The Government has announced changes to Tier 2, the main immigration route for non-EEA nationals to apply to work in the UK. The Government says that these changes are to ensure that employers are incentivised to upscale and train resident workers whilst making sure they can continue to access migrant workers when needed. The changes to this immigration route will come into effect in two stages, autumn 2016 and April 2017, to ensure that businesses have sufficient time to prepare. The main changes are:

This is the final post of a series of quarterly blog posts on alliance contracting and it looks at the extent to which alliancing has been adopted in particular sectors in the UK. It considers some of the key differences between traditional contracts, partnering agreements and 'pure' alliancing contracts, and whether the perceived benefits of alliancing can be realised within a traditional contracting mind-set.

The Pensions Regulator (tPR) has issued a guidance statement to pension trustees following the UK’s vote to leave the EU, as market volatility has led to uncertainty about scheme funding plans and investments.

Last week saw CEDR Services Limited and Consumer Dispute Resolution Limited written into the legislation as designated ADR bodies for consumer complaints arising out of potential infringements of EC Regulation 261/2004 and EC Regulation 1107/2006.

Last week’s announcement of Lowcostholidays’ administration has brought a stark reminder to consumers and the wider industry that travel service providers based outside of the UK do not feature the financial protection offered to UK based consumers under the CAA’s ATOL scheme. Consumers who booked via the Lowcostholidays Group are now faced with the dilemma of holidays being curtailed in resorts, having to pay for accommodation and/or flights home again and cancelled summer holidays at the last minute. From an industry perspective, any OTA’s or tour operators using Lowcostholidays’ group inventory are having to deal with the fact that they may have to find alternatives for customers (in accordance with Flight Plus scheme rules), the inevitable credit card chargebacks that arise in these situations and the administrative nightmare of dealing with it all just as the summer holiday season begins. In some cases supplier failure insurance may be an option but this may also depend on whether consumers purchased adequate cover and indeed whether insurers will cover the failure of Lowcostholidays at all; in the past businesses that are deemed to have been at risk of failure have been excluded from such policies.

International law firm Hill Dickinson has advised innovative motor retailer Rockar on an investment from private equity houses Maven Capital Partners and NVM Private Equity LLP.

International law firm Hill Dickinson continues to strengthen its growing commodities team with the return of partner Andrew Buchmann.

The High Court’s imminent decision on whether to grant the police access to confidential AAIB records reignites the debate about ‘just culture’ and criminalisation in air accident investigations.

R (on the application of Mr & Mrs M) -v- Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority [2016] EWCA Civ 611

Hill Dickinson LLP has successfully defended a claim at trial involving alleged historical abuse by a now deceased Roman Catholic priest against two brothers in the 1970s and 1980s. The High Court has

As with economic unions, parties may sometimes seek to change their litigation unions. This can include the expert witness in court proceedings, as was highlighted in the recent TCC case of Coyne -v- Morgan and another t/a Hillfield Home Improvement (unreported), 24th May 2016. As with the exit from an economic union, the exit of an expert can raise complex issues.

International law firm Hill Dickinson LLP has bolstered its family law offering with the appointment of Sarah McCarthy as chartered legal executive and the promotion of Joanne Raisbeck to legal director.