On October 23, 2021, a second draft amendment to the Anti-Monopoly Law of the People’s Republic of China (the “Draft Amendment”) was issued for public comments following its review at the 31st meeting of Standing Committee of the 13th National People’s Congress (the “NPC”, the Chinese legislature). The public comment period ends on November 11, 2021 ...
The National Privacy Commission (“NPC”) issued on 7 October 2021 NPC PHE Bulletin No. 21 advising the public against smishing and preventive data privacy practices. Smishing targets victims through mobile text messaging or SMS. Individuals usually receive unsolicited messages that include links that redirect to fraudulent websites which steal personal data, introduce mobile malware, and even facilitate the commission of fraud ...
On 05 October 2021, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (“BSP”) issued Circular Letter (“CL”) No. 2021-72, disseminating to all BSP-Supervised Financial Institutions (“BSFIs”) the AMLC Regulatory Issuance (“ARI”) No. 6-2021 on the final extension of the deadline for compliance with the Guidelines on Digitalization of Customer Records (“DIGICUR”). ARI No ...
In a major change for arbitration in Dubai, the DIFC-LCIA Arbitration Centre has been abolished. On 14 September 2021, Decree No. 34 of 2021 (Decree No. 34) was issued by Mohammed bin Rashed Al-Maktoom, Ruler of Dubai. It not only dissolves the Dubai International Financial Centre Arbitration Institution (DIFC-LCIA Arbitration Centre), but also the Emirates Maritime Arbitration Centre (EMAC) ...
Marks & Spencer breached a court order to enforce a “keep-open” provision in one of its leases, when it carried on business only in a “half-hearted” manner ...
The Technology and Construction Court (TCC) in Eco World - Ballymore Embassy Gardens Company Ltd v Dobler UK Ltd [2021] EWHC 2207 (TCC) enforced a liquidated damages (LDs) clause that did not allow for a proportionate reduction following partial possession of sections of a development. The TCC rejected that the clause was a penalty, and considered the argument that an invalid liquidated damages clause could still operate as a valid cap of liability ...
On October 14, 2021, the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office announced a $25 million healthcare fraud settlement against a private equity firm and former executives of the firm’s portfolio company. The settlement is significant because it is the largest healthcare fraud settlement in the country to date against a private equity firm based on the firm’s oversight of its healthcare portfolio company ...
The draft bill to implement the government’s ground rent changes finally reached the House of Lords in May 2021. This legislation had been long awaited and, largely, the provisions were as expected following the earlier consultations and government announcements and discussions. Despite the fact that legislation is still only in draft, the living sector is already pivoting in many respects to comply with the legislation ...
It is imperative that companies with government contracts, or those receiving federal grant funding, ensure that they have adequate cybersecurity protocols in place. The announcement by the Department of Justice (DOJ) of the Cyber Fraud Initiative strongly signals its intent to be aggressive in holding government contractors with lax cybersecurity standards and controls accountable ...
The Transparency Act requires that enterprises covered by the Act shall carry out and account for due diligence assessments in accordance with Section 4 and Section 5 and answer specific requests for information pursuant to Section 6 and Section 7 ...
There is much scope for charities to work more closely with business for mutual benefit, going beyond the provision of traditional CSR support, in order to address big problems facing all of us. The latest annual survey commissioned by the Charity Commission found that trust in charities had increased: the past 18 months have concentrated attention on how certain national institutions and prominent organisations have responded positively in a time of crisis ...
Predatory or forced marriages faced by individuals (usually elderly) whose mental capacity is in doubt or who are vulnerable to undue influence remain an open wound for many families. As things stand, an unscrupulous individual can engineer a marriage to a vulnerable person, by-passing any possible dispute about a will, meaning the predator gains the entire estate with no legal redress for disappointed beneficiaries or concerned family members ...
There has been much in the media about the impact of the pandemic and the government response on children’s education, but arguably that impact has been magnified for those children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). The Coronavirus Act 2020 The Coronavirus Act 2020 temporarily amended and extended deadlines for certain Local Authority duties towards children with SEND under The Children and Families Act 2014 ...
