If you have ever wondered why property prices in Edinburgh are so high then it is worth considering the relationship between the property market and planning policy. Like most commodities, the prices we pay for properties are heavily influenced by supply and demand. The number of new houses that developers are allowed to build is set by councils using a complicated methodology ...
Shareholders? agreements set out shareholders? rights and obligations in various situations that may occur during a corporation?s existence. While it is true that corporate laws generally establish a common structure for all business corporations, they don?t do so in great detail. A shareholders? agreement is thus an invaluable tool for preventing conflicts and settling those that do arise ...
“... an adjudicator should think very carefully before ruling out a defence merely because there was no mention of it in the claiming party’s notice of adjudication. That is only common sense: it would be absurd if the claiming party could, through some devious bit of drafting, put beyond the scope of the adjudication the defending party’s otherwise legitimate defence to the claim ...
But what are the reasons for this? And what are the advantages of establishing a fund in Guernsey when compared to other jurisdictions? As the leading legal adviser to Guernsey’s investment funds sector by both number of funds advised and by assets, we believe that the following reasons help to explain Guernsey’s success and provide strong arguments for choosing Guernsey ...
Morgan & Morgan opened its first offices in The Bahamas since 1991. We created MMG (Bahamas) Ltd. as a corporate service and later on, in 1996, founded MMG Bank & Trust Ltd., which started our financial unit´s successful path into the financial service industry ...
As businesses continue to operate in an increasingly globalised economy, the transfer of personal data across international borders has become a critical aspect of many operations. However, with the latest legislative changes from the EU, it has become more challenging to transfer data lawfully to third countries. By now, you may have had requests to amend your contracts with international counterparts ...
Between Brexit and the pandemic, the UK is experiencing its most severe labour shortage since the 1990s. Businesses can mitigate against these recruitment issues by obtaining a licence from the Home Office to sponsor foreign staff. A sponsor licence may not magically generate willing workers, but it will ensure the holder remains agile when an international recruitment opportunity arises ...
Adopting a related party transactions policy, with supporting protocols and procedures, will help to identify and deal with related party transactions within the corporation. Ultimately, this will reduce the risk of breaching the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) or ASX Listing Rules (if relevant) and will protect shareholders' interests ...
Who’s interested in Primark? Is it simply those South Africans who can afford to travel to the UK, only to find that, thanks to the weakness of the rand, the only shop they can afford is ... Primark? The recent Supreme Court of Appeal (“SCA”) decision in the matterTruworths Ltd v Primark Holdingspertaining to well-known trade marks is of significance ...
Operating expenses (“OpEx”) and common area maintenance fees (“CAM”) are two important items in any commercial lease, but they are often overlooked after the decision is made on how to split up these fees. Typically, operating expenses are calculated and allocated based on a gross, modified gross, or triple net basis, with the tenant being responsible for a percentage of CAM based on the percentage of the total property they occupy ...
The liability of online platforms relating to infringing IP material that appears on their platforms is an interesting topic. Who is liable for infringing material that appears on online platforms, the person who posts the material or the online platform? This was recently considered by the Court of Justice of the European Union (“CJEU”) in two separate cases. Some preliminary points Copyright news in South Africa these days is scant ...
Whither Advance Ruling under Income tax law? ‘Prevention is better than cure’ is an adage that applies equally to litigation - specially to tax litigation. Towards this end and based on several committee reports starting from Wanchoo Committee (1971) to Choksi Committee (1978) and Raja Chelliah Committee (1993), the Government eventually introduced a mechanism for advance rulings by inserting a new Chapter XIX-B in Income Tax Act 1961 (the Act) ...
The Origin & Cause In 2010, a California jury returned a $671 million verdict in a class action alleging "violation of the rights of residents" under the California Health and Safety Code[1] arising from alleged understaffing at senior care facilities. Before the jury determined whether to award punitive damages, the Lavender, et. al. v.Skilled Healthcare Group, Inc.[2]lawsuit settled ...
The Origin & Cause In 2010, a California jury returned a $671 million verdict in a class action alleging "violation of the rights of residents" under the California Health and Safety Code[1] arising from alleged understaffing at senior care facilities. Before the jury determined whether to award punitive damages, the Lavender, et. al. v.Skilled Healthcare Group, Inc.[2]lawsuit settled ...
The White House recently issued a report outlining potential incentives that may be available to companies that adopt the voluntary cybersecurity framework currently being developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (the “Framework”). Both the incentives program and the Framework are being developed pursuant to the February executive order aimed at improving the cybersecurity of America’s critical infrastructure (read our prior coverage of the executive order here) ...
The Second Circuit recently affirmed the dismissal of a False Claims Act lawsuit brought by the former general counsel of a clinical laboratory because the counsel disclosed confidential information in violation of state ethics rules. In Fair Labor Practices Associates v. Quest Diagnostics Inc., 2013 WL 5763181 (2nd Cir. Oct ...
This is the third in a mini-series of articles looking at whistleblowing claims. This article looks at the importance of having whistleblowing policies in the workplace. Having a clear and cohesive whistleblowing policy in place assists employees with making whistleblowing complaints in a correct and compliant way and enables employers to handle them effectively in response ...
In our fourth article on whistleblowing claims we focus on the need, in sensitive situations where concerns of serious (and perhaps even criminal) wrongdoing are raised, for the complaint to be dealt with confidentially and/or anonymously where possible ...
In the final instalment in our series of articles looking at whistleblowing claims, we look at types of whistleblowing claims and their potential remedy at an employment tribunal. Previously we looked at what amounts to a protected disclosure, how clear and effective policies in place helps employers to handle protected disclosures and the handling of complaints confidentially and/or anonymously ...
Can a company collect data about a (potential) infection with COVID-19? Both, in case of information on a suspected case and in a confirmed case, special categories of personal data are processed. Whether a company may process such health data of employees, customers, suppliers or other third parties is exclusively governed by Art 9 GDPR ...
In the second instalment of The Fintech Times' ‘Where to Relocate’ series, we turn the spotlight to the Cayman Islands as a VASP-friendly jurisdiction. Situated in the Caribbean, the Cayman Islands offer a unique blend of regulatory excellence, technological innovation, and a commitment to fostering the growth of digital assets ...
