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Joanne Moseley

Amended duty to protect free speech in higher education: implications for colleges

New legislation aimed at protecting the rights of staff, students and visiting speakers to talk about subjects which are controversial or...

09/07/25
Katie Gledhill

Parental leave under the microscope: is a new era for working families on the cards?

On 1 July 2025, the UK government launched a wide-ranging review of parental leave and pay entitlements, as part of its broader “Make...

09/07/25
Alexandra Addington

Offer and acceptance: at what point do schools and colleges enter legally binding contracts of employment?

That was the question for the tribunal to determine in Mr J McMillan v Beacon Education MAT Ltd.  Facts Mr McMillan, a UK national, had...

08/07/25
Nicola Gooch

You're going to need a bigger SDO: Consultation opens on Universal Theme Park Application

Yesterday (July 3rd), MHCLG opened a consultation unlike any other that I have seen.   It is not about a change in planning policy, or a...

04/07/25
Mandeep Khroud

Care Worker visa route to close: major immigration reform effective 22 July 2025

On Tuesday 1 July 2025, the Home Office released the Statement of Changes confirming that a number of the reforms outlined in May 2025's...

04/07/25
Alexandra Addington

Timeline: when will the Employment Rights Bill come into force?

The Employment Rights Bill Implementation Roadmap, recently published by the Government, outlines its anticipated timeline for bringing...

04/07/25
Alex Delin

Losses to be recovered by leaseholders resulting from fire-safety defects

Allegedly there are fire safety defects at the Celestia development in Cardiff, which Redrow developed having engaged Laing O'Rourke...

02/07/25
Claire Petricca-Riding

Irwin Mitchell’s Planning & Environment Blog

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

02/07/25
Stefano DAmbrosio Nunez

The Environment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets (Wales) Bill

Article prepared by Hannah Shaw Earlier this month, the Environment (Principles, Governance and Biodiversity Targets (Wales) Bill (the...

25/06/25
Claire Petricca-Riding

Planning Reform Bill and the environment: Key lessons from UKELA’s conference 2025

Last week, our Planning and Environment Team attended the UK Environmental Law Association’s (“UKELA”) annual conference in Bristol....

25/06/25
Alexandra Addington

Can external HR consultants be personally liable for employee detriment claims under whistleblowing legislation?

If an employer engages an agent who subjects a worker to a detriment because they've raised a protected disclosure, both the agent and...

25/06/25
Nicola Gooch

MHCLG to re-vamp written planning appeals process by end of the year

Earlier today, MHCLG announced plans to make some pretty significant changes to the written representations appeals procedure.   The...

25/06/25
Alexandra Addington

Redundancy selection: qualifications and age discrimination

To dismiss someone fairly for redundancy you must adopt a procedure that is fair and reasonable in all of the circumstances.  Part of...

25/06/25
Hugo Bittencourt De Oliveira

Civil Penalties for Employing Illegal Workers: Why Employers Must Act Now

In February 2024, the Home Office introduced a significant increase in civil penalties for employers found to be hiring or retaining...

24/06/25
Bryan Bletso

UK Industrial Strategy: A Welcome Step Forward – But Delivery is Key

The UK Government’s Industrial Strategy, as outlined in yesterday’s policy paper, marks a significant step in setting a long-term vision...

24/06/25
Delver Punia

Key Considerations for Flex Office Providers When Negotiating a Lease with a Commercial Landlord

The demand for flexible office space continues to rise as businesses seek adaptable, cost-effective solutions to accommodate hybrid...

19/06/25
Cathryn Davies

MAC review of family visa financial requirements advises against further increases

The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) published their review of the financial requirements for family visas, specifically relating to...

18/06/25
Ailsa Anderson

Subjective or Objective standards of honesty? Clarity from the Court of Appeal

The recent Court of Appeal decision in the case of Saxon Woods Investments Limited v Francesco Costa [2025] EWCA Civ 708 has provided...

16/06/25
Alexandra Addington

Part-time worker discrimination: must status be the sole cause of less favourable treatment?

Whether a worker's part-time status must be the sole cause of their less favourable treatment has been widely debated in the courts when...

13/06/25
Katie Gledhill

Will the government improve the parental leave system?

The Women and Equalities Committee has released a comprehensive report calling for significant reforms to the UK's parental leave system....

12/06/25
Nicola Gooch

The Spending Review: Implications for Planning

The Chancellor has just stepped down from the dispatch box and a vast number of documents have just appeared on the government's website....

11/06/25
Alexandra Addington

Dismissed for trade union role: teacher wins over £370,000 in compensation

Employees are protected from being subjected to a detriment or being dismissed by their employer, if the sole or main reason is to...

11/06/25
Joanne Moseley

How do you deal with conflicts of belief in schools and colleges?

To what extent can you lawfully restrict how your staff manifest their protected beliefs? We consider what schools and colleges can learn...

10/06/25
Claire Petricca-Riding

Planning and Environment Legal Blog

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

06/06/25
Joanne Bone

Picture perfect: data protection essentials for photography in schools and colleges

Using photographs and videos in schools and colleges often raises data protection concerns. Whether it's for ID passes, marketing, or...

06/06/25
Alexandra Addington

Dishonesty and fraud: teacher who phoned in sick to work at a different school banned from teaching

In David Aves: professional conduct outcome, the Secretary of State had to consider whether a teacher who phoned in sick in order to work...

06/06/25
Paul Henson

Supreme Court clarifies ‘Put on Inquiry’ Threshold in Undue Influence Cases

The Supreme Court handed down judgment in the case Waller-Edwards v OneSavings Bank Plc [2025] UKSC 22 on 4 June 2025.This judgment marks...

06/06/25
Hannah Moran

Data Protection Reforms: The Data (Use and Access) Bill - the final stages

The Data (Use and Access) Bill (or the DUA Bill as it is often called) was introduced to Parliament on 23 October 2024 and includes,...

05/06/25
Jane Anderson

FCA Enforcement Strategy Update

We have commented previously on the Financial Conduct Authority’s (“FCA”) proposed amendments to their enforcement strategy and earlier...

05/06/25
Jane Anderson

Is Insurance An Essential Funding Ingredient?

Litigation funding has changed in numerous ways since the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (“LASPO”) came into...

04/06/25