Lawrence Stephens’ Corporate & Commercial team have completed on a £1.5 million CBILS loan to a corporate borrower on behalf of long-standing client, Metro Bank PLC. Solicitor Aashay Knights acted for the bank to facilitate Read more…
Category: Covid-19
Should all Employers Implement a Vaccination Policy at Work?
Thousands of businesses have been forced to make critical changes to their HR policies since the global outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020. With staff health and wellbeing an increasing priority as restrictions are relaxed, many Read more…
Further Measures Introduced to Protect Businesses from Insolvency and Eviction
The UK Government have announced further measures to protect businesses from insolvency and eviction up until 30 June 2021. The measures that have been extended include: Winding-Up Petitions: Temporary changes to the Corporate Insolvency and Read more…
Supreme Court Backs Pay-Out of COVID Business Interruption Claims
The Supreme Court has ruled that thousands of UK businesses are entitled to have claims paid for business interruption losses caused by COVID-19. In September 2000, the High Court ruled that, subject to the limitations Read more…
Stress Awareness Week 2020: What have we learnt?
As some of you may be aware, last week was Stress Awareness Week in the UK, and it could not have arrived at a more crucial time. Amidst the reintroduction of tighter lockdown measures, it Read more…
Rent arrears recovery and protection
Following our previous article on this topic, the government has extended the protections available to commercial and residential tenants. This article also outlines the remedies available for landlords. FORFEITURE Section 82 of the Coronavirus Act Read more…
Reflections on World Mental Health Day 2020
Tomorrow is World Mental Health Day, and thanks to the ongoing pandemic, this year could be the most important one yet. In the space of just six months, we’ve experienced a national lockdown, a huge shift Read more…
Flexible working, reducing hours and changing contracts: An employer’s guide for shifting employment needs
On the 31st October, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will come to an end, placing millions of UK jobs at risk. Most businesses have faced unprecedented challenges and financial hardships during the pandemic and are Read more…
COVID-19 Update for Residential Landlords & Tenants – New Six Month Notice Period
From 29 August 2020, residential landlords must give at least 6 months’ notice when seeking possession under s.83 of the Housing Act 1985; s.8 and s.21 of the Housing Act 1988; and against tenants with Read more…
What is the government’s new Kickstart Scheme?
Over the few months, businesses across the country have been navigating the reality of operating their businesses amidst a global pandemic. Despite the efforts made to smooth the transition and encourage workers back into the Read more…
What pay are employees entitled to if self-isolating after their holiday abroad?
From 8 June 2020, Government Regulations (the “Regulations”) require most people travelling to the Common Travel Area (UK, Ireland, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands) to quarantine for 14 days. What does this Read more…
What happens when the furlough scheme ends?
The Government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has been a lifeline to many businesses, with 1.2 million employers claiming for employees’ wages. As the scheme begins to wind down, we go through what employers need to Read more…
Redundancy amidst COVID-19: What employers need to know
COVID-19 has thrown up a whole host of problems for businesses. Government schemes – such as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (the “Scheme”) – have provided some relief to employers, allowing them to continue operating Read more…
AI-powered ID verification platform Onfido launches at Lawrence Stephens
Lawrence Stephens has partnered with AI-powered identification verification platform Onfido. Given current circumstances, it is not always feasible for clients to travel to our offices to provide relevant identifying documentation. The technology allows individuals to Read more…
Rent Arrears Recovery: Considerations for Landlords and Tenants
As the pandemic continues to affect the economy and businesses, the government has introduced a number of measures for commercial and residential tenants. Forfeiture Section 82 of the Coronavirus Act 2020 (‘the Act’) is intended Read more…
Virtual witnessing of wills becomes legal
In what is being described as the “biggest change to law in 200 years,” the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has this week announced that people will be able to sign wills with a witness only Read more…
Further reforms to the Use Class Order used in planning laws which include 3 new Use Classes
The government has this week announced further changes to planning laws, this time revamping the current Use Classes order. Currently planning permission is required where there is a change of use of a property and Read more…
Construction Leadership Council publishes its Fifth Edition of Construction Site Operating Procedures – 1 July 2020
The new version of the CLC’s Site Operating Procedures reflected the governments easing of its guidance on lockdown which will apply from the 4 July 2020. The main change which contractors have been looking for Read more…
The Future Fund: How to fund your future
As the Coronavirus crisis continues to affect businesses all over the country, the government has introduced a number of different measures to help protect the economy and businesses’ futures. One such measure, announced by the Read more…
Suspension of Wrongful Trading and the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Bill
The Corporate Insolvency and Governance Bill (“Bill”) was published on 20 May 2020. The Bill intends to provide businesses with the flexibility they need to continue to trade during the Covid-19 pandemic and ease the Read more…
Property market reopen for business: Has it? Will it?
