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Our lawyers contribute regularly to industry and legal journals in addition to writing legal briefings, newsletters and case reports for clients and contacts. All of our articles are free to read and download here.
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Managing the risks of ‘forever chemicals’: PFAS in the construction industry
April 2025Updated March 2025 Introduction to PFAS and its use in the construction industry Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of synthetic chemicals valued in the construction industry for their durability and resistance to water, grease, and corrosion. They are commonly found in products and materials such as roofing, paints, coatings, sealants, adhesives, semiconductors,… Read More >
Insurance Captives
April 2025As a part of Beale & Co’s Special Risks Week we are looking at Insurance Captives (a method of self-insurance where the policyholder owns the insurance entity). This is a particularly apt topic as the UK has just closed its recent (re)insurance captives’ consultation. The consultation investigates whether, and how, the UK government should develop… Read More >
NIC & MINIMUM WAGE INCREASES COME INTO FORCE. WHAT NEXT?
April 2025The UK Government’s Autumn Budget in October 2024 set out substantial increases both in Employer’s National Insurance Contributions (‘NIC’) and various Minimum Wage (‘MW’) rates coming into force in early April 2024 (April 1 for MW and April 6 for NIC). In summary these changes are: NIC: Secondary class 1 NIC employer contributions will increase… Read More >
Developments in Claims against Financial Institutions in the Middle East
April 2025The UAE and other countries in the Middle East have made great strides in recent years to promote the region as an excellent and safe place to do business. With this push, however, comes the need to align more with other global financial centres and therefore regulation is increasing, and with this comes more risk… Read More >
Warranty & Indemnity Update
March 2025What is Warranty & Indemnity Insurance, when is it used and what are the current and future trends in this line of business? As part of Special Risks Week, we thought we would write a piece on Warranty & Indemnity Insurance, a line of business which is growing in use and prominence around the world,… Read More >
Raising standards: the Domestic Building Works Consumer Protection Bill 2024-25
March 2025The Domestic Building Works (Consumer Protection) Bill 2024-5 (the “Bill”) is a Private Members’ Bill introduced in the House of Commons on 21 October 2024 by Mark Garnier, the Member of Parliament for Wyre Forest.[1] Private Members’ bills are for MPs who are not in Government, to bring topics and issues to Parliament for debate.… Read More >
GLOBAL VANTAGE: Recent Infrastructure Projects in Toronto: Shaping the Future of the City
March 2025Toronto, Canada’s largest city, is undergoing significant transformation with several high-profile infrastructure projects underway. These projects are designed to enhance the city’s transportation networks, boost housing development, and address the challenges posed by rapid urbanization. From major subway extensions to the construction of new smart highways, Toronto’s infrastructure initiatives are not only shaping the city’s… Read More >
Fraud prevention or financial fallout? Navigating the new failure to prevent fraud offence
March 2025The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 introduces a new offence of failure to prevent fraud, which comes into force on 1 September 2025. This marks a significant shift in corporate criminal liability, as it imposes responsibility on organisations for fraud committed by associated persons, regardless of whether senior management were aware or involved.… Read More >
JCT Contracts 2024 – the latest developments, publications and procurement points
March 2025The most recent additions to the 2024 JCT suite of contracts, including the Construction Management (CM) and Management Contracting (MC) contract families were published earlier this month. Those contracts now join the JCT Standard, Minor Works, Intermediate, Measured Term and other JCT contracts, guidance, and documents published over the past year. Again, the changes to… Read More >
Does your contract contain an effective cap? Limiting liability for UK contractors and consultants
March 2025In a difficult contractual market, a key risk management mechanism is to include appropriate limits on liability in contracts. These clauses are designed to exclude or cap the liability a contractor or consultant might face in the event of certain future claims and, if used correctly, can significantly improve exposure to risk (or loss) and… Read More >