Julian Critchlow examines recent developments in the law and practice of ADR, outlining its implications for parties to disputes, and investigate the implications of recent relevant changes to the Civil Procedure Rules (CPR).

In December 2020, the Government launched its review of existing gambling legislation, the result of which was the whitepaper published in earlier this year. Arianne King breaks down the impact this may have on the industry.

Despite all of the efforts made to reduce crime, it has come to NCA’s attention that further developments are needed regarding cryptocurrency crime. Various countries have reported an increase in the frequency of and losses from cryptocurrency scams, which has led to a rise in the worry about cryptocurrency fraud on a global scale.

It’s been over a year since the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed an action against Ripple Labs Inc, and two of its executives, alleging Ripple had raised over $1.3 billion through the illegal sale of an unregistered security, XRP.

In The Financial Conduct Authority v Carillion Plc, the High Court ruled that The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) does not need the permission of the insolvency court to take regulatory action against a company in liquidation.

The Gambling Commission has recently launched its three-year plan to meet its mission to make gambling fairer and safer. It intends to do that by licensing and regulating in the public interest and providing advice and guidance to the Government during its review of the Gambling Act.

The Gambling Commission has issued a warning to Gambling operators that they will face the full consequences of regulatory failures even if breaches occurred prior to a change of control.

72 people died in the Grenfell fire disaster. The causes of the deaths encompass a number of factors.

However, the impetus for the rapid spread of the fire was evidently the use of Celotex polyisocyanurate foam (banned in the United States) for insulation in the cladding panels, and the absence of fire breaks. The findings of the subsequent public inquiry make it plain that many more buildings are at risk. In response, the Government has made £3.5bn available to rectify the problem.

In order to implement the Government’s social distancing rules the CLC has now issued new operating procedures for construction sites

Employers, contractors and subcontractors on existing projects will need to understand their rights and obligations in view of the problems caused by coronavirus.

Those problems are exacerbated by the Government’s current equivocal response to the crisis: construction operations are not (yet) prohibited, but have been rendered immeasurably more difficult. Contractors and subcontractors, in particular, will be looking to see whether the law can help.

Following a twelve week consultation undertaken by the Gambling Commission, it has announced that, as of 14th April 2020, gambling businesses are to be banned from allowing consumers to use credit cards to place bets.

The UK officially left the European Union (EU) on 31 January 2020 at 11pm, ending 47 years of membership.

The “transition period”, provided for by the Withdrawal Agreement Act 2020, applies from 1 February 2020 with a deadline for the transition to complete by 31 December 2020. During this time, the UK will continue to be subject to EU law while seeking to secure a permanent trading agreement. Although the status quo is maintained in the interim, so that the short term impact to business is limited, there are immediate changes.

A common cause for dispute in commercial contracts is the termination, or threatened termination of the contract. Often, the party seeking to terminate the contract asserts the right to do so based on the counter-party’s breach of their obligations. There can be grave consequences for the terminating party if their view of the legal position is mistaken. This update covers the fundamentals of termination rights and how to navigate a safe exit from commercial contracts.

The Hackitt Report into the Grenfell Tower disaster will have a lasting impact on the UK construction industry. Our managing partner, Arianne Elise King, explains how, to Build Magazine.

Whether practical completion (PC) has been achieved on a construction project is perhaps one of the most fertile grounds for dispute and has potentially wide-reaching implications.

Despite this, the term is used by lawyers and construction professionals so frequently, and with such conviction, as to defy anyone to debate its meaning. This norm may be considered surprising in light of the fact that the term is so rarely defined in construction contracts.