Monika Machlik is one of Norway’s leading female chess players. She has been playing chess at a high level since she won the «miniputt» class in the national championship for girls at the age of ten, and made her debut on the national A-team at the age of fifteen. Monika is the reigning Norwegian champion in women’s blitz chess and has qualified to represent Norway at the upcoming World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships in New York during the Christmas season ...
On 2 February 2025, many businesses with commercial activities in the European Union must ensure their staff demonstrate a mandatory level of literacy in artificial intelligence (AI). For businesses without adequate provisions, Shoosmiths is here to help. Under Article 4 of the EU AI Act, anyone using an AI system for commercial activities in the EU (intentionally or otherwise) may fall within the scope of the regulation ...
Approximately 500,000 people die each year in England and Wales and burial space is running out. The problem is most acute in the major cities, where large parcels of available land are scarce and competition with developers is often fierce. (and will be more so if the Government’s commitment to reform planning laws to meet the nation’s housing needs comes to fruition) ...
We wish you a warm and joyous holiday season and a happy New Year 2025! This Christmas we have continued our tradition of making a donation to MIELI Mental Health Finland to support their work for young people. Christmas donation to MIELI Mental Health Finland We have a tradition of making a Christmas donation to MIELI, the world’s oldest non-governmental organisation dedicated to mental health ...
Seven Carey Olsen lawyers called to the Jersey Bar Lizzie Chamberlain joined Carey Olsen's banking and finance team in 2022 and acts for both lenders and borrowers on a range of debt finance transactions including real estate investment and development finance, investment funds financing and general corporate facilities. Julie Currie specialises in pensions ...
The story of the Captain Tom Foundation reinforces the basic point that a charity should not be established for the purpose of making money for private gain, even if that would not be the only reason for setting one up. For those of us who have been sitting in a tin can far above the world, by way of a brief recap in April 2020 Captain Tom inspired the nation, completing the challenge of walking 100 laps of his garden whilst recovering from illness and in tribute to the NHS ...
By: Jaci Flug, Esq. and Louis J. Terminello, Esq. Per Tennessee: Shipping as an “agent of the consumer” is “categorically false.” In an email to all Tennessee direct shippers, the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TNABC) states that shipments made into the state as the “agent of the consumer” violate the Tennessee Code ...
The temporary telehealth flexibilities that Medicare patients and providers have become accustomed to since the COVID-19 pandemic are set to expire December 31, 2024. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 extended many pandemic era flexibilities ...
In this edition, we offer a diverse range of content: First, we present an update on an upcoming case before the Supreme Court concerning section 36 of the Contracts Act. We will also provide some insights from a recent Supreme Court ruling on the insurance condition regarding sudden and unforeseen physical damage. Additionally, we discuss significant takeaways from the appeals judgment in the Dutch Shell case ...
In a decision rendered on September 16, 2024,1 the Administrative Labour Tribunal (the ?ALT?) found that a company (the ?employer?) had violated the Charter of the French language2 (the ?CFL?) by requiring knowledge of languages other than French as part of a hiring process. This is one of the first decisions ruling on the new complaint mechanisms introduced by Bill 96, An Act respecting French, the official and common language of Québec3 (?Bill 96?), aimed at amending the CFL ...
The outcome of the May 2024 elections marked a significant milestone in our country’s history following President Ramaphosa’s announcement to establish a ‘Government of National Unity’. Nevertheless, as is routine in the aftermath of elections, the Electoral Commission of South Africa was quickly faced with numerous complaints and objections lodged by various parties and individuals largely relating to the manner in which the voting process was conducted ...
Under South African criminal law, a life imprisonment sentence is the most severe form of judicial punishment that can be imposed upon a convicted criminal and is therefore reserved for the most serious offences. When a judge passes a life sentence, they must specify the minimum term that the offender must spend in prison before becoming eligible for parole, which is determined in accordance with section 51 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 105 of 1997 ...
InAfrican Centre for Biodiversity NPC v Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and Others, the Supreme Court of Appeal (“the SCA”) set aside an issued permit to conduct activities in respect of genetically modified organisms (“GMOs”) and remitted the decision to approve the GMO back for reconsideration ...
InMinister of Department of Rural & Land Reform and Others v Thamsanqa Davis Bisset, the Supreme Court of Appeal (“the SCA”) upheld an appeal against a High Court order setting aside a settlement agreement in terms of section 42D of the Restitution of Land Rights Act 22 of 1994 (“the Act”) and dismissed the application that served before the High Court ...
The Information Regulator has published a newGuidance Note on Direct Marketing(“Guidance Note”) under the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (“POPIA”) outlining its views on the legal requirements for processing personal information for direct marketing. In this article, we touch on key points outlined in the Guidance Note: Does the Regulator give clarity about what communications section 69 applies to? Yes ...
On Friday, 29 November 2024, GN. 5588 was published inGovernment GazetteNo. 51657, in terms of which the Chief Inspector, in terms of the power delegated to the Chief Inspector by the Minister of Employment and Labour in terms of section 42(1) of the OHASA, gave notice: that the National Code of Practice for Training Providers of Lifting Machine Operators published in the Government Notice R539 of Government Gazette No ...
The Employment Rights Bill seeks to bring about seismic change to the employment law landscape, requiring employers to adapt their current practices and policies. Our latest webinar focused on the key provisions of the Bill and how these will impact on current practices and procedures. We also looked at what further changes may be coming down the line and what steps organisations can take to prepare for them ...
With year-end fast approaching, many employers may find themselves in a difficult position, faced with a surge of resignations. This trend can disrupt business operations, especially during a critical time when companies are wrapping up annual projects, entering peak business season or planning for the new year. Many employers mistakenly believe that they have the right to refuse to accept resignations ...
On December 3, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas issued a nationwide preliminary injunction against enforcement of the Corporate Transparency Act (“CTA”).[1] The CTA, and its Reporting Rule, were set to require approximately 32.6 million existing reporting companies to file beneficial ownership information (“BOI”) reports with FinCEN by January 1, 2025 ...
To implement its November 2023 final rule on ownership transparency for skilled nursing facilities (“SNFs”), the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) has updated its Medicare enrollment application for institutional providers (“CMS-855A”) ...
In an era of increasing data breaches and cyberattacks, businesses face mounting risks that can lead to financial, reputational, and operational damage. The cost of a data breach reached an average of $4.88 million in 2024, a 10 percent increase from the previous year ...
On December 2, 2024, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) announced it had received enough H-1B petitions to reach the statutory H-1B visa cap of 65,000, plus the 20,000 “master’s cap” for applicants with a U.S. master’s degree. Registrants who have not yet been selected will be sent non-selection notices through the online system ...
Patent owners with robust continuation filing strategies can breathe a sigh of relief as the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) has withdrawn a proposed rule, which would have weakened patents linked to one another via a terminal disclaimer(s) ...
Just seven weeks after the 158-page Employment Rights Bill was introduced into Parliament, the House of Commons issued a 53-page paper full of various proposed amendments to the Bill. Almost all of them are government led, made by Justin Madders, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade). We consider below some of the key amendments proposed by Mr Madders and other Labour MPs ...
Bermuda Insurance Litigation Guide 2025 (Chambers) Contents Rules governing insurer disputes Jurisdiction and choice of law Arbitration and insurance disputes Coverage disputes Claims against insureds Insurers’ recovery rights Impact of macroeconomic factors Emerging risks Significant legislative and regulatory developments 1 Rules governing insurer disputes 1 ...
