Olivia Norman

Webinar | The Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 – a practical approach

This webinar takes a practical approach to help your organisation to implement the relevant changes to data protection law made by the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025. The topics we cover include:   By the end of the webinar you will be better able to explain the main changes to your organisation (whether you …
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UK creative visas: festival season challenges?

In March 2025 the performer FKA twigs hit the headlines for having to pull out of her North American tour at the eleventh hour, blaming her team for not securing her US visa in time.  US visas are often known for complexity and high costs, but how does the UK compare? The UK’s rich and …
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Using the law to create change – a new guide for charities and campaigning groups

In partnership with NEON, this new guide explains how your organisation can use the law to create meaningful change. Legal action is rarely enough to drive systemic change on its own, but the law can be a powerful tool for purpose-driven organisations, especially when combined with other tactics within a broader campaign strategy. The guide …
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Codification and expansion of the rules limiting confidentiality provisions in Non-Disclosure Agreements for victims of crime

The Government has announced that it will be codifying and expanding the rules limiting the application of confidentiality provisions in Non-Disclosure Agreements (“NDAs”) to victims of crime, in order to give the latter greater protections.  Section 17 of the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 will come into force on 1 October 2025, and will clarify …
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Employment Status: Tribunal finds exam invigilator was worker not self employed: Lessons from Shanks v Scottish Qualifications Authority

In Shanks v Scottish Qualifications Authority, the Employment Tribunal ruled an exam invigilator was a worker under employment law and entitled to holiday pay. This case highlights the importance of aligning contractual terms with actual working practices and serves as a warning to employers about the importance of correctly assessing the employment status of those …
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Bates Wells advises investors on joint venture of PSS Global Ltd

Bates Wells has advised investors on joint venture between PSS Global Ltd and Officine Maccaferri. The joint venture between PSS Global Ltd and Officine Maccaferri, a global leader in environmental engineering solutions, aims to combine both companies’ expertise, engineering capabilities, and complementary technologies. The new venture, Prime Synthetic Solutions, will advance the offshore energy, transportation, …
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The implications of the For Women Scotland judgment in the world of sport

Women’s sport is the latest sphere to feel the ripple effects of the Supreme Court’s recent decision in the For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers case (discussed here). In For Women Scotland, the Supreme Court held that transgender people retain their biological sex for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010 (EqA) even if …
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The Equality and Human Rights Commission Consults on an Updated Statutory Code of Practice following For Women Scotland

Following the Supreme Court’s decision in For Women Scotland v The Scottish Ministers [2025] UKSC 16, and the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s (“EHRC”) “Interim Update on the Practical Implications”, the EHRC has launched a consultation on an updated Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations (“Code of Practice”) (“Consultation”). The purpose of …
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Indirectly discriminatory redundancy selection criteria: Lessons from Norman v Lidl

A key aspect of a fair redundancy process is having fair, reasonable, objective selection criteria which are applied consistently and are not discriminatory in any way. However, this can sometimes be difficult to achieve in practice and getting it wrong can have costly financial and reputational consequences for organisations. The recent case of Wayne Norman …
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Demystifying investigations webinar series

Organisations are undertaking an increasing number of investigations, ranging from inquiries into individual actions such as misconduct to reviews into institutional dysfunctionalities. But investigations can be complex.   We are hosting a series of webinars where we will be exploring investigations. These sessions will provide you with the know-how to navigate this difficult territory successfully, and equip …
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Bates Wells advises ONE Campaign on challenging Government’s overseas aid cuts

The charity ONE Campaign has sent a judicial review pre-action protocol letter to the government in relation to its decision to cut spending on overseas aid to 0.3% – a further departure from the statutory target of 0.7% – in order to fund an increase in defence spending. ONE – represented by Bates Wells’ Helen …
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Employee awarded £256,000 in compensation following flawed disciplinary process and accusation of “playing the race card”: Lessons from Ahmed v United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust and Others

Managing staff complaints, workplace investigations and disciplinary processes fairly and reasonably is crucial for all organisations; not only to ensure a positive workplace culture and good staff morale, but also to minimise legal risk for the business.  Though most organisations will have relevant policies and procedures in place, key considerations to bear in mind are …
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