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Thinking - Blog

Hot off the Press: COVID-19 - Your workforce: a Q&A on claiming for wage costs through the Job Retention Scheme

Published on 27 Mar 2020. By Patrick Brodie, Partner and Kelly Thomson, Partner, ESG Strategy Lead

On 26th March, HMRC issued guidance on claiming for wage costs through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. We explore some answers to key questions and add some questions of our own.

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Thinking - Blog

COVID-19 Your workforce: a caution against putting equality on the backburner

Published on 27 Mar 2020. By Kelly Thomson, Partner, ESG Strategy Lead and Rachel Pears, Head of Responsible Business

UK business, like much of the rest of the world, is and will, for some time, remain firmly in the grip of COVID-19's tentacles.

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Thinking - Blog

COVID 19 Your workforce: What on earth is "furlough"?

Published on 24 Mar 2020. By Kelly Thomson, Partner, ESG Strategy Lead and Patrick Brodie, Partner

Meaning of furlough, especially in the context of companies dealing with the impact of COVID-19.

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Thinking - Blog

COVID-19 Your workforce: pay and costs - practical ideas our clients are exploring

Published on 24 Mar 2020. By Patrick Brodie, Partner and Kelly Thomson, Partner, ESG Strategy Lead

COVID-19 Your workforce: pay and costs - practical ideas our clients are exploring. These are extraordinary times that place extraordinary pressures on all of us, including dealing with your workforce. We set out below some ideas that we are hearing about from our clients and some areas you may wish to think about in terms of your employee costs.

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Thinking - Blog

COVID-19 Your workforce: supporting mental health when home working

Published on 24 Mar 2020. By Kelly Thomson, Partner, ESG Strategy Lead and Patrick Brodie, Partner

COVID-19 Your workforce: supporting mental health when home working. Many of us are working from home during this crisis and while this can be an effective way of working for some, it is less happy for others; loneliness, caring for vulnerable dependants and challenging home environments are all being experienced. There may be members of your teams who fall into these categories.

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Thinking - Blog

Sharpen your blue pencil: the doctrine of severance in employment cases

Published on 15 Aug 2019. By Kelly Thomson, Partner, ESG Strategy Lead and Patrick Brodie, Partner

In Tillman v Egon Zehnder Ltd [2019] UKSC 32, one such business asked the Supreme Court to reconsider the law and to change it to be fit for modern day purposes. In its landmark judgment handed down in July, the Supreme Court has done so. The core facts of the case are not unusual. Egon Zehnder (EZ) is a global specialist executive search and recruitment business. EZ recruited Mary-Caroline Tillman in 2004. As the High Court judge observed, the company regarded Ms Tillman as “a bit special”. She was recruited into a senior role on a salary of £120,000 and first year bonus of £100,000 and then rose steadily through the ranks of the organisation. By 2012, Ms Tillman was joint global head of the company’s financial services practice and a shareholder in the Swiss holding company.

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Thinking - Video

Gender Pay Gap Reporting – are you ready?

Published on 27 Apr 2016.

Hear Patrick Brodie and Kelly Thomson discuss the requirements on businesses to comply with Gender Pay Gap Reporting legislation.

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Thinking - Publication

Some holiday pay reading

Published on 26 Feb 2016.

A new decision on holiday pay and commission.

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Thinking - Publication

Employment update, December 2015

Published on 09 Feb 2016.

Implied terms: when can a term be implied into a contract?

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Thinking - Publication

Employment update, November 2015

Published on 17 Dec 2015.

Penalty clauses: what is the test where a clause is claimed to be unenforceable?

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Thinking - Publication

Employment update, October 2015

Published on 23 Nov 2015.

Whistleblowing: A dispute about terms of employment can be a matter of “public interest”

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Thinking - Publication

Employment update, September 2015

Published on 07 Oct 2015.

HR assistance in disciplinary procedures: how much is too much?

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Thinking - Blog

Restrictive Covenant Clause Enforced Despite it Containing a Drafting Error

Published on 17 Apr 2014.

The High Court has just handed down its judgment in the case of Prophet Plc v Huggett.

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Thinking - Blog

Different Emails, Read Together, Can be a Qualifying Whistleblowing Disclosure

Published on 21 Mar 2014.

In the case of Norbrook Laboratories (2B) Limited v Shaw the EAT considered whether emails sent to different recipients could be taken as a whole to amount to a qualifying disclosure for the purposes of a whistleblowing claim.

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Thinking - Blog

British National Working Overseas Has No Right to Bring a Claim in the Employment Tribunals

Published on 07 Feb 2014.

For employers who engage staff to work overseas, determining whether the can bring a claim in the Employment Tribunals is becoming increasing difficult.

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Thinking - Blog

Collective Redundancy Consultation: Expiry of Fixed Term Contract Does Not Count Towards 20+ Headcount

Published on 07 Feb 2014. By Patrick Brodie, Partner

University College v University of Stirling [2014] CSIH 5.

