SmartAir, a social enterprise that educates the public about air pollution, has been shortlisted for the “Powered by Pro Bono Award” at this year’s TrustLaw Awards. This award highlights NGOs or social enterprises that have used pro bono legal advice to scale up their operations, improve the delivery of their social mission or pivot their activities to make a greater impact on the businesses and people they support ...
The government announced several new business immigration routes to be launched in 2022 which consolidate and reform existing routes. The aim is to provide more opportunities for businesses to attract talent from overseas as well as to provide opportunities for growing businesses and recent graduates from international universities. The new Global Business Mobility Visas comprise of five different categories: 1 ...
On 6 April 2022, Shoosmiths hosted the second in a series of webinars about the UK COVID-19 Public Inquiry. The webinar focussed on the current status of the inquiry and gave practical tips for potentially interested parties. Hosted by Hayley Saunders (Partner), the webinar included talks by Charles Arrand (Partner), Alex Friston (Associate) and Hannah Frost (Associate) ...
April 19, 2022 By: T. Mark Tubis The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) has renewed the January 31, 2020 determination that a public health emergency (“PHE”) exists nationwide. Each determination renews the PHE for 90 days, so all HHS/CMS waivers and flexibilities applicable during the PHE will continue until at least July 15, 2022, unless the PHE is terminated sooner ...
April 12, 2022 By: Mary H. Rose Health care providers who received Provider Relief Funds under the CARES Act during Period 1 (April 10, 2020 to June 30, 2020) were required to use the funds by June 30, 2021 and submit a report to the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) regarding use of the funds by September 30, 2021. On March 10, 2022, HRSA sent notices to approximately 10,000 providers who failed to meet the report deadline ...
The demise of Kids Company and its aftermath has unfortunately overshadowed the pioneering work that charity did for nearly twenty years with some of the most damaged children and young people in our society. In the words of its founder “making a commitment to help maltreated children heal through unrelenting love by being resolute and kind, and over the years understanding how to help children acquire mastery over their traumas ...
A recent judgement of the Court of Appeal brings welcome clarification of the principles regarding the recovery of wasted expenditure claims in IT disputes. Summary Whist wasted costs arising from failed IT implementations often form part of a subsequent loss of profit claim, the two forms of loss are separate and distinct. Consequently, in order to be effective, exclusions must specifically refer to wasted costs ...
After over two years of statewide eviction moratoria in the forms of executive orders, Judicial Council rules, and legislation, California's eviction moratorium was scheduled to come to an end on March 31, 2022. However, on March 31, 2022, Lt. Gov. Eleni Kounalakis, serving as acting governor while Governor Gavin Newsom was out of state, signed Assembly Bill 2179 into law, which took effect immediately ...
The government are set to introduce new measures on High in Fat, Salt and Sugar (HFSS) food including restrictions on volume offers and new rules on placement and promotion. What is a HFSS food? HFSS foods are food or soft drink products that are assessed as high in fat, salt or sugar in accordance with the Department of Health nutrient profiling model. Foods scoring 4 or more points and drinks scoring 1 or more are classified as HFSS ...
Genuine Enabling Technology LLC v. Nintendo Co., Ltd., Appeal No. 2020-2167 (Fed. Cir. Apr. 1, 2022) The Federal Circuit’s only precedential patent opinion this week turned on issues of claim construction. In particular, the issue was the effect of statements made by the applicant during the patent’s prosecution. The Court held that the district court erred in applying too narrow a construction, and reversed with a modified construction ...
The proposal for a directive on the recovery and resolution of insurance and reinsurance companies enshrines the no creditor worse off principle as provided for in the Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive (“BRRD”). This opens the door for the Portuguese legislature to repeat the mistakes it made when incorporating the BRRD into Portuguese law ...
