News

Constitutional and Human Rights reforms remain on the agenda

The Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee has recently launched a survey to gauge people’s views on what topics and issues the new Constitution, Democracy and Rights Commission should focus on. This is a chance for the public to highlight the elements of the UK political system that were most in need of reform. The …
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Bates Wells hosts Danny Kruger MP to discuss Levelling Up Our Communities report recommendations

Danny Kruger MP joined Bates Wells partner Luke Fletcher to discuss his recent report, Levelling up our communities: proposals for a new social covenant, as well as discussing the charity and political landscape. The recently-launched report sets out a vision for a more local, more human, less bureaucratic, less centralised society in which people are …
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Modern slavery transparency statements – new obligations announced

The government has announced new measures to expand and clarify the requirements of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, with which large businesses, charities, social enterprises and now the public sector will need to comply once brought into force. The response to the transparency in supply chains consultation outlines the intended reforms including the mandatory content …
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Personnel Today: Chetal Patel on UK firm’s ability to attract ‘brightest and best’ in doubt

Chetal Patel, partner in our Immigration team has been featured in a recent Personnel Today article. The piece focuses on new figures recently published showing that the number of UK businesses applying for permission to employ skilled overseas workers has remained static since the start of the year and that only 2% of private sector …
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Bates Wells signs up to Race at Work Charter

We’re showing our commitment to racial equality by signing up to the Race at Work Charter. We are pleased to announce we are now a signatory of the Business in the Community Race at Work Charter. The Charter is an initiative designed to improve outcomes for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) employees in the …
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Alex Jameson writes on the EDPB’s updated guidance on consent under GDPR

Alex Jameson, Associate in our Data Privacy team has written an article for September 2020’s Privacy & Data Protection Journal . In the article, Alex takes a look at the latest guidance from the European Data Protection Board, and in particular the regulators’ approach to ‘cookie walls’ and ‘scrolling and swiping’ as methods of obtaining …
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Victoria Hordern contributes to Global Data Review analysis of European Data Protection Board (EDPB) report

Following the publication of the EDPB’s latest report on the GDPR, Victoria Hordern, Partner & Head of Data Privacy, provided her thoughts to Global Data Review on the key insights that can be drawn from the report’s conclusions. Nothing how it is “perhaps unsurprising” that the EDPB has assumed such a positive view of the …
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Stephen Lloyd Awards reopens to both existing and new applicants

The Awards are pleased to unlock a short application window considering both existing applications and new applications. In the wake of Covid-19, the Stephen Lloyd Awards have had to temporarily halt their 2020 Awards process.  In endeavouring to meet social need by continuing to support systemic change-makers, the Awards are pleased to unlock a short …
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New insolvency and meetings guidance for Not for Profits and Social Enterprise

In conjunction with The Chartered Governance Institute, today we have published guidance around the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 that provides advice to charities, social enterprises and mutuals about insolvency. A separate piece of guidance about holding meetings during the current pandemic has also been published. Louise Thomson, Head of Policy (Not for Profit) …
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People Management: Chetal Patel on EU citizens granted settled status

Chetal Patel, partner in our Immigration team, has been featured in People Management regarding the latest EU citizens to have been granted settled status. The official figures have shown that more than two million EU citizens have so far been granted settled status recently. However experts have warned that those who fail to apply on …
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Supreme Court landmark charity case reaffirms that members of charitable companies have fiduciary duties and can be controlled by the courts and unlocks $440m for UK charity

This morning, the Supreme Court unanimously allowed the appeal brought by philanthropist Jamie Cooper, against a 2018 decision of the Court of Appeal. The Supreme Court’s ruling confirms that members of charitable companies have fiduciary duties and can be controlled by the courts, and will lead to the unlocking of $440m for UK charity, Big Win Philanthropy. Jamie …
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National press covers Bates Wells’ role in Uber Supreme Court appeal

The national press have featured Bates Wells’ role in the Uber Supreme Court appeal case over the employment status of Uber’s drivers in the UK. Paul Jennings and Rachel Mathieson from our Employment team are representing Mr Farrar and Mr Aslam in the case, both of whom are Uber drivers and Claimants in the case. …
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