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Thinking - Blog

Report Card

Published on 28 Jan 2013.

We're casting our critical eye over the Government's employment law proposals and writing its school report.

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Thinking - Blog

Faith and Freedom

Published on 27 Jan 2013.

In a debate that has lasted several years, one of my colleagues and I have been at odds on the case of Lillian Ladele, the Islington registrar who refused to conduct civil partnership ceremonies.

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Thinking - Publication

The Role of AI in Disputes

Published on 03 Jun 2024. By Daniel Hemming, Partner and Olivia Dhein, Knowledge Lawyer and Ricky Cella, Senior Associate

While lawyers have had various forms of AI available to them for years, it is generative AI and the development of large language models (LLMs) which is likely to represent a fundamental shift for dispute resolution. This technology now offers language capabilities that have never been seen before, and is likely to transform the way lawyers conduct proceedings.

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Thinking - Blog

AI in auditing: Embracing a new age for the profession

Published on 08 Jul 2024.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a rather new concept for many (ignoring those versed in 80’s Sci-Fi movies); it’s something many don’t know much about and certainly don’t use in our day-to-day lives (or at least appreciate we are using). However, that’s not the case for everyone. Auditors have long been reaping the benefits of AI, but are auditors just scratching the surface of what AI can offer and what impact will an increased use have on their insurance requirements and claims they face?

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Thinking - Blog

Thaler v Comptroller [2023] UKSC 49: the UKSC rules that AI cannot be an 'inventor'

Published on 10 Jan 2024. By Matthew Jones, Partner

To the surprise of no one, the UK Supreme Court (UKSC) has finally ruled that an artificial intelligence (AI) cannot be an inventor for the purposes of UK patent law. This judgment accords with the decisions of the lower courts in the UK and the initial ruling of the UKIPO. It also reflects similar findings from most of courts around the world where the claimant, Dr Thaler, brought similar actions.

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Thinking - Blog

EU AI ACT-ion stations

Published on 29 Sep 2023. By Helen Armstrong, Partner and Charles Buckworth, Partner

The EU is forging ahead with its vision for AI. With wrapping up talks on the EU AI Act between the EU governments, the Commission and the parliamentary negotiators imminent, we bring you up to date on the EU's risk based approach, the scope of the Act, a timeline, key points that will form the basis of the discussions and next steps.

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Thinking - Blog

The November 2023 AI safety summit and the UK's direction of travel

Published on 29 Aug 2023. By Helen Armstrong, Partner and Charles Buckworth, Partner and Joshy Thomas, Knowledge Lawyer

The government has confirmed that the UK AI safety summit will be held at Bletchley Park on 1 and 2 November 2023.

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Thinking - Blog

Generative AI and intellectual property rights—the UK government's position

Published on 03 May 2023. By Helen Armstrong, Partner and Jani Ihalainen, Associate and Joshy Thomas, Knowledge Lawyer

The IPO is to produce a code of practice by the summer that will provide guidance to support AI firms in accessing copyright protected works as an input to their models.

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Thinking - Publication

Sports Ticker (27 April 2023) – PL gambling sponsor ban, WWE x UFC merger and Schumacher's AI interview – a speed-read of commercial updates from the sports world

Published on 28 Apr 2023. By Jeremy Drew, Partner, Head of Commercial and Joshua Charalambous, Partner and Samuel Coppard, Senior Associate and Joseph Akwaboa, Associate

In a fortnight which saw Corach Rambler win the Grand National, the UK & Ireland submit its bid to host the UEFA Euro 2028 men's tournament, and 48,000 runners take to the streets for the London Marathon, we bring you updates on Spotify's new integration with Strava and Team GB's collaboration with Birds Eye. We also feature stories on a controversial AI-generated interview with Michael Schumacher and our own Kate O'Malley's sub-three hour marathon success.

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Thinking - Snapshot

UK Government sets out proposals for regulation of AI

Published on 10 Oct 2022. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner

What are the UK Government’s plans for the future regulation of artificial intelligence (AI)?

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Thinking - Snapshot

UK government announces the launch of an AI standards hub

Published on 12 Apr 2022. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner

What does the new artificial intelligence (AI) standards hub mean for businesses seeking to develop AI technologies?

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Thinking - Snapshot

ICO publishes guidance on AI decision making

Published on 02 Nov 2020. By Oliver Bray, Senior Partner

How can companies comply with data regulation when using AI to make decisions affecting individuals?

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Press and Media

Whistle-blowing on illegal cartels drops 70% in 5 years

Published on 18 Sep 2023. By Chris Ross, Partner and Arash Rajai, Partner

Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) recently increased award to £250,000 Calls to the CMA hotline have plummeted from 1,442 in 2017 to 427 in 2022

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Press and Media

The Times recognises RPC among Best Law Firms 2024

Published on 30 Oct 2023.

International law firm, RPC, has been recognised by The Times in its Best Law Firms 2024 report, an annual ranking of the top 250 law firms in England and Wales.

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