The number of British solicitors registering in Ireland has risen 11-fold since the Brexit vote December 5, 2016 A "tsunami" of British lawyers have flocked to register on the Irish roll of solicitors this year following the UK's vote to leave the EU. By the end of the year, the Law Society of Ireland will welcome a record 1,347 new solicitors to it books, beating the previous record set in 2008 by more [...]
Why businesses should be keeping a close eye on the Supreme Court this week December 5, 2016 The government has begun a landmark Supreme Court appeal against a parliamentary vote on triggering Article 50, which will decide whether MPs should get a vote on taking Britain out of the European Union. An unprecedented number of spectators are expected to keep a close eye on this four-day hearing – indeed, two neighbouring court [...]
Hefty bill from counterfeiting and piracy costs EU £71bn and 790,000 jobs each year December 5, 2016 Counterfeit goods and piracy cost the EU economy a whopping £71bn every year, according to research from the European Union’s intellectual property office. More than 7.4 per cent of sales, totalling £40bn, across nine sectors are lost in the 28-country bloc due to fake products including handbags, toys, pharmaceuticals and alcohol, as well as music [...]
HMRC told to hurry up and produce “tangible results” by Treasury Committee chairman December 5, 2016 A Tory heavy-hitter said workers with life-threatening diseases could miss out on compensation pay-outs because of failings by the taxman and today urged authorities to speed up the process. Victims of occupational diseases can only claim compensation from employers once they have received a full record of their employment. However, tax records are a vital part [...]
Treasury to introduce £1m penalty for breaching financial sanctions December 1, 2016 Those who breach serious financial sanctions could be slapped with a seven figure penalty as of next year. The Treasury's Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) will, from next April, be able to impose penalties of £1m or 50 per cent of the value of the breach, whichever is higher, for such breaches. The UK currently has [...]
KPMG boss Simon Collins won’t be seeking re-election after five year tenure December 1, 2016 KPMG's UK boss will step down in March after five years at the helm of the accountancy giant. Simon Collins told fellow partners of his plans on Thursday and is expected to put his hat in the ring to step up and lead the global network of the firm, according to reports by Sky News. Read more: [...]
Hosting the Christmas party (without the hangover) November 30, 2016 The Christmas party season is upon us again. For many, it is the highlight of the year – an opportunity to celebrate and be rewarded for a year of hard work, and to strengthen relationships with colleagues. But even if you’re not drinking, many employers find the Christmas do an annual headache, with disciplinary issues to [...]
UK universities need a bespoke Brexit deal with flexibility on freedom of movement for EU students November 30, 2016 The fate of British universities – their research, their European staff and their students – has become a major issue following the EU referendum. Under the home secretary’s proposals, they would be classed as employers with a large number of non-UK staff – 17 per cent of teaching and research posts are occupied by EU [...]
Eversheds is in discussions with US firm Sutherland about a merger November 29, 2016 Eversheds is in discussions with US law firm Sutherland about a merger. Partners at the two firms will vote on the merger proposal within the next few weeks, and it is thought the deal will be finalised by the end of the year. Read more: Eversheds promotes Murphy to chairman as David Gray retires [...]
Regulators promise “once in a generation” changes to payment systems, bringing Britain’s banking into the 21st century November 29, 2016 The way businesses and consumers pay their bills is scheduled for the largest shake-up in decades under plans proposed by regulators. Three of the main retail payment systems – Bacs, Cheques and Credit Clearing Company and Faster Payments Service – are to be binned and replaced with what authorities hope is a clearer and more [...]