In the Press

You booze, you lose

Published: Professional Manager | February/March 2012

Adrian Hoggarth, Head of Employment, comments on the issues raised by Alison Blackhurst on the potential headaches of office Christmas parties. ... more >

Family courts pioneer shared parenting orders

Published The Guardian dated 09 February 2012

According to Jonathan West, Head of family and matrimonial, ‘Judges and lawyers are already anticipating the government’s proposed reforms to the status of separated parents by pioneering ‘shared residence orders’. ... more >

How much can I reveal about myself on LinkedIn?

Published: Financial Times | 26 January 2012

Adrian Hoggarth, Head of Employment, responds to a reader’s concern on their employment and the use of social media. The reader’s concern stems from news of an employee claiming he was ousted by his employer for activity on the social media network LinkedIn. The reader asks where they stand in terms of their employment and the usage social media? ... more >

Lawyers predict contract disputes over Cable's plan

Published: Financial Times | 24 January 2012

Adrian Hoggarth, Head of Employment at Prolegal, comments on questions that are being raised over how the overhaul will work in relation to executive pay. ... more >

Racism in football – a touchline issue

Published: The Times | Dated 5 January 2012

Adrian Hoggarth, Head of Employment writes; an employment lawyer’s view on the current racism debate in football - double standards
Your starter for 10: Who is more likely to be sacked?
A) Chelsea’s John Terry, who will appear before magistrates in February charged with a racially aggravated public order offence that the Crown Prosecution Service believes was likely to cause Anton Ferdinand harassment, alarm or distress.
B) Liverpool’s Luis Suarez, who has been banned for eight games and fined £40,000 for racially abusing Patrice Evra and, according to the Football Association, damaging the image of English football around the world.
C) The BBC’s Alan Hansen, who caused a Twitter frenzy by using the word ‘coloured’ on Match of the Day.

Answer: (C). More importantly, why? ... more >

Video: Jonathan West - legal expert on BBC Breakfast today

Broadcaster: BBC | 04 January 2011
Jonathan West, head of Family and Matrimonial is the guest legal expert on divorce. ... more >

Now could be a good time to split

Published: The Times | Dated 3rd January 2012

Jonathan West Head of family writes:

Is it a good idea to divorce in a recession? A sobering thought as we kick off the new year: January 3, the first working day after the Christmas and new-year break, is known in legal circles as Divorce Day or D-Day, being the day that divorce lawyers receive the most inquiries. ... more >

Financial survival tips as divorce numbers double in January

Published: The Telegraph | Dated 3rd January 2012

Jonathan West, Head of Family and Matrimonial, comments on the phenomenon known as D Day - Divorce Day.

Divorce day is the lawyers’ nickname for January 3 when thousands of unhappy couples return from the false cheerfulness of Christmas holidays determined to seek new and separate lives in the New Year. ... more >

Tight rope Walking

Published: Accountancy Age | Dated 23 December 2011

Susan Brown, Head of Professional Negligence and a Director writes;
It’s fair to say that Conrad Murray was extraordinarily unlucky to be sentenced to 4 years in prison for his contribution to the death of Michael Jackson. Had he been treating virtually any other patient, a criminal prosecution of any kind would have been highly unlikely. However there is little doubt that he was professionally negligent and that this caused or contributed to Jackson’s death. Unfortunately it appears that Murray’s medical malpractice insurance would not have covered the £64M claim Jackson’s family are making (the money they say he would have made from his O2 concerts) even if he had been acquitted of involuntary manslaughter, since the policy apparently did not cover incidents involving general anaesthesia. ... more >

Plato, Socrates and Father Christmas: is Santa a philosophical belief?

Published: Halsbury’s Law Exchange | Dated 21st December 2011

Adrian Hoggarth Head of employment writes; last night, with only a handful of sleeps left before Christmas, I asked my children if they believe in Father Christmas. They nodded immediately. There was no doubt in their minds that on Christmas Eve Santa will be coming down our chimney and leaving presents in their stockings.

This firmly held conviction caused me alarm. Could belief in Father Christmas be a philosophical belief protected by the Equality Act? ... more >

Litigation Financing ‘needs crackdown’

Published: The Times | Dated 15th December 2011

The Times reports on how the most powerful companies in America are calling British Ministers to crack down on new litigation funding schemes that they say will breed a costly compensation culture like the one in the States. ... more >