End of Len McCluskey era: Unite union to get first woman leader today August 25, 2021 The giant Unite union is set to have its first female general secretary after a ballot to decide the successor to Len McCluskey. Voting papers will be formally counted today, but Sharon Graham, an assistant general secretary of the union, is expected to win. It is believed she has achieved a few thousand more votes [...]
Lawyers urge UK government to save Afghan judges and artists August 24, 2021 City law firm Bates Wells has urged the Home Office to urgently help lawyers, academics and activists in Afghanistan, as the crisis in the country continues. The firm called on the government to take on board recommendations made in a joint letter by the Immigration Law Practitioners Association (ILPA) and the Afghanistan and Central Asian [...]
McKinsey wins govt contract worth up to £3m: fights off competition from EY, Bain and Boston Consulting August 23, 2021 McKinsey & Company has won a contract worth up to £3m to consult the government on digital, data and technology services ahead of the annual spending review, according to reports. The firm fought off competition from EY, Bain and Boston Consulting Group, according to reports, which suggest that the contract, valued at £53,571 per day, [...]
Global anti-money laundering fines surge as regulators dole out tougher penalties August 23, 2021 Global anti-money laundering (AML) fines at banks and financial services firms soared to $2.2bn (£1.6bn) last year, fives times higher than in 2019, as regulators have stuck to tougher lines on the industry, according to reports. In its latest review Kroll, a governance and risk consultancy, found that watchdogs levied almost $1bn of AML fines in [...]
Dentist wins £15,000 damages in libel after wild accusations surfaced online August 20, 2021 A retired dentist and his partner have won a website libel fight after becoming involved in a dispute over land in a Cumbrian village. Dr Richard Wozniak and Bridget Kelly, who had retired to Cumbria and bought a house in Rosgill six years ago, sued villager Chloe Randall. Ms Randall had fought the libel claim, [...]
Law firm Irwin Mitchell reaches ‘landmark’ £1bn assets under management August 20, 2021 Irwin Mitchell’s wealth management team has reached £1bn of assets under management (AUM) this week, the company has announced today. The firm, which also recently announced an 11th year of consecutive growth, launched its wealth management division in 2000 and focussed on providing financial planning and investment management to personal injury clients in receipt of [...]
Ackman of Pershings to relaunch SPAC as damage control from investor lawsuit August 20, 2021 In a letter to the shareholders of the largest SPAC to ever hit the market, billionaire fund manager Bill Ackman said on Thursday he will pursue a relaunch of Pershings, following a lawsuit filed this week by an investor. The lawsuit against Pershing Square Holdings (PSTH) was filed by former US Securities and Exchange (SEC) [...]
Faulty lab tests: Hundreds of drug-driving convictions could be quashed August 19, 2021 Hundreds of drug-driving convictions could be called into question after problems with evidence samples were discovered in forensic labs, according to police. Some evidence handled by forensic testing company Synlab Laboratory Services Limited is “no longer reliable”, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) said. The company “identified issues with its analysis of drug-driving samples” in [...]
Legal groups urge UK to help female judges and legal professionals in Afghanistan August 19, 2021 At least 250 female judges in Afghanistan face a “perilous” future, legal groups have said while urging the UK government to offer asylum to female judges and other legal professionals in the country which has been control of by the Taliban. According to the Lawyer Monthly, the Bar Council, Bar Human Rights Committee and Law [...]
Deloitte gives all 333,000 staff lessons on climate change August 19, 2021 All Deloitte employees will be given lessons as part of a climate change education programme over the next six months according to reports, as the auditing giant seeks to boost climate change literacy in its workforce. The “climate learning program” that all 333,000 of the auditor’s international staff will be sent on, has been created [...]