providers deploy to hedge exposure to interest rate movements. After the government's ill‑fated September 2022 mini‑ Budget, TPR faced claims it had been asleep at the wheel. That announcement rattled the UK's £1.4trn traded gilt market. In her letter to the WPC, TPR Chief Executive Nausicaa Delfas noted that, since the crisis, and following the turmoil, TPR has put in place 'flows of data' from the......
In this issue: Financial sanctions Fraud and corruption Data protection Other Practice Compliance updates this week Daily and weekly news alerts Trackers New and updated content Financial sanctions FDCO announces sanctions on Myanmar military entities and infantry divisions The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office ( FDCO) confirmed the UK has brought in fresh measures against four Myanmar army‑affiliated entities and infantry units implicated in suppressing civilians and breaching human rights. Under the Myanmar sanctions framework, 25 individuals and 33 entities have now been designated by the UK. These latest listings focus on army divisions responsible for rights abuses and on organisations that supplied funds and backing to Myanmar’s security apparatus, among them two state‑owned companies. Those named face asset freezes and restrictions on travel. The UK, alongside eight other nations, has also issued a joint statement...
In this issue: Probate Court of Protection UK taxes for Private Client HMRC Manuals updates Tax avoidance, evasion and non-compliance Insolvency— Private Client Digital assets and cryptoassets Charity and philanthropy Contentious trusts and estates Pensions, insurance and tax efficient investments International Question of the week Additional Private Client updates this week Daily and weekly news alerts Lex Talk®Private Client: a Lexis®PSL community New and updated content Dates for your diary Trackers Latest Q& As Useful information Probate HMCTS probate enquiry line—temporary reduced hours From 14 February 2024, and for 12 weeks, the HMCTS probate helpline will run on reduced hours: 9am to 1pm, Monday to Friday. The HMCTS Probate Service remains available via web‑chat from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. Source: HMCTS Probate Linked In post. Mo J urges those entitled to claim dormant funds held by CFO to act now The Ministry of Justice has urged anyone eligible to reclaim dormant monies held by the Court Funds Office to act promptly, as the...
UK developments FCA publishes new webpage on the sustainability disclosure and labelling regime The Financial Conduct Authority ( FCA) has released a webpage outlining its latest actions to strengthen confidence and clarity around sustainable investment products and to limit greenwashing. The page explains how the rules apply to firms and features a table showing the implementation timetable. See: LNB News 02/02/2024 67. Source: Sustainability disclosure and labelling regime......
Court of Appeal highlights differences between applications for assessment under section 71(3) of the Solicitors Act 1974 ( SA 1974) and applications for assessment under SA 1974, s 71(1) ( Daniel Kenig v Thompson Snell & Passmore LLP) Daniel Kenig v Thompson Snell & Passmore LLP [2024] EWCA Civ 15 What are the practical implications of this case? The bills at issue, issued between 17 October 2021 and 2 August 2021, totalled £54,410.99 plus VAT. Although an initial estimate of £10,000.00 to £15,000.00 was cited, they will, it appears, now be remitted back to the SCCO for an actual assessment. It seems highly probable that the sums claimed will be materially pared back once the expense of the appeal is taken into account. Notably, an application for assessment under SA 1974, s 71(3) permits the consequences of any assessment to be placed at multiple doors......
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When evaluating a general damages claim, the practitioner ought initially to refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG)...
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...
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 ...
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 ]...
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