What has happened? On 27 October 2022 Sharjah Law No. 2/2022 was issued by Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Ruler of the Emirate of Sharjah expanding the rights of ownership of real estate within the Emirate to foreigners.In this inBrief, we look at the implications of this new law and what the expansion may mean for the real estate market in Sharjah ...
By choice or regulation, the future of the maritime industry bends toward decarbonization. The industry contributes (by one estimate) almost 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions and depends on one of the dirtiest energy sources, bunker fuel. But cleaner alternatives are on the horizon for everyone. Companies that commit to decarbonization early have an opportunity to drive change instead of reacting to it ...
2023 is set to be a landmark year for the real estate industry, with major legal developments expected and new legislation coming into force. These changes are analysed below, with Shoosmiths’ experts examining the legislation and its implications on developers, investors, occupiers and others operating across the real estate sector ...
2022 was a record year for the UK’s living sector. Investment into the sector exceeded £10bn in Q3, fuelled by growth across build to rent, student accommodation and healthcare. While the data for Q4 is yet to be revealed, JLL predicts that the total investment for the year could surpass the £13.8bn recorded in 2021 ...
Sheelagh Cooley, real estate partner at Shoosmiths, comments on the successful Scottish green freeport bids - Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport and Forth Green Freeport. The Scottish and UK governments have announced Scotland’s first Green Freeports ...
Many government agencies set goals for their construction projects to be awarded to disadvantaged business enterprises (DBE). The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) DBE certification program sets antidiscrimination regulations that states can implement for federal funding. The Certification Office for Business Inclusion and Diversity (COBID) is the certifying authority of DBEs (on behalf of the DOT) in Oregon ...
The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Counsel recently released an advisory opinion[i] regarding Section 1461 of title 18 of the U.S. Code. In it, they write the “Comstock Act”[ii] does not prohibit the mailing of certain medications used to perform abortions where the sender does not believe the medications will be used unlawfully. This opinion comes in the wake of the U.S ...
As the ‘permacrisis’ of the last few years follows us into 2023, the construction industry is likely to experience further instability and economic uncertainty – driven by labour shortages, material and price fluctuations and the geopolitical landscape. Economic conditions It’s not all bad news, however. In December, the Office of National Statistics published its Construction output in Great Britain: October 2022 ...
The recent decision of an Inspector to reject confirmation of a compulsory purchase order (CPO) sought by the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead Council is a key reminder of the need to use CPO powers only as a matter of last resort and to be mindful of the impact of a proposed scheme on the human rights of affected landowners ...
Determining the correct rate of rent in a 1954 Act renewal can be a sticky subject at the best of times, not least when a rent-free period is thrown into the mix. Section 34 of the Act allows the Court to determine the level of rent due under the new lease, taking into account comparable evidence and applying certain disregards. Whilst s ...
Roger Royse Q&A: ESG, PE and IPO Prospects for Agtech in 2023 December 28, 2022 Haynes and Boone, LLP Partner Roger Royse was featured in an AgFunderNews Q&A about environmental, social & governance (ESG), private equity, and initial public offering prospects for agtech in 2023. Below is an excerpt: AFN: Tell us a few really noteworthy investment trends you saw in 2022 ...
The government is currently consulting on amendments to Approved Document B, which gives guidance on how to meet the requirements of the Building Regulations, including options for providing sprinklers in care homes and to recommend a second staircase be provided in residential buildings over 30 metres in height ...
“With the energy crisis likely to continue throughout 2023 and pressures on governments, businesses and individuals to take action to tackle climate change, I expect that, whilst government funding may be limited, there will be no shortage of capital for investment in clean energy projects ...
The automotive industry is undergoing a rapid transformation, and the changes over the next 12 months are likely to be significant. As the industry moves towards a more sustainable and “green” future, the way we use and interact with cars is likely to change dramatically alongside. This is partly driven by the continued rise of electric vehicles (EV), with EV’s securing a 15.1 per cent share of the UK's new car market as of December 2022 ...
Law.com International November 30, 2022 By Anne Bagamery, Coorespondent, Paris Jeantet has recruited a 14-person team, including three partners, from a rival French firm to create a new multidisciplinary department dedicated to energy transition and sustainable development. The move is part of a growth strategy for Jeantet, an elite firm with headquarters in Paris and offices around the world ...
With just days left till Christmas, the government has revealed more details on its proposed approach to planning reform with a draft National Planning Policy Framework released for consultation. Views are also being sought on a proposed approach to preparing National Development Management Policies, levelling up policy, and how national planning policy is currently accessed by users, but not as yet on the much needed funding for these changes ...
Earthrise Serves EPA with Notice of Intent to Sue, Challenging Washington’s Forest Practices Rules Nearly 20 years ago, the Washington Forest Practices Board adopted forest practices rules intended to address water quality impacts from nonpoint sources of pollution affecting Endangered Species Act (ESA)-listed species of salmon ...
The task of upgrading and developing the UK’s electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure to cope with current and future demand is no mean feat. The UK Government has committed to ending the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030 ...
In this briefing, we will review the implications of the Law for property transactions in Jersey. Tax on purchase of residential properties which are not used as a main residence The key implication of the Law is that stamp duty (and equivalent land taxes such as land transactions tax and enveloped property transactions tax) on acquisitions of domestic residential property which will not be the purchaser's main residence will be increased ...
Construction professionals sometimes feel as if it is déjà vu when it comes to disputes—and they are right. There are a handful of claim types that always seem to rear their heads, even in projects that generally are run well. This article will briefly describe those claims and how to avoid them in 2023. 1. Design Error Claims These claims often come up when an inexperienced owner (or architect) are working on an entirely new type of project ...
A picture is worth a thousand words, but what about a drone video? To construction firms and the lawyers who represent them, drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles (“UAVs”), enable firms to capture large amounts of high-quality information in a quick and efficient manner ...
The Site Report has extensively discussed the developments of 3-D printing building construction and its impact on the construction industry. 3-D printing structures is becoming more commonplace. Last month, Iowa State University began designing 3-D printed housing for rural Iowa. ICON Technology, Inc., an Austin, Texas company, is currently planning to build an entire subdivision in Texas using its 3-D printing technology ...
Anyone familiar with the construction industry knows that retainage – or money held back from payment until a later time – is a tool that project owners and general contractors have long used to protect against contractor nonperformance or other project risks ...
