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06 May 2011 / Michael Salter , Chris Bryden
Issue: 7464 / Categories: Features , Employment
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Moving forward

Michael Salter & Chris Bryden report on the recent flurry of reforms introduced to UK employment law

April and October are traditionally busy months for business, and therefore for employment lawyers, with new legislation, guidance and regulations being issued and coming into force. April 2011 was no different, with a wide range of areas of employment law being affected by the zeal of government for reform.

Areas from termination payments to the duties of public authorities under the Equality Act 2010 (EqA 2010) fell to be altered by the latest series of innovation. This article highlights a cross-section of the most important reforms that affect employment lawyers and business.

Default retirement

The most significant alteration in the sphere of employment law is likely to be felt by employers in the realms of retirement as, after much discussion about the wording of the transitional provisions, last month saw the end of the well-known but not well-loved default retirement age of 65.

Following the reforms that have now come into force, employers will only

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

NLJ Career Profile: Ken Fowlie, Stowe Family Law

NLJ Career Profile: Ken Fowlie, Stowe Family Law

Ken Fowlie, chairman of Stowe Family Law, reflects on more than 30 years in legal services after ‘falling into law’

Gardner Leader—Michelle Morgan & Catherine Morris

Gardner Leader—Michelle Morgan & Catherine Morris

Regional law firm expands employment team with partner and senior associate hires

Freeths—Carly Harwood & Tom Newton

Freeths—Carly Harwood & Tom Newton

Nottinghamtrusts, estates and tax team welcomes two senior associates

NEWS
Children can claim for ‘lost years’ damages in personal injury cases, the Supreme Court has held in a landmark judgment
The cab-rank rule remains a bulwark of the rule of law, yet lawyers are increasingly judged by their clients’ causes. Writing in NLJ this week, Ian McDougall, president of the LexisNexis Rule of Law Foundation, warns that conflating representation with endorsement is a ‘clear and present danger’
Holiday lets may promise easy returns, but restrictive covenants can swiftly scupper plans. Writing in NLJ this week, Andrew Francis of Serle Court recounts how covenants limiting use to a ‘private dwelling house’ or ‘private residence’ have repeatedly defeated short-term letting schemes
Artificial intelligence (AI) is already embedded in the civil courts, but regulation lags behind practice. Writing in NLJ this week, Ben Roe of Baker McKenzie charts a landscape where AI assists with transcription, case management and document handling, yet raises acute concerns over evidence, advocacy and even judgment-writing
The Supreme Court has drawn a firm line under branding creativity in regulated markets. In Dairy UK Ltd v Oatly AB, it ruled that Oatly’s ‘post-milk generation’ trade mark unlawfully deployed a protected dairy designation. In NLJ this week, Asima Rana of DWF explains that the court prioritised ‘regulatory clarity over creative branding choices’, holding that ‘designation’ extends beyond product names to marketing slogans
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