Employment Law and Labour Law

The Court of Appeal's decision in Burger v Wetherspoons reinforces established principles on vicarious liability and contractor independence. When a security guard employed by a contracted company assaulted a patron, the court examined whether the pub chain could be held liable for the contractor's employee's actions. The case offers critical insights into how businesses can maintain clear boundaries with contractors and effectively transfer risk through outsourcing arrangements.

Legal budgets are expanding in 2027, yet the gains are being consumed by compensation costs, escalating law firm fees, and unfunded AI initiatives. In-house legal teams face a paradox of growth without capacity, forcing strategic pivots toward insourcing, alternative legal service providers, and adaptable operational frameworks designed for sustained performance.

In-house legal teams are rapidly expanding their scope of work, driven by AI capabilities and rising law firm costs. But as the perimeter of what they handle grows faster than their budgets and capacity, many are discovering that bringing work in-house creates new challenges around workload management and sustainable operations. The question isn't whether to insource more work—it's how to build the flexible, AI-enabled operating model needed to handle it effectively.

Customer-facing employees often find themselves in difficult situations when dealing with aggressive customers or suspected theft. This article examines the legal and practical considerations employers must navigate when employees confront customers, including disciplinary procedures, health and safety obligations, and the upcoming third-party harassment provisions under the Employment Rights Act 2025.

A death connected with a business can trigger a corporate manslaughter investigation, examining not just the immediate circumstances but how the organisation was managed, decisions made by senior management, and whether appropriate procedures were followed. Our specialist criminal and regulatory lawyers advise companies, directors and senior managers from the earliest stages of an investigation through to any prosecution, helping navigate the complex intersection of serious criminal liability and regulatory

A significant development has occurred regarding the use of Environmental Protection Act 1990 powers by local authority landlords seeking access to residential properties for statutory safety inspections. The Justices' Legal Advisers and Court Officer's Service issued urgent guidance advising that courts should no longer issue warrants under the EPA to enable local authority landlords to gain entry for gas appliance inspections. This development will undoubtedly have significant operational implications for

The Employment Rights Act 2025 will double the time limit for bringing most employment tribunal claims from three months to six months from October 2026. This procedural change presents both challenges and opportunities for employers, particularly around record-keeping and evidence preservation as claims may now be filed many months after incidents occur.

The UK Information Commissioner's Office has published findings from a citizens' jury examining public attitudes toward neurotechnology and neurodata collection. Twenty UK residents deliberated on how to balance the benefits of brain-monitoring devices against privacy risks, revealing strong support for medical applications but significant opposition to workplace productivity monitoring and concerns about discrimination against neurodiverse individuals.

The Employment Rights Act 2025 introduces expanded employer liability for third-party harassment, requiring organizations to demonstrate they took all reasonable steps to prevent it. This analysis explores why robust investigation procedures will be critical for compliance and examines the unique challenges of investigating harassment allegations involving individuals outside the organization.

The Employment Rights Act 2025 will double the time limit for bringing most employment tribunal claims from three months to six months from October 2026. This procedural change presents both challenges and opportunities for employers, particularly around record-keeping and evidence preservation as claims may now be filed many months after incidents occur.

Customer-facing employees often find themselves in difficult situations when dealing with aggressive customers or suspected theft. This article examines the legal and practical considerations employers must navigate when employees confront customers, including disciplinary procedures, health and safety obligations, and the upcoming third-party harassment provisions under the Employment Rights Act 2025.

Acas has launched a public consultation on a significantly revised Code of Practice for disciplinary and grievance procedures, marking the first comprehensive review since 2009. The proposed changes aim to modernize workplace dispute resolution by expanding coverage, introducing clearer guidance on early resolution, and reorganizing the framework around a broader concept of 'concerns at work.' With the consultation open until September 2026, employers and employees alike should understand how these changes