Article Category: Insight & Opinion

The Government has confirmed that the Default Retirement Age (DRA) of 65 will be phased out from 6 April 2011, with complete abolition on 1 October 2011. The Government has worked with Acas to produce comprehensive guidance to help businesses adapt to the change. From 6 April 2011, employers will no longer be able to… Read more »

2011 seems to be a year when the divorce rate will soar if the number of referrals in the first two weeks of this year is anything to go by. The stresses and strains of the Christmas period have proved too much for many couples – one of our solicitors has a record 12 new clients… Read more »

The National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) has finalised its Corporate Governance Policy and Voting Guidelines. As pension funds are one of the largest investors in quoted companies, the importance of the new guidelines could not be over emphasised and have particular relevance to meetings tabled at short notice. The updated guidelines follow the UK… Read more »

The government has announced plans to look at charging for using the CSA. The coalition government’s plans are set out in a Green Paper. The aim of the proposed changes is reportedly to support families in making their own arrangements. Whilst this in itself may be a laudable aim, it is a real cause for… Read more »

The long awaited consultation paper on Pre Nuptial agreements has been published by the government. It proposes to reform the law and seeks views on a number of options. This is not the first time changes have been proposed but following the Radmachher case the government has had to act, as the courts should not… Read more »

The Association of Investment Companies has revised the current versions of the Code of Corporate Governance and the Corporate Governance Guide for Investment Companies. The intention behind the revision to the Code, together with the Guide, is to reflect the implementation of the UK Corporate Governance Code (“UK Code“). The UK Code was introduced to… Read more »

We set out below the most significant recent changes introduced by the Council of European Union to the Prospective Directive (2003/71/EC). Further guidance can be provided on request. Copies of the text adopted can be found HERE. A note of the press release made can be found HERE. To download a full copy of this Legal Comment,… Read more »

While the nation is collectively jumping for joy at the prospect of two four-day public holidays on two successive weekends in England and Wales, employers may find themselves wondering where they stand. The announcement that the royal wedding date is the 29th April 2011 and is to be marked with a public holiday could lead… Read more »

When two or more people own a house they can do so either as joint tenants or tenants in common. If they own as joint tenants, and one of them dies, the survivors inherit the house. If they own as tenants in common, the share of the house owned by the person who died passes… Read more »

Changes came in during February 2009 to the rules regarding how much a surviving spouse and children should inherit when someone dies without making a will (known as the intestacy rules). However, these changes did not amend the rules regarding who should inherit the estate. There is still a common misconception that a surviving “common… Read more »