On 6 September the Law Commission published its final report and recommendations on reforms to the Arbitration Act 1996. The full report is available here.
Read highlights of the key changes on the International Arbitration Blog.
Protests, Prosecutions and Pandemics: Will COVID kill HS2?
By Steve Nichol
The directors of HS2 Ltd must be firm believers of the old adage that no news is good news.
It’s no secret that the project has been beset with controversy right from the start – foremost amongst these being the budgetary underestimates that prompted criticisms of both the government’s procurement model for major infrastructure projects and the competence of those at the helm of the delivery company. So, when the Project was hit with a triple-whammy of bad press last week, those embattled directors and their government supporters must have needed it like a hole in the head. Continue reading “Protests, Prosecutions and Pandemics: Will COVID kill HS2?”
Foreign Travel For Holidays From Work During COVID-19 Lockdown
By Nic Hart
Can an employee be disciplined for going on an ‘illegal’ foreign holiday during the current lockdown regime?
The stating point is the current government guidance on travel. Continue reading “Foreign Travel For Holidays From Work During COVID-19 Lockdown”
No Jab, No Job: The Murky World of Mandatory Vaccinations
By Nic Hart
The ongoing pandemic has inevitably caused employers to address a significant number of issues regarding employees and working practices. Mandatory vaccination has become an acute and difficult topic in the context of the employment relationship.
As the vaccination program continues to be rolled out across the country, one of the recent issues causing controversy and consternation for employers is the question of mandatory vaccinations for employees. Some businesses such as Pimlico Plumbers and Qantas have been reported as coming out in support of mandatory vaccination policies. Pimlico Plumbers in particular have proposed implementation of a “NO JAB NO JOB” policy and Qantas have advised that they plan to require all international passengers to be vaccinated against Covid-19 as a condition of travel. Continue reading “No Jab, No Job: The Murky World of Mandatory Vaccinations”
Aqua v. Benchmark: How Not to Settle a Dispute
By Steve Nichol and Matthew Friedlander
In its latest offering, “CLC COVID-19 Claims and Disputes in Construction” the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) predicts that disputes related to COVID-19 are set to rise in 2021. While the optimist may hope that parties will continue to or aim to work collaboratively in order to find workable commercial solutions to claims arising from the global pandemic, the realist knows that such disputes are inevitable. Continue reading “Aqua v. Benchmark: How Not to Settle a Dispute”
Implications for 3D Printing and the Auto Industry
For as long as cars have existed, three fundamental truths appeared to be eternal. First, every car contains safety critical components, second these components are mostly metal and third, they are manufactured by one of two methods—stamping or cold forming. These eternal truths always led to an equally durable legal reality, that if the safety critical component fails the manufacturer will be liable to the injured party. It’s hard to think of a more trite and dependable set of principles. But these timeless precepts are about to become disrupted as the automotive industry continues to explore the innovation of 3D printing.
To read the full text of this article by Duane Morris partners Sean Burke and Alex Geisler, please visit the 3DPrint.com website.
What Does the Brexit Deal Do for UK Construction?
By Steve Nichol
The final nail in the coffin of Christmas 2020 for me was getting a directive from NHS Test and Trace to self-isolate on the 23rd. So, instead of celebrating Christmas, I packed the missus off to her mother’s and settled down to read the snappily-titled “Trade And Cooperation Agreement Between The European Union And The European Atomic Energy Community, Of The One Part, And The United Kingdom Of Great Britain And Northern Ireland, Of The Other Part”. Otherwise known to you and me as the Brexit Deal. Continue reading “What Does the Brexit Deal Do for UK Construction?”
Wasn’t It Obvious? The Curious Case of ABC v. Network Rail
By Steve Nichol and Matthew Friedlander
At first glance, the Court of Appeal’s recent decision in ABC Electrification Ltd v Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd [2020] EWCA Civ 1645 might look like the culmination of an exercise in legal hubris. This was, after all, a case focussed on the meaning of a single word in a contract; moreover, a word – “default” – that most of us in the legal profession might say has a well-established meaning.
And, after several hundred thousand pounds of legal fees no doubt well spent, the Court of Appeal told the world that the word “default” means exactly what we all thought it meant – a failure to fulfil an obligation. Continue reading “Wasn’t It Obvious? The Curious Case of ABC v. Network Rail”
Privacy Shield Declared Invalid by CJEU; Upholds Validity of Model Clauses
A sense of déjà vu descended over the international data transfer landscape on July 16, 2020. In a landmark ruling, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) announced that Privacy Shield, one of the main mechanisms used by companies to transfer personal data from the EU to the United States, is invalid.
To read the full text of this Duane Morris Alert, please visit the firm website.