Injunction granted against ‘poaching and competing’ employee
January 26th 2022A logistics company has been granted an injunction against an employee to prevent him poaching its staff and working for a competitor. Rebecca Armstrong Associate Solicitor in our dispute resolution team reports on this recent case. The case involved JM Solutions UK Ltd. Its two directors lived in Romania, and since the Covid pandemic they communicated with staff via email and telephone. The employee, referred to as Dave, was the company’s…
Lecturer sacked for being too loud wins unfair dismissal claim
January 24th 2022A university lecturer was unfairly dismissed after she was accused of being ‘unnaturally loud’. Jennifer Cafferky Employment Law Solicitor, reports on this recent case. The case involved Dr Annette Plaut, who was an experimental physics lecturer at the university of Exeter until she was fired in 2019. She had been at the university since 1990. Her style involved leading many heated discussions which included expressive gestures, hand movements and some interruptions.…
Clampdown on directors dissolving companies to evade debts
January 20th 2022The government is introducing new powers to clamp down on directors who dissolve companies to avoid paying their liabilities. Rogue directors may be required to pay compensation to creditors. Carly Davies Debt Recovery Manager provides an update. The new legislation extends the Insolvency Service’s powers to investigate and disqualify company directors who abuse the company dissolution process. The Rating (Coronavirus) and Directors Disqualification (Dissolved Companies) Act will also help tackle directors…
Supplier can’t use force majeure to avoid repaying customer
January 18th 2022A supplier has failed in its bid to use a force majeure event as a reason to avoid repaying a customer after it failed to fulfil a contract. Sam Lyon Head of Corporate & Commercial reports on this recent case. The issue arose after the two parties entered into a contract in February 2019 for the supply of sulphur diesel. In accordance with the contract, the buyer made a significant advance…
Driver who thought his son was faking Covid wins dismissal case
January 13th 2022A forklift operator who was sacked for attending work after his son contracted Covid has won his claim of unfair dismissal. He said he believed his son was just faking symptoms. Joanne Stronach Head of Employment and HR reports on this recent case. David Lewis had worked for The Benriach Distillery Company for 23 years with a clean disciplinary and attendance record. In February 2021, his line manager learnt that Lewis’…
Architect faces negligence claim after leaving door open
January 11th 2022An architect and his firm face a negligence claim after a cinema was damaged by fire after he left a door open during an inspection. David Tew, Associate Solicitor reports on this recent case. The cinema belonged to Rushbond Plc. The architect worked for JS Design Partnership LLP. Together with an engineer and a quantity surveyor, he had carried out an inspection on behalf of a potential purchaser. He gained access…
The 4 Key Things Businesses should do in January
January 10th 2022It’s the start of a new year and with the new year comes opportunity as well as challenges. Two years on from the onset of the pandemic, we still find ourselves dealing with some restrictions. Arguably we are getting used to the different measures that have been and continue to be introduced and not having all our usual ‘freedoms’. But as business owners and managers it can be overwhelming to…
New Year Resolutions to protect your future and your family
January 6th 2022January is the time for making resolutions to give ourselves a fresh start for the New Year. Jane Oakley a member of our Wills, Probate & Inheritance team reports. It’s good to take stock and decide to eat less or exercise more but there’s so much more we could be doing to improve our lives and protect ourselves for the future. Here are three New Year Resolutions relating to the law…
Sales executive with delusional disorder loses disability claim
January 5th 2022A sales executive who suffered from a delusional disorder has lost his claim of disability discrimination. The Court of Appeal upheld the Employment Tribunal’s decision that his condition did not amount to a disability under the Equality Act. Jennifer Cafferky Employment Law Solicitor, reports on this recent case. The case involved Mr Sullivan, who had worked for Bury Street Capital Ltd since 2009. Following a relationship breakdown in 2013, he suffered…
Making a difference in our communities
December 23rd 2021The Christmas season is a time to take a break from our busy schedules and day-to-day commitments and spend quality time with the people who matter the most to us. Thinking it over with Carol Fish Director & Head of Serious and Catastrophic Injury… It’s also the perfect time to reflect on the past year and look forward to the next. If anything, these past 12 months have demonstrated that being part of…
