Comments | Womble Bond Dickinson

Lawyer-written opinions and insights on the latest in the legal sector, along with what else is happening in the world and how these topics may impact your business.

Sleep-in case to be heard by Supreme Court

21 Feb 2019

Unison have announced that the Supreme Court has granted them permission to appeal against the Court of Appeal's decision in the combined cases of Royal Mencap Society v Tomlinson-Blake v and Shannon v Rampersad and another (T/A Clifton House Residential Home).

High Court rules that the EMA's lease at Canary Wharf will not be frustrated by Brexit

20 Feb 2019

In a significant ruling today, Mr Justice Marcus Smith has decided that the European Medicines Agency's £13 million a year lease of premises at Canary Wharf will not be frustrated by Brexit. The decision will be a relief not only for the property industry but also for the UK economy as a whole.

Brexit: cliff-edge or cliff-hanger?

15 Feb 2019

The government's House of Commons defeat on 14 February may have sharpened divisions within the main political parties, but it changed nothing of substance. The legal position is governed by the terms of the EU (Withdrawal) Acts 2017 and 2018. The 2017 Act authorised the UK government to trigger the two year Article 50 notice period, which expires on 29 March 2019. The 2018 Act includes amendments conceded by the government to avert a Parliamentary defeat, and which locked in 11.00pm on 29 March 2019 as the "Exit day". Unless primary legislation is enacted to alter that position, the UK will cease to be a member state of the EU on that date, whether or not there is a "deal".

Reflections on NMHC 2019 (San Diego) – It's good to share

08 Feb 2019

Womble Bond Dickinson partners Pam Rothenberg (US), Chris Iavarone (US), Nigel Emmerson (UK) and Tom Willows (UK) attended January's National Multifamily Housing Council's annual meeting in San Diego and here they reflect on a fascinating few days of discussions and making new connections.

Manufacturers - supporting your property planning

30 Jan 2019

With the shadow of Brexit firmly upon us and the implications of a deal/no deal on the overarching costs of manufacturing in the United Kingdom, a number of our clients are having to take a long hard long at their futures in the United Kingdom. Necessarily if you are manufacturing in the United Kingdom, you will have property here. It is not therefore as simple as simply making a decision to open or close a site in isolation. The overarching costs and consequences of opening or closing a site need to be factored into that decision-making process.

An online restriction too far

28 Jan 2019

The EU Commission has published its decision fining clothing brand, Guess, €40m. Guess admitted its wrongdoing and was rewarded with a 50% discount off the fine.

Demystifying Brexit - revealing the true value of knowledge lawyers

21 Dec 2018

For many businesses, the Brexit process appears a seething mass of confusion and conflict, laying bare the tribal rivalries in the UK's political system and society at large. Noise and soundbites abound – opinion and counter opinion feeding dangerous rumour mills, as corporates struggle to make sense of the constant and rapid pace of developments.

Court of Appeal says Uber drivers are workers

21 Dec 2018

The Court of Appeal handed down its decision on 19 December 2018 in the ongoing employment status case brought against Uber by a group of London drivers.

Good work or just a reasonable attempt?

17 Dec 2018

The Government has today (17 December 2018) published its Good Work Plan. It sets out its vision for the future of the UK labour market, and how it will implement the recommendations made in the Taylor Review of Modern Working Practices. The report of the Taylor Review was published in July 2017 and the Government accepted most of its recommendations in February of this year, when it launched four public consultations to seek views on how to implement the recommendations. The Government has also responded to the Labour Market Enforcement Strategy 2018 to 2019. Some of the recommendations in this Strategy overlap with the Good Work Plan.

Planning for Brexit: trade mark protection

29 Nov 2018

Although the United Kingdom (UK) government has confirmed that European Union (EU) trade marks registered prior to Brexit will continue to be protected in the UK post-Brexit, there is no proposed process under which pending applications will be automatically transferred into the UK applications process.

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