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The number of applications for lasting powers of attorney (LPA) has doubled in the last two years, according to research carried out by the Times newspaper. It says half a million LPAs were set up last year by people seeking to protect their interests in case they develop illnesses like dementia at some point in
A father who lashed out at his children in a restaurant has been told he can only have indirect contact with them for at least the next two years. The case involved a couple who had three children together during their marriage. Following the breakdown of the relationship, the father wanted to remove the children
The government is providing a new fund to help small businesses grow and develop. The Enterprise Capital Fund is backed by the British Business Bank and has a total investment capacity of £40m. Active Private Equity, which specialises in helping consumer-focused businesses grow their brands and build the infrastructure needed to scale up successfully, will
An aviation company has won a breach of contract dispute with a bank over a multi-million pound deal to buy an aircraft. The court heard that the company had sought equity investment to finance the purchase and so entered into negotiations with senior bank staff. A commitment letter and a management agreement were drafted and
The government has announced measures to strengthen the Prompt Payment Code and reduce the financial pressure on businesses. The measures are outlined in a letter to signatories of the code from Small Business Minister Margot James, and Philip King, Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Credit Management. These are some of the key points:
The director of a laundry business has been disqualified for six years for allowing his company to employ illegal workers. Mr Montaz Ali Azad ran Eurolinen UK Ltd, which traded as an industrial laundry in Greater Manchester. He was disqualified following an investigation by the Insolvency Service. Investigators found that he failed to ensure that
A business tenant has failed to exercise a break clause correctly because it left some partitioning behind when it vacated its commercial premises. The premises were on a 10-year lease with the option of exercising a break clause after five years on condition that proper notice was served and vacant possession was given on or
The Court of Appeal has ruled that the manufacturer of a device used to avert the risk of fire was not obliged to compensate the owners of a factory that was burnt to the ground. The court heard that the factory made precision components for the aerospace industry. It installed thermolevel devices to act as
Hiring employees on repeated fixed-term contracts to carry work of a permanent nature contravenes EU law. That was the decision of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in the case of Spanish nurse Maria Elena Pérez López, who was employed by the University Hospital of Madrid. She began working for the hospital
A firm has been ordered to compensate a potential employee after withdrawing a verbal job offer made over the phone. The Employment Tribunal said the withdrawal amounted to breach of contract even though there was no written agreement. The case involved a company that appointed an agency to find suitable candidates for a vacancy. One