News

Bates Wells Impact Report 2023 and 2024

Our belief that we urgently need change in the sector, both from within and in using our experience to guide our clients is a fundamental part of everyone’s role in the firm.  Our impact report this year delves into the ways in which we continue to impact and influence businesses and charities to be better …
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Government announces plans to pause implementation of freedom of speech duties for students’ unions and HEPs

The government has announced today (26 July) that the new duties on Higher Education providers and students’ unions in the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act 2023 will not come into effect next Thursday (1 August) as envisaged. The new duties were subject to exhaustive Office for Students consultation over the spring and summer. In …
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Bates Wells joins Mediator Locator

Paul Jennings, Rachel Mathieson, and Tim Constable have recently joined Mediator Locator, a new platform that allows parties to quickly be matched with a mediator to support them to resolve their legal issues. Disputes can be time-consuming and costly, with a profound effect on wellbeing, resources and energy. We believe that, where appropriate, focusing on …
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Can trustees take parental leave?

Philip Kirkpatrick, Partner in our Charity & Social Enterprise team, discusses the legal issues around trustees taking extended leave, including for parental leave and periods of ill-health, in an article for the Association of Chairs. Responding to a question from Joe Saxton, Chair of the Association of Chairs, Philip concludes that with no statutory rights …
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Pioneers Post: Philip Kirkpatrick comments on Anglian Water’s purpose-led business model

Philip Kirkpatrick, Partner in our Charity & Social Enterprise team, has spoken with Pioneers Post about the positive impact that embedding social purpose into a company can have but the need for better accountability mechanisms to ensure the value of doing so in the long term. Anglian Water, a UK water utility company, amended its …
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Bates Wells Announces Partnership with Making the Leap to Support Aspiring Solicitor Apprentices

Bates Wells today announces that the firm has partnered with leading societal change charity, Making The Leap, on the provision of assessment centre preparation and support for aspiring solicitor apprentices. Candidates who have been invited to the firm’s competitive apprenticeship assessment centres have been offered the opportunity to join Making The Leap for two days …
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Bates Wells and the EHRC supports Uber Eats driver who faced problematic AI checks

An Uber Eats driver received financial settlement following allegations that an AI facial recognition system, required to access the Uber Eats platform, was racially discriminatory. Pa Edrissa Manjang continuously experienced difficulties with Uber Eats’ verification system. In 2021, he was removed from the platform and told by Uber Eats that they had found ‘continued mismatches’ …
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Bates Wells’ LGBT+ history month roundup 2024

This February, we joined in the UK’s celebration of LGBT+ history month. History month is an opportunity for us to reflect, and to take steps to continue to build inclusion for our people. It also enables us to look outwards, to our work with clients and with the wider legal and professional community. This LGBT+ …
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Supervising Solicitor Services

Executing a search order can be challenging and unpredictable. Our experience as supervising solicitors is second to none. Download the file below to find out more.
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Bates Wells announces impactful and significant judgment – Ali v Green Party of England and Wales

The case was brought against our client, the Green Party of England and Wales. Today sees the judgment in Ali v Green Party of England and Wales.  Mindy Jhittay who represented the Green Party of England and Wales comments, “This case is significant as a decision which will be of great interest to political parties …
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In the news: Chetal Patel comments on new UK migrant rules

Following Home Secretary James Cleverly’s announcement on the 4th December of the government’s intention to cut migration numbers with a 5 step plan, Chetal Patel spoke with various news outlets to discuss the consequences of these changes. One of the planned actions is to increase the earning threshold for overseas skilled workers from its current …
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Driving purpose AND driving economic recovery….read on to find out more

Last week saw the launch of a new report produced in collaboration by leading think tank Demos and B Lab UK – The Purpose Dividend – exploring the economic impact of being a purpose-driven business. The journey to become a truly purpose-led business isn’t always an easy one and we understand the key stakeholder pressures …
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