Following the Scottish Government’s statement on 15 March 2022 regarding COVID-19 restrictions, organisations should take time to review the status of recently eased restrictions, and those which are to be eased in the coming weeks. These changes will be of particular relevance to businesses and employers throughout Scotland, who should follow the up-to-date guidance when dealing with employees and customers alike ...
The recent Winter Olympic Games and the conclusion of the Six Nations rugby were just two of many sporting events, large and small, that have been welcoming back fans (in accordance with local laws and restrictions) over the last several weeks. As we continue to live with COVID-19, it is crucial that organisers of sporting and other events are aware of health and safety requirements and their duty of care towards attendees ...
As we begin to emerge from the pandemic, many issues which have been on the back-burner over the past few years are starting to resurface. In this article we take a look at some hot topics and legal developments we are expecting to take place this year. Flexible working As those of us who have worked from home for the past two years start returning in earnest to the office, flexible working is on everyone’s lips ...
By Glenn Kangisser Shu Shu Wong March 11, 2022 Earlier this month, the English Commercial Court upheld an appeal from an arbitration in MUR Shipping BV v RTI Ltd [2022] EWHC 467 (Comm) that a “reasonable endeavours” requirement in a force majeure clause, invoked due to the impact of US sanctions on Russia, did not require the party claiming force majeure to accept non-contractual performance ...
Following the Scottish Government’s statement on 15 March 2022 regarding COVID-19 restrictions, organisations should take time to review the status of recently eased restrictions, and those which are to be eased in the coming weeks. These changes will be of particular relevance to businesses and employers throughout Scotland, who should follow the up-to-date guidance when dealing with employees and customers alike ...
The UK's competition authority (CMA) unusually cleared a merger (Sony Music / AWAL) after nine months of investigation. Could a Phase 2 investigation have been avoided? On 16 March 2022 the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) issued its final report into the completed acquisition by Sony Music Entertainment (Sony Music) of AWAL and Kobalt Neighbouring rights businesses from Kobalt Music Group Limited ...
On March 15, 2022, President Joe Biden signed into law the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022, which was passed by Congress on March 8, 2022 (CAA). The CAA temporarily extends meaningful changes for reimbursement of Medicare services delivered via telehealth. All CAA provisions regarding telehealth amendments will last for 151 days following the expiration of the Public Health Emergency (PHE), which is currently set for April 16, 2022 ...
March 24, 2022 By: Andrea Musker The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022, signed by President Biden on March 15, 2022, extends federal telehealth flexibilities beyond the expiration date of the public health emergency for a limited time. The public health emergency is currently set to expire on April 16, 2022, but it may be renewed for another ninety days ...
March 24, 2022 By: Karen N. George and Andrew H. Selesnick The DMHC issued its final guidance on the No Surprises Act, confirming that the Knox-Keene Act constitutes a “specified state law” under the Act. The out-of-network reimbursement requirements for emergency services and the dispute resolution process in the NSA will therefore not apply to DMHC claims ...
On 10 March 2022, the Cabinet Office published the long-awaited draft Terms of Reference for the UK COVID-19 Inquiry.1 In this article we consider the implications for businesses impacted by the pandemic and how they may wish to get involved in the Terms’ finalisation. Terms of Reference are critical to a public inquiry as they define its scope and purpose ...
Parents of children with special educational needs who are moving to further education should consider all options and make sure their local authority sticks to its deadlines, says Shoosmiths’ Guv Samra. The advice from the education law specialist comes as an important deadline looms for young people with Education, Health and Care plans (EHCPs)who are transitioning to post 16/19 placements ...
BASF Plant Sci., LP v. Commonw. Scientific and Indus. Research Org., Appeal Nos. 2020-1415, -1416, -1919, -1920 (Fed. Cir. Mar. 15, 2022) Our Case of the Week, an appeal from the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, has something for everyone: questions of venue and statutory interpretation, invalidity and written descriptions, contracts and co-ownership of patents, and willfulness, injunctions, and royalty rates ...
