Published Articles

When a marriage breaks up, it is usual for the couple to separate physically as well as legally and in some cases the physical separation can be considerable. With the increase in international travel and residence abroad, marriages between persons of different nationalities are becoming increasingly common.

When a claim is made for a personal injury, you would normally think it necessary to prove that the injury was caused by the action of the person or business claimed against for the claim to succeed.

From 1 February 2012, the limits in respect of employee claims will increase in accordance with The Employment Rights (Increase of Limits) Order 2011 (SI 2011/3006). Dippalli Naik, Solicitor, at Sydney Mitchell LLP, outlines the changes below:

1. For payments in relation to rights protected under the Employment Rights Act 1996:

Karen Moores, family law partner at Sydney Mitchell explains why family members are increasingly losing out when couples divorce.

I have noticed the increased involvement of other family members, generally parents, in proceedings which follow a relationship breakdown.

With the number of Insolvent Administrations increasing by 6% in 2011 some certainty as to the interplay of the Insolvency and TUPE laws is welcomed by Insolvency Practitioners, employees and purchasers of businesses alike.

Midlands law firm Sydney Mitchell LLP has expanded their Family team with the recent appointment of Mike Vale. Mike is a well-known lawyer in the Midlands and has handled many complex divorce cases involving multi-million pound assets.

The family team has been growing in reputation in recent years led by partners, Karen Moores and Mauro Vinti, and is regularly involved in complex matters involving substantial personal and business property, investments and pensions.

Three sisters who challenged their late father’s will have lost their battle at the High Court.

The Olympics are due to kick off on 27^th July 2012 and will continue until 12^th August 2012, followed swiftly by the Paralympics from 29^th August 2012 to 9^th September 2012 and already Olympic fever is building. However for employers the Olympics will present a number of challenges in the workplace, not least the possibility of increased absenteeism, loss of focus and concentration and heightened emotion, which could lead to clashes.

Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow.....You may be facing a claim!

As arrangements for our various Christmas or New Year parties are approaching the final planning stage, award winning lawyer Norman Rea, Consultant with Sydney Mitchell LLP Solicitors, takes a light hearted look at the pleasures and potential pitfalls of an office "Do" and provides a gentle but sobering warning in an effort to prevent things getting out of hand.

Supermarket owner Noor Mohammed Khan has lost his appeal against a decision by Coventry Magistrates’ Court, which upheld a decision by the local licensing committee to withdraw his licence to sell alcohol. He claimed that the magistrates had exceeded their authority by allowing the introduction of new evidence that had not been heard at the original review of his licence.

Norman Rea, Employment Lawyer and Consultant with Sydney Mitchell LLP shines a torch into the commonly misunderstood world of balloting and industrial action.

The Public Sector dispute came and went. By all accounts its impact was not as bad as some had feared. What will happen as we continue into the New Year? Will we be subject to 'copycat' strikes by rail and post workers?

The 'winter of discontent' title was used by journalists over 30 years ago as the description applied to a period of widespread strikes at that time.

The Bribery Act finally came into force, after some delay, on the 1st July 2011.

The first person prosecuted received a jail term of 6 years.

"So What ?"

Some of you glancing at this article may feel that it doesn’t affect you or your business. Unfortunately the Act, and possible prosecution under it, potentially affects all of us in our working lives and I urge you to read on.

Your legal questions answered by Fahmida Ismail. As published in the legal pages of the Birmingham Post.

Midlands based Dispute Resolution Solicitor, Ligia Bob, at law firm Sydney Mitchell LLP is a finalist in the category of Assistant Solicitor/Associate of the Year in the British Legal Awards 2011.

Even someone who takes only a passing interest in the news must have heard about the latest multi-million pound lottery winners. Dave and Angela Dawes of Wisbech have won just over £101 million in the Euromillion lottery, having only played on two previous occasions.

They are clearly overwhelmed by their good fortune and have publicly announced that they intend to make generous gifts to people who have helped them during the course of their lives and this will undoubtedly include family members.

Over the last few days we have all seen the news: plummeting stock markets, concerns about Europe’s finances and the prediction of a double dip recession. This is quite depressing news in itself, but when you also consider the looming competition from alternative business structures, the proposed Jackson reforms and the tightening of the business sector belt, the future for law firms is looking very tough.

The insurers PR machines seem to have been in overdrive recently. Barely a day goes by without mention of "the compensation culture", "the spiraling cost of claims" and the payment of referral fees to Claims Management Companies who, it is said, have no place in assisting injured victims seek and obtain appropriate and valid advice from solicitors. The insurers have had it their own way for too long but maybe the tide is finally turning?

It is perhaps now clear that the massive growth in popularity of social media sites is creating issues as well as opportunities in the workplace. The 'Genie' is out of the bottle - control it!
Advises Norman Rea of Sydney Mitchell Solicitors.

A plant hire company has been fined £7,000 and ordered to pay costs of £10,000 following an accident on a building site in which an excavator bucket filled with concrete fell off the arm of the machine supplied by the company and crushed the site foreman to death.

The faltering steps the economy is taking towards recovery seem to be breeding a degree of overconfidence on the part of some businesses, but there is no reason to abandon good credit control practice.

Your legal questions answered by Fahmida Ismail.

As published in the legal pages of the Birmingham Post.

Q. My husband and I were partners in a business that failed. When we divorced there was an outstanding income tax bill, and we were told we’d each have to pay an equal amount.