Blockchain offers the law “enormous opportunities” – Legal Futures

Posted October 24th, 2019 in contracts, conveyancing, electronic commerce, legal services, news, probate by sally

‘The buzz around distributed ledger technology (DLT), including blockchain, is much more than hype and the tech will eventually transform conveyancing and probate, an academic specialising in innovation has indicated.’

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Legal Futures, 24th October 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Considering crystallisation: what dispute should (or can) you refer to adjudication? – Practical Law: Construction Blog

Posted October 22nd, 2019 in construction industry, contracts, dispute resolution, jurisdiction, news by tracey

‘It’s a scenario we see all too often. Employer meets contractor. Employer and contractor enter into a contract and, for a while, everything seems rosy. Then, as the project progresses, unresolved claims start escalating and the relationship deteriorates. Inevitably, the parties’ minds turn to adjudication, and the potential recourse that they may find there.’

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Practical Law: Construction Blog, 21st October 2019

Source: constructionblog.practicallaw.com

UK court considers validity of payment notices under ‘hybrid’ contracts – OUT-LAW.com

Posted October 14th, 2019 in construction industry, contracts, estoppel, news by tracey

‘The High Court has provided guidance to parties on the application of the payment provisions in the 1996 Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act (“Construction Act”) to “hybrid” contracts, which cover both construction and non-construction operations.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 10th October 2019

Source: www.pinsentmasons.com

David Cameron’s National Citizen Service sued for £22m for breach of contract threatening youngsters’ placements – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 14th, 2019 in charities, contracts, health & safety, news, young persons by tracey

‘One of the central planks of David Cameron’s Prime Ministerial legacy is facing serious trouble, accused of putting hundreds of jobs and the hopes of thousands of young people at risk. The body that runs the National Citizen Service (NCS) – founded by Prime Minister Cameron in 2011 as a modern-day national service for school leavers – is being sued for £22 million by its largest provider of services, after it was forced to make staff redundant and cut the number of placements it runs.’

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Daily Telegraph, 12th October 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Batei Din and arbitration awards: Sterling – Law & Religion UK

Posted October 8th, 2019 in arbitration, contracts, Judaism, jurisdiction, news by tracey

‘An interesting case involving the extent to which arbitration awards by religious courts are enforceable at civil law has recently come before the Chancery Division of the High Court.’

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Law & Religion UK, 7th October 2019

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

E-mail footer counted as signature for property contract – Legal Futures

‘A solicitor’s automated email sign-off sufficed as a ‘signature’ for the purposes of a contract involving the disposition of an interest in land, the High Court has ruled.’

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Legal Futures, 30th September 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Cardiff ordered to pay Nantes €6m over Emiliano Sala transfer – The Guardian

Posted September 30th, 2019 in contracts, news, sport by michael

‘Cardiff have been ordered to pay French club Nantes €6m (£5.3m) in relation to the signing of Emiliano Sala in January.’

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The Guardian, 30th September 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Automatic email sign-off counts as signature, rules High Court – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 26th, 2019 in compromise, contracts, electronic mail, news, solicitors by tracey

‘The High Court has ordered that a compromise contract be completed after ruling that a solicitor’s automatic email sign-off was proof of signature.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 25th September 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Bar delays ‘anti-abuse’ written contracts for pupils – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted September 17th, 2019 in barristers, codes of practice, contracts, delay, news, pupillage, standards by tracey

‘The bar regulator has delayed the introduction of compulsory written pupillage agreements which could tackle the “abusive” treatment of pupils.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 16th September 2019

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Court of Appeal’s useful guidance on implying isolated payment provisions from the Scheme – Practical Law: Construction Blog

Posted September 11th, 2019 in appeals, construction industry, contracts, news by tracey

‘For some years now modular construction has been on the increase for new buildings, particularly in the hotel sector where it is now the norm for new hotels to be supplied with bathrooms and bedrooms manufactured off site. Indeed, I suspect that most of us have stayed in such rooms without even realising that more or less everything in the room (except the loose furniture) was installed off site, and sometimes many thousands of miles off-site. It may be because I only see the projects where things have gone awry and disputes have arisen, but, having decided a few disputes regarding modular building products, it’s clear that this part of the industry remains susceptible to the types of disputes we see with more traditional methods of construction. I want to talk about one such case this week, namely the Court of Appeal’s decision in Bennett (Construction) Ltd v CIMC MBS Ltd (formerly Verbus Systems Ltd) (which it handed-down at the end of August).’

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Practical Law: Construction Blog, 10th September 2019

Source: constructionblog.practicallaw.com

Tribunal rejects solicitor’s “attempts at character assassination” – Legal Futures

Posted September 4th, 2019 in constructive dismissal, contracts, employment tribunals, news, solicitors by sally

‘A solicitor who resigned without notice was in breach of contract, an employment tribunal has ruled after finding that it was not a case of constructive dismissal.’

