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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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Climate risk and competition law: insurers must beware of coordinated retreat
August 2025Introduction In early 2025, a group of California homeowners filed a claim in Ferrier et al. v. State Farm Group 25STCV12117 (California Superior Court, Los Angeles County), alleging that several of the largest US property insurers – including State Farm, Farmers, Travelers, and Allstate – coordinated their withdrawal from wildfire-prone regions, leaving consumers with no… Read More >
Proposed government crackdown on late payments and stricter payment targets for SMEs and VCSEs
August 2025Major contractors may find themselves excluded from public tenders over £5m per annum if they fail to demonstrate supply chain payment within an average of 60 days. The Government has launched a consultation of public procurement, including into late payment, looking to improve economic growth and strengthen the requirements for contractors to achieve payment benchmarks… Read More >
When the threat comes from within: UAE courts take insider leaks seriously
August 2025Cybersecurity risks are not just limited to external hackers or organised cyberattacks. Some of the most damaging incidents originate from within an organisation. Insider threats, whether deliberate or accidental, can cause serious harm. Employees with authorised access to systems and data may misuse that access, often without triggering traditional security alerts. This reality underscores the… Read More >
UK Government’s “Small Business Plan” – key takeaways and what this could mean for businesses
August 2025On 31 July 2025, the Department for Business & Trade issued their plan for how the Government intends to support SMEs across the UK (the “SBP”). With construction and professional services accounting for 16% and 14% respectively of all SMEs, this is clearly an important topic for the construction and engineering sector. This plan, which… Read More >
Updates to RICS Professional Indemnity Insurance Requirements and Minimum Policy Wording
August 2025The RICS has announced a series of changes to the RICS Professional Indemnity Insurance (‘PII’) Requirements and associated Minimum Policy Wording (‘Wording’), effective from 1 July 2025. The changes seek to provide clarity around the circumstances in which both surveyor firms and insurers may cancel policies (and the consequences of cancellation), and on the application… Read More >
Dillon v Irish Life: Irish Supreme Court Clarifies Procedure for GDPR Distress Claims
August 2025On 24 June 2025, the Irish Supreme Court delivered its judgment in Dillon v Irish Life Assurance plc[1]. The appeal was taken directly from the High Court under the “leapfrog” procedure after the High Court upheld a decision of Dublin Circuit Court that a claim under Article 82 of the GDPR and Section 117 of… Read More >
Social value in UK public procurement: a new era under the Procurement Act 2023
August 2025Introduction The UK’s public procurement landscape has undergone a significant transformation with the introduction of the Procurement Act 2023 (PA 23). An important element of this change is the greater significance placed upon social value and public benefit. Whilst even before the introduction of the PA 23, sustainability considerations were increasingly being pursued in procurement,… Read More >
UK Government consults on ending retentions
August 2025In December 2024 we reported on new legislation requiring large companies in the construction industry to report on certain payment practices and policies, specifically the proportion of retention sums withheld from suppliers. This was one of several government measures introduced to improve payment practices in the UK and increase transparency, benefiting the supply chain. On… Read More >
DOWNSTREAM SCOPE 3 EMISSIONS – SUPPLEMENTARY GUIDANCE FROM THE DEPARTMENT FOR ENERGY AND SECURITY & NET ZERO
August 2025In June 2024, the Supreme Court in R (on the application of Finch on behalf of the Weald Action Group) (Appellant) v Surrey County Council and others (Respondents) [2024] UKSC 20 (‘Finch’) found that a decision to grant planning permission for an onshore oil development project at a site in Surrey was unlawful in circumstances where… Read More >
Construction disputes – avoiding conflicts with the NEC4
August 2025The delivery of any modern construction project is fraught with the risk of disputes between the parties involved. Regardless of their roles and contract values, the complex nature of project scheduling and commercial management means that even the smallest missing puzzle piece from a single party can have significant impacts to cost and completion dates,… Read More >