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Claire Petricca-Riding

Planning & Environment Blog - August 2025

Welcome to our monthly blog series from the Planning & Environment team at Irwin Mitchell. Each month, we will be bringing together the...

01/08/25
Stefano DAmbrosio Nunez

UK ETS to include waste incineration: Government outlines its interim response

The UK Emissions Trading Scheme (“UK ETS”) Authority has published its interim response outlining the Monitoring, Reporting and...

01/08/25
Stefano DAmbrosio Nunez

Court of Appeal clarifies powers of local planning authorities on Energy Efficiency Standards

In a judgment handed down this week, the Court of Appeal has clarified the powers of local planning authorities on Energy Efficiency...

31/07/25
Jeremy Ladyman

WhatsApp messages can be valid contracts

The High Court has delivered a pivotal ruling recently in Jaevee Homes Ltd v Fincham (t/a Fincham Demolition) [2025] EWHC 1134 (TCC) that...

29/07/25
Andrew Evans

Reforming the National Security and Investment Act: A lighter touch for UK M&A?

The UK government has announced its intention to reform the National Security and Investment Act 2021 (NSIA), aiming to ease regulatory...

29/07/25
Alexandra Addington

Managing sickness absence: can you spy on an employee who is off sick?

That is what happened in Mr M Kerita v BMW (UK) Manufacturing Limited when concerns were raised about alleged inconsistencies in the...

25/07/25
Luke Singleton

Deal or No Deal: When Share Buybacks Go Wrong

In the context of M&A, a defective share buyback is like opening a mysterious red box— what you find inside could sink your deal before...

25/07/25
Joanne Moseley

Settlement agreements: government confirms that workers will be able to request NDAs

Last week, I wrote about the government's surprise decision to legislate to ban NDAs which prevent workers from speaking out about...

24/07/25
Andrew Cotton

Land-based Casino regulations come into force

The long-awaited reforms for land-based casinos (“2025 Regulations”) came into force on the 22 July. The 2025 Regulations cross-reference...

24/07/25
Timothy Willis

The JCT Target Cost Contract 2024 – what is it?

The JCT Target Cost Contract 2024 (TCC 2024) is a new addition to the JCT 2024 contract suite, comprising a Main Contract, Sub-Contract,...

23/07/25
Sybille Steiner

Strengthening UK-Germany Relations: A Pragmatic Step Forward

The announcement of the new UK-Germany Treaty marks a significant and welcome development in the evolving relationship between two of...

23/07/25
Mandeep Khroud

Navigating the New Norm: Why Sponsors Must Prioritise Compliance Amid Skilled Worker Changes

As of today, 22 July 2025, significant changes to the Immigration Rules have come into effect for the Skilled Worker route, as outlined...

22/07/25
Alexandra Addington

Banter in the classroom: was it fair to dismiss a teacher for calling pupils' 'hideous' and 'jaws'

When a teacher was dismissed for inappropriate comments to pupils, the employment tribunal in Mr M J Holland v Great Academies Education...

22/07/25
Elizabeth Thomson

It’s all going down with rent review

In an unexpected move, the government has unveiled draft legislation which would ban upwards-only rent reviews in commercial leases in...

22/07/25
Joanne Moseley

Staff networks and external speakers: are you liable if what they say harasses an employee?

That was what the tribunal had to determine in the case of Newman v Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis.  Facts Ms Newman joined the...

22/07/25
Alexandra Addington

Unpaid internships: government launches call for evidence

The government has launched a call for evidence - ‘Make Work Pay: Call for evidence on unpaid internships’ - inviting views on the use of...

22/07/25
Elizabeth Thomson

Have the floodgates opened for tenants to reclaim overpayments of insurance rent?

A recent High Court decision (London Trocadero (2015) LLP v Picturehouse Cinemas Ltd and other companies [2025] EWHC 1247 (Ch)) resulted...

22/07/25
Eleanor Howells

AI and Professional Negligence: Lessons from Ayinde

In 2025, the integration of artificial intelligence (“AI”) into legal practice has not only become commonplace but is actively being...

17/07/25
Jane Anderson

The Rule of Law and the Necessity of Truthful Evidence in Court Proceedings

The rule of law has been recognised as a fundamental value within our society; it is a crucial principle to keep power in check and...

17/07/25
Jane Anderson

The Impact for Commercial Clients of the Hague Convention's Implementation in England and Wales

The Recognition and Enforcement of Judgments (2019 Hague Convention etc.) Regulations 2024 (“the Hague Convention”), came into force in...

17/07/25
Jane Anderson

Authorised Push Payment (APP) Fraud - An Update

In October 2024, we provided an update on the introduction of a new Mandatory Reimbursement Requirement Framework (“the Framework”) by...

17/07/25
Yasmina Bugel

Trump’s Tariffs – navigating the contractual challenges

The recent imposition of Trump’s tariffs has significantly changed global trade policy, creating widespread disconcert, uncertainty and...

17/07/25
Joanne Moseley

Would you settle a dispute with an employee without a confidentiality agreement?

Most settlement agreements include confidentiality provisions which prevent either party from talking publicly about their dispute or how...

16/07/25
Alexandra Addington

Fire and Rehire: the House of Lords propose major change to the Employment Rights Bill

Last week the government laid out proposals to amend the Employment Rights Bill. It's the last opportunity it has to amend the Bill and...

16/07/25
Alexandra Addington

Employment status: was a pilot engaged through an intermediary an agency worker?

Every year we think about the cases coming up which are likely to have the biggest impact on employment law. We included  Jason Lutz v...

16/07/25
Garon Anthony

All Change at the FOS?

The Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) and Financial Ombudsman Services (“FOS”) have earlier this week proposed reforms to modernise...

16/07/25
Jane Anderson

The Leveson Review - A Brief Analysis

On 9 July 2025, Part 1 of the Leveson Review (“the Review”), an independent review of the criminal courts, was published having been...

16/07/25
Katie Gledhill

The Employment Rights Bill: grief recognised, but not funded

Earlier this year, I explored whether the government would introduce paid leave for women and their partners following pregnancy loss. It...

15/07/25
Bryan Bletso

UK and India Lead Global Investment Sentiment as CFOs Embrace Renewed Risk Appetite

In a striking shift in sentiment, the latest Deloitte CFO Survey for Q2 2025 reveals a renewed sense of optimism among finance leaders,...

15/07/25
Alexandra Addington

Does an ADHD diagnosis mean an employee is (rather than may be) disabled under the Equality Act 2010?

That's the question the Employment Appeal Tribunal has to determine in Mr Harry Stedman v Haven Leisure Ltd. Facts Mr Stedman applied for...

11/07/25