Archive for March 2020

Cyber Scams

Not everyone is playing by the same rules. As you and I try to go about our daily business under the Coronavirus restrictions and try to help our family, friends and neighbours, where we can, cyber-criminals are busy exploiting the new environment for personal gain. You may have noticed that you are receiving more emails […]

Coronavirus Act 2020: Commercial Lettings

Section 82 of the Coronavirus Act 2020 (“CA 2020”) sets out emergency measures to restrict forfeiture of Commercial Business Tenancies in England and Wales where tenants find themselves in financial difficulties. The relevant period for these provisions lasts from 26 March 2020 until 30 June 2020 but is subject to review and may be extended. […]

Coronavirus Act 2020: Residential Lettings

The Coronavirus Act came into force on 26 March 2020 and will have an impact on the following parties: Landlords wishing to forfeit or end a residential lease Parties wish to issue possession proceedings Parties part way through the possession proceedings process Parties holding unexecuted Possession Orders The Government have now issued full guidance on […]

Changes to planning law now in force

New time-limited permitted development right to allow takeaway and delivery services From 10am on 24 March 2020, an amendment to the permitted development rights currently in force takes effect which allows: Restaurants and cafes; and Drinking establishments; and Drinking establishments with expanded food provision to provide takeaway food (hot or cold) for collection or delivery […]

Remote Leadership

There isn’t a better time than now to demonstrate good remote leadership. Leadership is everything, whether you are running a local voluntary service or the largest organisation in the world. At times like this everyone looks for guidance. People want to be guided. They want to follow. But if you get it wrong you are […]

On Coronavirus: Frustration, Force Majeure and Contractual Obligations

Many of you will be familiar with these terms, but it makes sense to begin by reminding ourselves of what they are. Frustration of Contract and Force Majeure are two ways in which a contract may be brought to an end. Frustration occurs where, after a contract has been formed, an event happens which renders […]

On Coronavirus: Trade Finance Borrowers

During these difficult times, many trade finance borrowers will quite rightly have concerns about meeting their payment obligations and want to understand  their potential risks. This note aims to provide guidance on what borrowers should be considering.  My general advice is to review the entire suite of trade finance facilities you have available to you […]

Coronavirus Bill

One of the key effects of this Bill, and one that both Houses will want to scrutinise closely is to give the Government new powers to prohibit public gatherings. In the context of policy announcements that tend to have a presentational focus on what appear to be common sense precautions to limit the spread of […]

On Coronavirus: Insolvency

It’s safe to say that many businesses are already struggling, coming under increasing cash flow pressure. Many individuals with management responsibility are concerned about the future viability of their organisations, as well as their own personal liability should insolvency proceedings begin. The best advice I can give is to get advice on your specific situation. […]

On Coronavirus: Advice for the construction industry

The Coronavirus pandemic and the measures being put in place continue to evolve by the hour. The construction industry with its inherent complex supply chains and daily need for person-to-person contact, is likely to be severely impacted. All parties will need to be extremely proactive in managing their risks, but also need to consider their […]

On Coronavirus: Tax residence and Private Client implications

As has become all too apparent, the Coronavirus crisis has affected international travel significantly: flights are being cancelled and travel bans have been imposed. These events, as well as being painful for many, can have unintended consequences for the residence status of some individuals. I thought it sensible to provide brief thoughts on some of […]

On Coronavirus: Advice for suppliers who work with the NHS

It goes without saying that the NHS is at the forefront of addressing the Coronavirus outbreak. Of course, the NHS relies on thousands of different suppliers to provide it with equipment to function properly, and those businesses are likely to be affected by the current situation in many different ways. Because of this, I thought […]

On Coronavirus: Force Majeure Clauses in Commercial Contracts

The situation the country finds itself in is truly unprecedented. Businesses and individuals are likely to be thinking long and hard about whether they can honour their commitments over the coming weeks and months. In light of this, I thought it was sensible to prepare some thoughts and guidance on force majeure clauses in commercial […]

On Coronavirus: Insurance Guidance

As the Coronavirus outbreak continues to develop, many people are naturally looking toward their insurance policies to see what type and levels of cover they have in place, should they need to call on insurance in these unprecedented times. The simple advice is to check your own policy wording and speak to your insurer, or […]

On Coronavirus: Commercial Leasehold Properties

Tenants  1. Non-payment of rent  In the case of non-occupation due to part or whole self-isolation rent is probably still payable. Leases do not usually contain suspension of rent or non-payment of rent in the event of force majeure, but may do where it is a licence of serviced offices and tenants should check the […]

On Coronavirus: A Survival Kit For Entrepreneurs

Staying abreast of the economic fallout from the Coronavirus pandemic is like standing on solid ground that has suddenly turned to quicksand around you. Advising business clients on employment law in this quagmire is a challenge, because so little in the law is geared for the snap commerciality and responsiveness required from leaders in the […]

Help for Residential Landlords & Tenants

The government announced on the 18 March 2020 a radical package of measures to protect renters and landlords affected by coronavirus. The aim is to ensure that no renter in either social or private residential accommodation will be forced out of their home during this difficult time. Emergency legislation is being taken forward as an […]

On Coronavirus: Advice for HR Professionals

The coronavirus has now definitely taken us into unchartered territory. People’s health is obviously number one priority, and the impact on the economy is going to be huge. HR professionals are facing completely new challenges, by the day. No one knows how the situation is going to unfold and reacting quickly and creatively to the […]

Keep Going, Keep Growing: Some Thoughts for Employers

In your planned response to the spread of Coronavirus, you’ve no doubt factored in remote working or home-working as part of your solution. It won’t be right for all sectors of course or even for all parts of a single business but it makes sense to consider how a shift to remote working might help […]

“Events, Dear Boy, Events!”

A quote that is overused and may have been mis-attributed to former Prime Minister, Harold Macmillan but is said to have been his response to being asked what he most feared as PM. We are certainly seeing some ‘events’ at the moment and their impacts can be felt in business circles across the Globe. Clients […]

Trust Barometer – A Wake Up Call

Why would anyone be led by you, follow your vision, and do what you need them to do if they don’t trust you? We are not sheep, we are not slaves and we will only give everything to our leaders if we trust them. Which is why the latest Edelman Trust Barometer (2020) is so […]

Partner Thalis Vlachos shares his career at gunnercooke so far with Yexible

In this Yexible article, Employment Law Partner Thalis Vlachos shares his career at gunnercooke so far, and it goes beyond ‘simply putting in the hours’. You can read the full feature HERE