Bolt to face court battle over drivers’ employment rights October 6, 2022 Ride-hailing app Bolt is set to face a class action lawsuit calling for it to class its drivers as workers rather than self-employed contractors. Law firm Leigh Day has filed a claim against Bolt on behalf of more than 1,600 of its drivers in calling on the Estonian tech company to give its drivers holiday [...]
City lawyer avoids jail after telling client to ‘burn’ evidence in Ocado case October 5, 2022 A City lawyer, who instructed his client to “burn” chat logs to prevent them from being handed over to Ocado, has avoided going to prison after being handed a substantial fine. Ex-Jones Day partner Raymond McKeeve told an IT manager at a company founded by Ocado co-founder Jonathan Faiman, Today Development Partners (TDP), to “burn” [...]
Directors only owe duty to creditors on real risk of insolvency, UK’s Supreme Court rules October 5, 2022 The UK’s Supreme Court has dismissed a claim calling for the law to be changed to force company directors to start taking creditors into account at the first risk of insolvency. The Supreme Court ruling reaffirms the current position in law, in stating company directors are only required to begin prioritising creditors if it is [...]
Goodwin to move staff from Hong Kong to set up in shop in Singapore October 4, 2022 Goodwin Procter has become the latest law firm to set up in Singapore, after outlining plans to relocate staff from Hong Kong. The Boston founded law firm’s new Singapore offices will become its second location in Asia, after Goodwin opened its Hong Kong office in 2008. The launch is set to see two Goodwin partners, [...]
Gateley bolsters patent practice by snapping up biotech specialist law firm Symbiosis IP October 4, 2022 Gateley has acquired specialist biotech patent attorney firm Symbiosis for c.£2.5m as the listed law firm pushes forwards with plans to bolster its intellectual property (IP) offerings. The AIM-listed company’s acquisition comes just months after it snapped up Nottingham patent and trademark specialist Adamson Jones in January. The £2.5m deal will see Gateley pay £1.5m [...]
UK blocks Russia from buying professional services following annexation of Ukrainian regions October 3, 2022 The UK has placed new sanctions on Russia, blocking its citizens and businesses from purchasing an array of services from British firms, over the Kremlin’s decision to annex four regions of Ukraine. The new sanctions seek to further damage Russia’s economy by hindering the country’s access to IT consultancy, architectural, engineering, accounting, and commercial legal [...]
Ashurst seeks to capitalise on consulting boom with launch of UK advice business October 3, 2022 City law firm Ashurst is set to expand its services offering by launching a UK consulting business. The Silver Circle firm plans to build on the successes it has had in Australia by launching a London based risk advisory business. Ashurst’s new consulting business will be led by a trio made up of current Ashurst [...]
Barristers ambivalent about MoJ’s pay hike offer October 1, 2022 Criminal barristers have shown ambivalence towards the government’s offer to apply the 15 per cent legal aid fee hike to the “vast majority” of current cases. Barristers speaking to City A.M. said they welcomed the government’s positive movement, but raised concerns the pay hike alone may not go far enough. Members of the Criminal Bar [...]
P&O Ferries settles with laid-off chef following unlawful firing of 800 staff September 30, 2022 P&O Ferries has settled an employment lawsuit brought forward by one of the nearly 800 seafarers it unlawfully fired in March. The ferry operator settled a case with one of its former chefs for an undisclosed sum after the Dubai-owned company admitted breaking the law by firing 800 staff, without consultation, over a pre-recorded video [...]
Luxury resort developer jailed for 12 years over £226m fraud September 30, 2022 A “thrice bankrupt fraudster”, who lost investors almost £400m through a “fatally flawed” Caribbean property scheme, was jailed at Southwark Crown Court today. David Ames, 70, a former double-glazing seller from Essex, was sentenced to 12 years in prison today, after being convicted of defrauding investors of £226m. Ames’ Harlequin property development company collapsed in [...]