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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: Nikki Bowker, Devonshires

NLJ Career Profile: Nikki Bowker, Devonshires

Nikki Bowker, head of litigation and dispute resolution at Devonshires, on career resilience, diversity in law and channelling Elle Woods when the pressure is on

Ellisons—Sarah Osborne

Ellisons—Sarah Osborne

Leasehold enfranchisement specialist joins residential property team

DWF—Chris Air

DWF—Chris Air

Firm strengthens commercial team in Manchester with partner appointment

NEWS
Contract damages are usually assessed at the date of breach—but not always. Writing in NLJ this week, Ian Gascoigne, knowledge lawyer at LexisNexis, examines the growing body of cases where courts have allowed later events to reshape compensation
The Supreme Court has restored ‘doctrinal coherence’ to unfair prejudice litigation, writes Natalie Quinlivan, partner at Fieldfisher LLP, in this week' NLJ
The High Court’s refusal to recognise a prolific sperm donor as a child’s legal parent has highlighted the risks of informal conception arrangements, according to Liam Hurren, associate at Kingsley Napley, in NLJ this week
The Court of Appeal’s decision in Mazur may have settled questions around litigation supervision, but the profession should not simply ‘move on’, argues Jennifer Coupland, CEO of CILEX, in this week's NLJ
A simple phrase like ‘subject to references’ may not protect employers as much as they think. Writing in NLJ this week, Ian Smith, barrister and emeritus professor of employment law at UEA, analyses recent employment cases showing how conditional job offers can still create binding contracts
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