Author(s) Senior Partner, Nishant Menon and Associate, Nikhil Bhatia The Supreme Court of India on 6th August 2021 in Amazon.com NV Investment Holdings LLC v Future Retail Limited & Others handed down a seminal decision in relation to enforcement of an Emergency Arbitrator’s (“EA”) award. The ruling has great significance as it furthers India’s mission of being a pro-arbitration State where there is greater ease of doing business ...
Whether you are a property professional or otherwise, you would have had to have lived in a hole to have missed the EWS1 saga. In the four years following the tragic Grenfell disaster, the industry and the government have been grappling with how to deal with a generation of potentially defective tall buildings ...
In our previous article, we reported that the court had refused to frustrate a tenancy agreement due to the COVID-19 pandemic and social disruption: The Center (76) Limited v Victory Serviced Office (HK) Limited HCA 1020/2020; [2020] HKCFI 2881. In this article, we will discuss several recent decisions on the same subject. The tenants’ arguments in all of these cases, that their payment obligations were discharged/suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic, failed ...
Dear valued clients, colleagues and friends, We are pleased to bring you the September 2021 issue of our quarterly Newsletter, we hope that you will continue to find its contents of value to you. In this issue’s Front Page Focus, Caitlin Tan Hui Yi, associate from our Dispute Resolution Practice Group, discusses the disqualification of solicitors in the Court of Appeal case of Dato’ Azizan bin Abdul Rahman v Pinerains Sdn Bhd ...
Dear valued clients, colleagues and friends,We are pleased to bring you the latest legal updates for October 2021.Employment & Administrative LawDeed of Settlement, Termination and Release Upheld as Cessation of Employment by Mutual AgreementIn the recent case of Christopher Dass a/l Muniandy @ Mathew v Clasquin (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd dated 3 August 2021 (Award No ...
Energy drink giant Red Bull recently received some negative press for issuing a cease and desist letter to Norwich-based gin maker Bullards for the use of the word ‘bull’ in its brand name. The case is a useful reminder that brand owners should make sure that their brand protection strategy reflects the organisation’s wider brand values ...
The Technology and Construction Court (TCC) in Quadro Services Ltd v Creagh Concrete Products Ltd [2021] EWHC 2637 (TCC) held that a claim referred to adjudication with three separate payment applications was still considered a single dispute for the purposes of adjudication. The adjudicator therefore did have jurisdiction to consider all three payment applications to determine the sum due, and the adjudicator’s decision was enforced ...
Where a legacy under a will is left to a party that does not appear to exist, or at least cannot be identified, this can intensify what is an already traumatic experience for the deceased’s loved ones. When this happens, who should receive the legacy? In the recent petition by Vindex Trustees Limited [2021] CSIH 46, the Inner House of the Court of Session declined to provide directions on this question ...
In Blu-Sky Solutions Ltd v Be Caring Ltd [2021] EWHC 2619 (Comm) the High Court in England held that a supplier's standard terms and conditions ("T&Cs") are incorporated into a contract by reference if the contract provides that, upon signing the contract, the customer accepts that it has reviewed and agreed to the relevant T&Cs ...
On 14 September 2021, the Thai cabinet passed a resolution (“Cabinet Resolution”) proposed by the Centre for Economic Situation Administration (“CESA”) to incentivize foreign investment in Thailand through the issuance of new visa, tax, and foreign land ownership incentives. The CESA particularly aims to attract high net worth foreign nationals, who wish to invest in land and buildings, and who can meet these minimum qualifications: 1 ...
Re Piedmont Trust and the Riviera Trust [2021] JRC 248 (Royal Court of Jersey, Commissioner Birt, Jurats Ramsden and Olsen, 5 October 2021) The Court held that the protector will usually be entitled and required to form his or her own judgment on a trustee’s decision and whether to consent to it or veto it, rather than simply review whether the trustee’s decision has been reached properly ...
October 19, 2021 By: John Epperson EPA released its plan for actions to address PFAS contamination on October 18, 2021. This is an aggressive and wide-sweeping plan that reaches across multiple statutory authorities. Much of the Roadmap will require regulatory rulemaking to implement, providing the regulated community an opportunity to get involved and shape the final rules ...
