Karen Collins

Bates Wells act in an important intervention on behalf of Protect, the UK Whistleblowing charity

Protect, the UK whistleblowing charity, successfully intervened in the Employment Appeal Tribunal case of Declan Durey v South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust to protect “injury to feelings” compensation for whistleblowers. The case concerned a challenge to this established form of compensation. Following the hearing, the settled position remains that Employment Tribunals can make …
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Getting granular about our science-based target

Greenwashing is a growing risk and these days everyone seems to be making claims about their environmental credentials. So, in this world of increasing misinformation and fake news, how can we (and others) be sure that claims about carbon reduction are legitimate? Being open and transparent about green claims will bring us very quickly to …
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UK Budget 2024: What does it mean for the charity sector

Yesterday, the Chancellor delivered what must be one of the most highly anticipated and politically charged Budget announcements in recent years. There has been a great deal of speculation of what was to be included and so it is good to know, with certainty, what tax changes are to be implemented so that organisations can …
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Bates Wells advises on the sale of law firm FBC Manby Bowdler

Bates Wells has advised the partners of law firm FBC Manby Bowdler in connection with the investment of £30m by Horizon Capital and becoming the platform firm of a new firm, Adeptio Law Group. FBC Manby Bowdler is a full service, 200 strong law firm based in the Midlands. This represents the first investment for …
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#CountdownToTheDuty: Preventing sexual harassment in the workplace

From 26 October 2024, employers will be under a new legal duty proactively to take “reasonable steps” to prevent sexual harassment in their workplaces. The last two weeks we’ve been taking a closer look at what this means, sharing daily tips for employers in the lead up to this new duty coming into force. Here’s our …
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Realise your purpose: How Immigration and hybrid working are shaping the future of workforce diversity

Realise Your Purpose is a Bates Wells campaign to help commercial organisations consider, decide on and implement their ESG goals. From governance to people, and from contracts to real estate, this series will provide insight and guidance for business leaders and senior decision makers on the first steps in their sustainability journey.   The global landscape …
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Eleonor Duhs published in PDP journal: The Problem with Data Sharing

In certain contexts, data sharing crosses the line between being useful from being absolutely vital. Yet, significant misunderstandings about the dangers of data sharing, and the reluctance to share data even in situations where that data sharing is either innocuous or in the public interest, appears widespread. Eleonor Duhs, Partner and Head of Data and …
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UK’s Electronic Travel Authorisation scheme rollout timetable finally confirmed

The government has finally announced further rollout dates for the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) scheme. As one of many steps being taken by the Government towards achieving its aims of digitising the UK border and immigration system, it’s important that employers and individuals are aware and start preparing now for these changes. What’s changing? The …
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What next for activists in light of the trial of Just Stop Oil M25 protestors?

On 18 July 2024, five protestors (including the co-founder of Just Stop Oil) were convicted of conspiring intentionally to cause a public nuisance, contrary to section 78 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and section 1 of the Criminal Law Act 1977. These offences related to protests on the M25 across four …
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The new duty to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace: Top tips for employers

From 26 October 2024 employers will be under a new legal duty proactively to take “reasonable steps” to prevent sexual harassment in their workplaces.  We take a closer look at what the new duty means in practice, and share some top tips for employers. What is the current law on sexual harassment in the workplace? …
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Living out the B Corp commitment: Supporting the board through B Corp governance training

There are now more than 2,000 B Corps in the UK, currently the second biggest B Corp community in the world. This is no small achievement given the fundamental commitment these businesses must make to pursuing positive impact as well as profit: B Corp certification includes requiring UK businesses to amend their constitutions to adopt …
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Our Impact Counsels’ Forum

Bates Wells’ Impact Counsels’ Forum is for general counsel, senior lawyers and other leaders within B Corps, impact investors and purpose-driven businesses of different kinds in our network. The forum meets around 3 times a year, creating an informal peer-to-peer forum for sharing ideas and best practice and to discuss the ‘impact angles’ on key …
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