Baby loss policies: in conversation with Keeley Lengthorn
Where an employee has lost their child in the first 24 weeks of pregnancy, there is currently no statutory right to parental bereavement leave in the UK. In those cases, employers have the discretion to offer their staff leave under their compassionate leave policy, annual leave, or unpaid leave. This is, however, an option that […]
Cohabitation Rights Bill: protection for cohabitees urgently needed
Ahead of the Queen’s Speech, Suzi Denton, Family Law expert at Irwin Mitchell comments on the much needed Cohabitation Rights Bill. According to the Parliamentary Inquiry into the Rights of Cohabiting Partners, there are over 3.4m unmarried couples living together in England and Wales, making cohabitation the fastest growing family set-up. Many of these couples […]
Government opens consultation for new sexual harassment offence
The Home Office have opened a consultation to garner the public’s views over the creation of a new criminal offence for incidences of public sexual harassment. The “Public Sexual Harassment Offence” will look to target incidences of harassment in the street and public settings. This is part of the government’s “Tackling Violence Against Women and […]
Minimum age for marriage set to be raised in February
The government has confirmed the implementation date for the Marriage and Civil Partnership (Minimum Age) Act 2022. The Act, which received Royal Assent in April of this year, is planned to come into effect from Monday 27th February 2023. It will raise the age of marriage and civil partnership to 18 in England and Wales […]
Cryptoassets: a risk for asset concealment?
Clients are often alive to the potential of assets being hidden by their spouse. From undisclosed properties, sophisticated tax schemes and offshore company holding structures, the methods by which one could attempt to conceal assets are diverse, creative and increasingly complex. Over the past two decades, the English courts’ approach to financial remedy and the […]
Attorney General clarifies issues surrounding Equality Act and single-sex spaces
Speaking at the Policy Exchange about equalities and human rights, Attorney General Suella Braverman explored, and clarified, the many issues surrounding the Equality Act that arise as a result of single-sex spaces Cases that have arisen under the Equality Act 2010 are yet another “vivid illustration of how aspirational legislation can so easily be blown […]
At-home early medical abortion provisions made permanent
The Department of Health and Social Care has announced that provisions allowing women to access at-home early medical abortions are set to be made permanent from 30th August 2022. Under new amendments to the Abortion Act, women will be able to access pills for early medical abortion via a teleconsultation, and for pills to be […]
The Ombudsman’s corner: 25th August 2022
The Ombudsman’s corner: recent changes – taking the right approach for each case The Legal Services Act 2007, which set up the Legal Ombudsman, requires that we complete our work “quickly and with minimum formality”. Demand for our service has never been higher, and there have been significant waiting times for us to begin investigating […]
Surrogacy in Ukraine – things to consider
Victoria Maxwell of Bishop Sewell, a specialist in international surrogacy, has urged intended parents in the UK to avoid entering into new surrogacy arrangements in Ukraine, Russia’s invasion has had a devastating impact on the country’s commercial surrogacy sector, leaving many couples unable to complete their surrogacy arrangements. In previous years, an estimated 2,000 to […]
WHSmith, Coronation Street, and the FA Cup Final: what happened to QualitySolicitors?
From a boxroom in Leicester to having 200 law firms adopt its branding, the odyssey of QualitySolicitors was one like no other. Here, Saleem Arif, co-founder of QualitySolicitors, tells all: the idea, working from his car, WHSmith, Amanda Holden, the FA Cup Final, private equity, and the eventual end, as well as discussing his current […]
