Acting for a US private equity firm (the 'investor'), the Hong Kong office of international law firm Hill Dickinson has recently secured a significant judgment from the High Court of Hong Kong for substantial damages (over US$15 million) against a former director of a PRC based security monitoring services provider, China Alarm Holdings Limited ('CAHL').

For several years uncertainty prevailed over whether the European Parliament would ever pass the General Data Protection Regulation. The wait is over. The Regulation has now been approved by MEPs. Andrew Hill and Andrew Schütte review.

Following the Government’s announcement back in October 2015 of its intention to make permanent the temporary permitted development rights to convert offices to dwellings, the Government has made the necessary regulations to effect the change in the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) (Amendment) Order 2016 (the Order).

Yesterday, the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) confirmed in the case of Wasteney –v- East London NHS Foundation Trust EAT 0157/15 that an evangelical ‘born again’ Christian worker accused of ‘grooming’ a female Muslim member of staff had not been discriminated against nor had she been harassed by her employer on the grounds of her religion or belief when disciplined for imposing her religious views.

It is usual for outgoing tenants under commercial leases to remain liable for the default of the incoming tenant to whom they assign the lease, but the recent case of Lee v Sommer serves as a timely reminder to former tenants to fully assess their liability (and take professional advice) before settling any demands received from their former landlord.

Probably the most alien characteristic of the alliance contracting model to both contracting parties and lawyers alike is the 'no blame culture' that underpins the agreement. Essentially, this means that parties agree not to bring legal proceedings against each other, save in the event of 'wilful default' or if an insolvency event occurs.

The health team at international law firm Hill Dickinson has been shortlisted for two prestigious awards.

On 1 March 2016, the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) launched a consultation entitled Terms and Conditions and Consumer Protection Fining Powers: a Call for Evidence. Whilst the Call for Evidence does not target a particular industry or sector, the outcome of this may lead to significant re-formatting and changes to the general presentation of terms and conditions (T&Cs) to make them more user-friendly. This may have some implications for the aviation and travel industry.

Re JM & Others [2016] EWCOP 15: Hill Dickinson acts in test case which asks central government to find processes for dealing with Deprivation of Liberty authorisation applications 

In Safeway Limited –v- (1) Andrew Newton (2) Safeway Pension Trustees Limited [2016], the High Court ruled again that European Union law prevents the retrospective levelling down of pensions (by increasing the Normal Pension Age (NPA) of women to 65), even where such an amendment was:

On 1 June 2010 the claimant attended the dermatology clinic at the Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, for Psoralen Ultraviolet A (PUVA) treatment for his skin condition. The treatment involved soaking a wad of gauze with psolaren solution and applying it to his leg. The claimant said that, during the treatment, the dressing began to lift up from the area on his leg and so he patted it down with his bare right hand.

In essence they are a report prepared in respect of a patient who may lack capacity.