News

Employ workers from abroad? Be prepared for unannounced visits.

Employers are facing fines if they fail to check their employees’ eligibility to work in the UK – Chetal Patel explains how you can prepare in Personnel Today. It’s expected that the number of investigations into Right to Work fines will increase as the UK lockdown eases, particularly after 30 June, when EU employees will …
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Super priority services available for more visa applications made from within the UK

In a welcome move the Home Office has recently expanded its list of applications that are now eligible for priority processing After the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Home Office suspended almost all priority services for processing applications made within the UK. Some of the working and study routes had priority services restored to …
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The Impact Real Estate Forum launches – sharing best practice, premises enhancing positive impact

Bates Wells is leading the charge to help commercial organisations that want to create a positive impact on society and the planet. Whether that’s through better ways of doing business, shifting priorities to measure success in more than just profit, or helping to move on from corporate social responsibility and embrace an ESG agenda. As …
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The Triple Bottom Line Q&A Series – People

In our Triple Bottom Line Q&A Series, we will be talking to B Corps about what ‘people, planet and profit’ mean to their business. The first of our conversations looks at people. We asked Louise Chapman, Head of Marketing & Communications at biostatistics consulting firm Veramed, about the company’s experience of being a B Corp …
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Positive change: a podcast

What is the impact of the pandemic on charity partnerships and collaboration? Listen to Liza Ramrayka, leading sector journalist, speak with Jim Minton, Chief Executive of Toynbee Hall and Erica Crump, partner at Bates Wells, draw upon their experiences to discuss the impact the pandemic has had on charity partnerships and collaboration over the past …
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Key points to consider for the appointment of non-executive directors of listed or quoted companies

We’ve summarised some of the key points to consider when documenting the terms of appointment. Corporate governance remains a top agenda item for all companies, especially those with shares held in public hands. As one of the main pillars of good corporate governance, boards are expected to have a suitable number of non-executive directors (“NEDs”), …
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Government publishes response to Law Commission report on Technical Issues in Charity Law

On 22 March, the government published its long-awaited response to the Law Commission’s September 2017 report, Technical Issues in Charity Law.  The Law Commission had made a number of recommendations for amendments to the Charities Act 2011, designed to make charity regulation more effective and the legal framework easier to navigate.  This was not a …
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Making money in your sleep? The Supreme Court rules on national minimum wage entitlement for carers working sleep-in shifts.

The Supreme Court has reached a decision in Royal Mencap Society v Tomlinson-Blake , which will have ramifications across the care sector and beyond. In a highly anticipated case, the Supreme Court has decided that care workers carrying out sleep-in shifts are only entitled to the National Minimum Wage (NMW) for the hours they are …
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To advertise or not advertise a role? What does the Home Office expect?

Find out what has changed in light of updated immigration guidance for employers, published by the Home Office. On 16 March 2021, the Home Office published updated guidance on what documents must be retained by employers sponsoring migrants under various categories of the points based system. The updated guidance will be well received by sponsors …
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Bates Wells provides “invaluable advice” throughout the sale of the RCOG’s world-class academic research journal

This transaction demonstrates Bates Wells’ growing expertise in the healthcare sector and the international reach of our M&A practice.  Bates Wells’ M&A team acted for long-standing client The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (“RCOG“) on the sale of its world-class academic research journal “BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology” (“Journal“) to the US-based …
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Bates Wells Impact Report 2021

The story so far – extraordinary times, amazing people. As a B Corp, we’re committed to reporting on our impact in each year that we don’t certify. However, our 2021 Impact Report doesn’t just meet that requirement. It helps us to stay accountable and be transparent with our environmental goals, our people and our community. It puts …
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Press covers Bates Wells’ Supreme Court win over Uber

Following the Supreme Court’s landmark decision that Uber drivers are workers, Paul Jennings and Rachel Mathieson have been speaking to the media about the impact of the judgment. In the week following the Supreme Court ruling, which is set to have major implications for workers across the gig economy, Paul Jennings and Rachel Mathieson were …
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