Compensation Payouts by NHS Tayside on the Increase
A recent local report indicates that the amount of money paid out in compensation claims by NHS Tayside has more than quadrupled in under…
Mobile Phone Use at Wheel - as Dangerous as Drink Driving?
Drivers continue to use mobile phones at the wheel.
I was disappointed to read in The Nottingham Post this week that there has…
Expenses and Funding of Civil Litigation in Scotland
The Scottish Government's recent consultation on Expenses and the Funding of Civil Litigation in Scotland certainly provided food for…
Establishing Parentage and the Implications
In a recent landmark case, a university lecturer, who was deceived by his wife into thinking that he was the father of the son she gave…
Stepping Out Pedestrian Road Traffic Accidents
New statistics show a 1% increase in pedestrians killed or seriously injured on Great Britain’s roads compared to the previous year.
I was…
When is a disclosure in the public interest?
Whistleblowing remains a high profile topic and with the need for two years' service before an employee can raise an unfair dismissal case,…
Shared Parental Leave - delivering flexibility for working parents?
The Shared Parental Leave Regulations 2014 (“the SPL Regulations”) came into force on 1 December 2014 and introduce a new system that…
New Drink Driving Limits - An Economic Hangover
Last year, Scotland was introduced to new legislation lowering the legal drink-drive limit from 80mg to 50mg in every 100ml of blood.…
What is a Deed of Variation?
In his recent Budget statement George Osborne announced Government plans to review the use of Deeds of Variation for Inheritance Tax (IHT)…
Whistleblowing what is it and what does it mean for employers?
Our recent mock tribunal centred on whether an employee had "blown the whistle" by making a qualifying disclosure. What exactly is a…
Pension Freedom and Divorce
From 6 April 2015, new pension reforms were introduced in the UK, which gave some pension holders greater freedom over how they…
Zero Hours Contract: A key manifesto battleground in the 2015 General Election
One of the battlegrounds for the forthcoming General Election focuses on the use of zero hours contracts. Are they the scourge of society…
The 1D effect and Compassionate Leave for Employees
The Independent reported last week that employees have been requesting compassionate leave to cope with the news Zayn Malik has left One…
Ex-wife makes financial claim 23 years after divorce is finalised
This week, many were shocked to read the Supreme Court Judgment in the case of Wyatt v Vince. Where the Supreme Court, by unanimous…
Don't be a Nuisance
With effect from the 6 April 2015, the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) will no longer require to prove “substantial damage or…
Who owns the trade mark 'PINTEREST'
The Board of Appeal at the European Trade Mark Office disagrees with the decision that social media site, Pinterest doesn't own the trade…
Improved Protection for Businesses facing threats of IP Infringement
The UK Government has announced plans to improve protection for businesses by reforming the law on groundless threats of IP infringement…
What is an Executor?
The first in a series of blogs from our Private Client team where they explain the processes of some of the Private Client services.
An…
Bobby Beale and Step-Parent Adoption
In Scotland, it is becoming commonplace for a step-parent to adopt a step-child, however it is also clear that very often people do not…
Employment Tribunal Limits to change.
With effect from 6 April 2015 the award limits for Employment Tribunals will increase.
Every year, the UK Government revises the key…
Facebook Announces New Legacy Contact
As Facebook plans to launch a new 'legacy contact' feature, Private Client partner Murray Etherington looks at posthumous social media…