Resources

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Charity borrowing during the COVID-19 crisis

As charities continue to feel the pressures of the Covid-19 crisis, many will be seeking to raise additional finance. For some, this may involve borrowing – but does your charity have the necessary power? Many charities may be looking to borrow in order to provide liquidity to sustain their operations during the current crisis. Potential …
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COVID-19 and cross-border EU contracts

COVID-19 has impacted most businesses in the EU and around the world. You may be considering what happens if you cannot fulfil your obligations under various commercial contracts. If these are cross-border contracts, the governing law of the contract will be important. If English law is applicable, the impact on the contract is likely to …
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COVID-19 guidance for Tier 4 sponsors, migrants and short-term students

On Monday the Home Office published new COVID-19 guidance for Tier 4 sponsors and migrants and for short-term students. It is a 14 page document and provides much greater detail than other guidance published to date, which has so far come in the form of short statements on the gov.uk website, and factsheets circulated to …
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Coronavirus and Real Estate: what do you need to know?

In this week’s roundup, we examine what the evolving coronavirus pandemic could mean for real estate, as well as your own and your organisations property needs.  Fixed fee packages As the coronavirus crisis continues to throw up issues for occupiers, landlords and tenants, we’re offering fixed fee packaged services to help. COVID-19 lease review We …
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7 lessons from the Cathay Pacific security breach

Earlier this year (4 March 2020), Cathay Pacific was fined £500,000 by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for a data security breach. The breach affected a number of the airline’s systems from October 2014 until May 2018 – the fine was issued, therefore, under the Data Protection Act 1998 and reflected the maximum penalty that …
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A VAT wish list

Brexit signals an end to the UK’s ties with the European Union VAT regime. Our tax expert Bill Lewis asks the prime minister to rationalise some of the VAT anomalies that beset UK charities.
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Real Estate Update Spring 2020

This update was drafted before the COVID-19 pandemic and focuses on climate change and its impacts, in particular on how to manage the process of reducing your property’s emissions. Attention has now inevitably, and appropriately, been diverted to addressing the pandemic, however the articles in this update are still relevant to us all. We start …
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Coronavirus pandemic: Chetal Patel answers immigration FAQs for Thomson Reuters Practical Law

Chetal Patel, partner, has contributed an explainer to Thomson Reuters Practical Law portal on what COVID-19 means for the UK’s immigration system, and what pitfalls organisations need to avoid in this turbulent environment. In her piece Chetal addresses questions relating to the following topics: How to respond if you’re a visa holders in the UKApplying …
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Behaviour matters – understanding the emotional drivers

Understanding the emotional drivers behind behaviours can help chief executives and trustees to lead effectively and make good decisions. Tesse Akpeki explains how best to put behaviour theory into practice within your organisation.
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COVID-19 – Financial implications for the education sector and potential support available

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in drastic changes to the education sector which have required phenomenal flexibility and dedication from those who work in it. Schools and colleges have been asked to close their doors (while still operating remotely where possible) except in respect of children who are vulnerable and the children of critical workers …
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BatesCast: contractual obligations, force majeure and frustration

With the ongoing pandemic causing unprecedented disruption for organisations across a range of sectors, force majeure clauses in contracts are suddenly front of mind for organisations grappling with their contractual obligations. In the first episode of BatesCast, Bates Wells’ newly-launched Updates, Mindy Jhittay, Senior Associate in our Dispute Resolution team, talks about the impact our current …
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Is furlough an option for organisations in receipt of public funds?

Despite the government guidance being updated on 9 April 2020, uncertainty as to whether or not organisations in receipt of public funding are entitled to reimbursement under the Coronavirus job retention scheme remains. Please see our latest update on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme here. Whilst it is clear that those solely in receipt of …
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