As of the 13th May, the government has relaxed restrictions imposed on the property sector during the coronavirus lockdown period. Estate agents, removal companies, conveyancers, and surveyors can resume trading; buyers and surveyors can visit properties Read more…
Contesting a Will: FAQs
The impact of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has raised a number of adverse challenges for families and individuals across the country. More than ever before, families may be in the position of needing to contest Read more…
Hard Work for Hard Hats
Over the last few weeks, we have been helping clients – both employers and contractors – prepare their compliant Construction Design Management (Health and Safety) and Site Operating Procedures, which understandably involve enhanced COVID -19 Read more…
How to support your colleagues through furlough
The impact of COVID-19 has been felt everywhere. Businesses across the country are feeling the strain, and many of us will have friends, family members and colleagues who have been furloughed through the Government’s Job Read more…
Commercial Property and COVID-19 – FAQs
In this legal insight, Partner Danny Schwarz seeks to provide clarity on practical issues that building occupiers and owners have experienced, by addressing some of the most frequently asked questions he and his team have Read more…
UPDATE – Annual Leave Entitlement: Where Do You Stand If You Have Been Furloughed?
Annual leave entitlement The Working Time Regulations 1998 (the “Regulations”) provide that workers are entitled to 5.6 weeks’ paid annual leave per year (prorated for part time employees). This is made up of a minimum Read more…
COVID-19: Witness of Deeds
During the current COVID-19 climate with the government advising on social distancing, many people will find executing documents difficult. So, what advice should law practitioners be giving their clients to assist when executing documents? Can Read more…
Annual Leave Entitlement: Where Do You Stand If You Have Been Furloughed?
Annual leave entitlement The Working Time Regulations 1998 (the “Regulations”) provide that workers are entitled to 5.6 weeks’ paid annual leave per year (pro-rated for part time employees). This is made up of a minimum Read more…
COVID:19: What does the future hold for the secured lending market?
In the current lending market, many businesses are under extreme time pressure to refinance existing facilities, complete on purchases committed to before COVID-19, or secure development financing. A big proportion of these businesses are now Read more…
COVID-19: Advice for employers and employees
COVID-19: Corporate Finance Advice
Residential Property Transactions and COVID-19 – FAQs
The measures taken by the UK Government to contain the spread of the coronavirus have created profound complications for the UK residential property market. Legal concerns relate to drafting contracts, financing arrangements, force majeure provisions, Read more…
Start-ups: How will Coronavirus affect your business?
Start-ups: How will Coronavirus affect your business? The Coronavirus crisis has meant that many small businesses have been forced to cease trading on a record scale. My previous article (found here) outlined some of the Read more…
Company Employment Sanctions and COVID-19 – FAQs
Last month, businesses across the country adapted to new measures designed to curb the spread of COVID-19. Due to the continually evolving nature of the crisis, this has raised a number of questions related to employment. To offer Read more…
Furlough: What does it mean for you and your business?
With businesses across the country forced to close at an alarming rate, the Government has introduced a number of emergency measures to help try to keep the UK economy afloat. The newly proposed Coronavirus Job Read more…
COVID-19: Construction sites may stay open
As more and more companies announce the closure of their construction sites, the government’ guidance remains that construction sites may stay open provided the Public Health England (PHE) guidelines, including keeping two-metres from others, can Read more…
Coronavirus Round-Up: What you need to know to help your business get through the crisis
As the UK government announces new, stricter measures to curb the spread of coronavirus, businesses across the country are preparing for a vastly different economic climate when we eventually emerge from the crisis. The effects Read more…
Commercial Tenants: no evictions for 3 months – but what will really happen?
There was an air of inevitability with the announcement, and it is hard to argue against it. The Government announced on the 23 March that given the unprecedented strain on businesses, any tenants affected by Read more…
COVID-19: Business Operations
It is clear that Coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to be a public and personal threat, creating many challenges for families and businesses worldwide. We want to reassure you that we are here to help you with Read more…
The Government’s attempt at ‘Squashing the Sombrero’: will banning evictions for 3 months on Commercial Tenants really solve the problem?
I miss Brexit. In light of the strict lockdown on 23 March 2020, the Government have implemented further concessions to assist tenants in the short-term and announced that commercial tenants who are affected by Covid-19 Read more…
Business as usual
If you are worried about Coronavirus (COVID-19) and what it might mean for you and any ongoing matters that you have with us, we want to reassure you that we are here to help. In Read more…
Are Your Commercial Contracts Safe as Houses?
In the wake of the global COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak, we consider the general legal principles that apply to commercial contracts and the implications for our clients (particularly those of commercial landlords and tenants). Unforeseeable circumstances Read more…