The new Public Procurement (Amendment etc) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020 are currently working their way through Parliament and due to come into force at 11pm on 31 December 2020, the moment Brexit becomes a legal reality....
Whilst the EU and the UK may have set 11pm on 31 December 2020 as the date when the UK’s exit from the EU is complete, public tenders and the award of public contracts generally don’t work to such specific timetables....
It seems a long time ago we were being told during the Brexit referendum that leaving the EU would save us £1.6 billion a year in procurement costs. Since then the UK has left the EU but still remains signed up to the EU procurement rules until 11pm on 31 December 2020. What happens next depends in part on the outcome of the EU/UK trade negotiations but also on the broader question of how the UK wants to run public procurement....
In our latest webinar, corporate partner Stuart Mullins discusses the practicalities of selling your business. The following article provides vital insight for both buyers and sellers seeking to navigate the often complex journey from heads of terms to completion. Below we highlight the key considerations and processes....
The terms “indemnity” “warranty” and “representation” are used a lot in the context of share sale or business sale agreements, but the terms “warranty” and “indemnity” permeate through all forms of contracts, not just business sale agreements....
Less than 1 week ago, the government announced that the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (the furlough scheme) would be extended for 1 month, to the end of November 2020, with government support for 80% of wages up to a cap of £2,500 per month and employers only having to pay pension and National Insurance Contributions....
The first payment to include in a redundancy package is the statutory redundancy payment. This must be paid to all eligible employees and the amount is set by legislation. Other mandatory payments on termination would also include accrued but untaken annual leave and unpaid wages. Some employers, where the contract allows, may make a payment in lieu of notice....
When the UK went into lockdown in March, no one anticipated that we would be entering another in November. Again we have been told that those that can, must work from home. With the second lockdown starting today, many employees that had put-off purchasing home office equipment first time round, with the hope of returning to the office, may now be changing their minds....
UK companies need to review the impact of Brexit on their governance arrangements. Governance rules are principally found in the Companies Act 2006 which is part of UK domestic law. For the most part, leaving the EU will have little impact on the way UK limited companies are required to operate under this Act. ...
It’s not just tariffs that UK importers have to prepare for from 1 January 2021. They will also be taking on new liabilities for defective products imported from the EU which cause personal injury or damage to private property...
The coronavirus pandemic has changed the landscape of how we approach our working lives, with many challenges being identified for female professionals. ...
On Saturday 31 October, the Prime Minister announced that England will enter its second lockdown as of Thursday 5th November....
The new immigration rules were announced last week. While most of the changes will be applicable from January 2021, the Skilled Worker route will replace the current General Work visa (Tier 2) from 1 December 2020....
The Government has injected further money into the Job Support Scheme (JSS) and modified the Scheme for businesses forced to close by under government lockdown orders (JSS closed) and for those still managing to operate but facing decreased demand (JSS Open)....
If it becomes law the new bill would require more employers to comply with gender pay gap reporting and report on ethnicity pay gaps for the first time. It could also give female and BME employees the right to know what their male or non BME colleagues are paid. ...
The UK left the European Union on 31 January 2020. It’s been close to business as normal during the transition period but this ends on 31 December 2020. At the time of writing the nature of the UK’s future relationship with the rest of Europe remains uncertain. However, even if some limited trade deals can be agreed by the end of the year, there are steps that UK contractors should be taking now:...
Businesses rarely enter contracts intending or even expecting them to end in dispute. But that often happens. The wise approach is to prepare for the worst and hope it never happens....
Following extensive consultation that began in December 2019, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has finally published their updated guidance on the Right of Access, namely the ability for an individual to submit a Data Subject Access Request (DSAR) to a processor of their personal data. ...
Disputes between businesses from different countries tend to involve additional complications that don’t arise when the parties are based in the same country. There are a number of points to consider before bringing an international claim. Which country’s court should you sue in? Which country’s law applies to the dispute? How do you obtain evidence from overseas? Where and how can you enforce your judgment?...
The new immigration rules for the Post-Brexit Immigration system have been laid before parliament today. These rules will govern the entry and exit of all non-UK nationals, including nationals of the EU from 1 January 2021....