Viewpoints - Harbottle and Lewis

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10 January 2024

Byte by Byte: The progress of the UK Data Protection and Digital Information Bill

Introduction This article explores the ongoing journey of the data protection landscape in the UK. From its initial introduction in the House of Commons to its recent evolution in the House of Lords, we explore the key developments and amendments…

20 December 2023

Positive Development for Cross-Border Enforcement

On 23 November 2023, the Ministry of Justice announced that the UK will join the Hague Convention of July 2019, on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Judgments in Civil or Commercial Matters (the Hague Convention 2019). This is significant…

12 December 2023

Latest “Acceptance in Lieu” donation is a reminder that art can be a useful way to fund inheritance tax.

The Arts Council (AC) are expected to announce later this year that a miniature marble statue of the ancient Greek god Apollo has been accepted for the nation in lieu of a £10.5m inheritance tax (IHT) bill. The statue, known…

07 December 2023

Body Image in Advertising

There has been a growing concern and increased scrutiny of the portrayal of body image in advertising within the UK. Dissatisfaction with body image is increasingly understood to link to a poorer quality of life, psychological distress and the risk…

07 December 2023

Trade marks and IP

It is not uncommon for people to refer to someone as having a “trade mark look”. But, could there be anything more to this than just a casual turn of phrase used to describe a person’s signature style or distinctive…

07 December 2023

Employment Submissions

The Workers (Predictable Terms and Conditions) Act 2023 amends the existing regime set out in the Employment Rights Act 1996 and will give workers with a minimum qualifying period of service (likely to be 26 weeks although this does not…

07 December 2023

Retail & Fashion: Corporate update

Despite a challenging summer for retailers, and some high-profile casualties, M&A activity in the UK retail sector has continued to provide some comfort – especially the number of transactions that have arisen outside of insolvency. Whilst distressed sales are likely…

07 December 2023

Levelling-up: Local authorities granted powers to let empty high-street premises

The much-anticipated Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 received Royal Assent on 26 October 2023, though it is not yet in force. The Act seeks to address a range of issues in the real estate sector and was introduced to (amongst…

06 December 2023

How Spotify and Deezer are changing the streaming payment model

In a move to give more money to professional musicians and to reduce payments to amateurs, bots and white noise, Spotify has announced an overhaul to its music streaming payment model — a model that’s remained unchanged since music streaming…

30 November 2023

The Strike is Over! But What Does the Deal Say?

The tentative agreement between the USA producers’ union, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers and the Screen Actors’ Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists was reached on 9 November 2023 ending the 118 day strike,…