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Legal Futures, 4th September 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Insolvency proceedings, guarantees and contractual pre-conditions – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted August 29th, 2019 in contracts, guarantees, insolvency, news, statutory demands by sally

‘If you are considering commencing insolvency proceedings against another party, do ensure that they actually owe you a debt before you do so. This point is so obvious that it barely needs stating. However, Martin v McLaren Construction Ltd serves as an example of how things can go badly wrong if it is not double-checked.’

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Hardwicke Chambers, August 2019

Source: hardwicke.co.uk

David Lascelles writes on important Court of Appeal decision on Rectification – Littleton Chambers

Posted August 29th, 2019 in contracts, mistake, news, rectification by sally

‘The Court of Appeal handed down judgment yesterday [2 August] in FSHC Group Holdings Ltd v Glas Trust Corporation Limited [2019] EWCA Civ 1361.’

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Littleton Chambers, 2nd August 2019

Source: www.littletonchambers.com

New Judgment: X v Kuoni Travel Ltd [2019] UKSC 37 -UKSC Blog

‘This appeal considered whether the respondent is liable to the appellant for breach of contract and/or under the Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations, reg 15.’

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UKSC Blog, 24th July 2019

Source: ukscblog.com

The New Electronic Communications Code clarified – Falcon Chambers

Posted July 5th, 2019 in codes of practice, contracts, news, telecommunications, valuation by sally

‘The Upper Tribunal has recently provided helpful clarification of the workings of several aspects of the new Electronic Communications Code (“the Code”) introduced by the Digital Economy Act 2017, which came into force on 28 December 2017.’

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Falcon Chambers, June 2019

Source: www.falcon-chambers.com

Willow Corp S.À.R.L. v MTD Contractors Ltd [2019] EWHC 1591 – Hardwicke Chambers

‘Willow engaged MTD to design and build a hotel in Shoreditch. As a result of delays in the project, the two parties agreed a revised practical completion date of 28 July 2017 (‘June Agreement’).’

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Hardwicke Chambers, 28th June 2019

Source: hardwicke.co.uk

UK firms overcharging loyal customers could soon face instant fines – The Guardian

Posted June 18th, 2019 in consumer protection, contracts, fines, news, ombudsmen by tracey

‘Firms that exploit consumer loyalty by overcharging longstanding customers could soon face instant fines under plans unveiled by the government.’

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The Guardian, 18th June 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

A missed opportunity – Haberdashers and subrogation – Practical Law: Construction Blog

Posted June 11th, 2019 in construction industry, contracts, insurance, news by tracey

‘Earlier this year I found myself waiting for the Court of Appeal to bring the next instalment in a series of interesting decisions regarding subrogation claims in insurance disputes (not a contradiction in terms, I promise!), which I and my colleague John have been taking it in turns to blog about (see Joint insurance and rights of subrogation revisited and Co-insurance and subrogation rights revisited (again!)). Unfortunately (though perhaps not for those involved) the case in question (Haberdashers‘ Aske’s Federation Trust Ltd v Lakehouse Contracts Ltd and others) settled. But it feels as though there’s been a missed opportunity to answer a question that was left entirely open in Gard Marine and Energy Ltd v China National Chartering Company Ltd: where there is a co-insurance policy in place and a sub-contractor causes loss, if the co-insurance policy (for whatever reason) does not cover the sub-contractor, can the insurer bring a subrogated claim against the sub-contractor or, does it first have to prove the sub-contractor is liable for the loss?’

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Practical Law: Construction Blog, 11th June 2019

Source: constructionblog.practicallaw.com

Suspension of Contract – Local Government Law

‘Kenson Contractors v Haringey LBC (2019) EWHC 1230 (Admin) was an application made by the Claimant contractor, for an interim injunction against the Council to suspend its decision to award or execute a road-improvement contract to the Interested Party, Marlborough Highways Limited (“MHL”). Kenson came second in the procurement exercise for that contract and MHL came first. Because of the value of the contract (some £630,000 plus VAT) this procurement exercise was well below the threshold for the operation of the otherwise relevant parts of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. The underlying claim was brought by way of judicial review (“JR”) of the Council’s decision to award the contract to MHL rather than Kenson.’

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Local Government Law, 22nd May 2019

Source: local-government-law.11kbw.com

Further clarification on the impact of a CVA on adjudication enforcement – Practical Law: Construction Blog

Posted May 23rd, 2019 in appeals, construction industry, contracts, damages, enforcement, insolvency, news by tracey

‘In January, in the second of the two conjoined appeals of Bresco Electrical Services Ltd v Michael J Lonsdale (Electrical) Ltd, Cannon Corporate Ltd v Primus Build Ltd, the Court of Appeal upheld the first instance decision to enforce an adjudicator’s decision where the enforcing party was in a company voluntary arrangement (CVA). In contrast, last week in Indigo Projects London Ltd v Razin and another, the court refused to enforce an adjudicator’s decision where the enforcing party was in a CVA. The reasoning was that enforcement of the decision would interfere with the accounting exercise to be carried out under the CVA. The court provided useful guidance on when this argument is likely to succeed.’

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Practical Law: Construction Blog, 22nd May 2019

Source: constructionblog.practicallaw.com