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Force majeure in a retail context in light of COVID-19
In general commercial contracts, force majeure clauses can often be overlooked as standard ‘boilerplate’ with little negotiation between the parties. Covid-19 and the disruption caused to businesses has highlighted how important these clauses can be for all types of commercial agreements and we anticipate that there will be significant focus on force majeure wording going forwards.
Read moreConsumers return to retail. The retail story in China…where are things now?
Globally, the retail sector has been heavily impacted by Covid-19. As the epicentre for the outbreak of the virus in January 2020. China is now one of the first economies showing signs of recovery, and retailers are looking to understand the pattern there, in order to help predict how retail will recover (and how long it will take to do so) following enforced store closures and restrictions on people’s daily lives.
Read moreLivestream shopping: making platform partnerships a success
Livestream shopping is a live shopping event – think QVC - hosted by a brand on its own, or a third party website/mobile app. Usually, a celebrity, social media influencer or brand worker demonstrates a product and answers questions from a digital audience in real-time. Viewers are able to immediately purchase the item from an embedded link online. Just like presenters on QVC, livestreaming hosts sell a wide range of products, from apparel and cosmetics to electronics and even cars. In China, live streaming is a wildly popular way to shop, with the market worth an estimated US$63bn to its economy in 2019. (but the technology is starting to catch on in the US and UK too). The first major livestream shopping player emerged in China in 2016 when Alibaba first launched Taobao Live. Since then, platforms like Tmall, Douyin or Xiaohongshu have become key Chinese e-commerce sites and saw a big spike in demand during lockdown as shoppers were forced to shop from home
Read moreRetail returns in light of COVID-19
Many retail businesses have reopened/are preparing to reopen as the Covid-19 lockdown eases. Whilst retailers hope that sales will surge as consumers rush to the shops that they have been unable to visit since March, some fear that a large percentage of transactions will be returns of goods purchased pre-lockdown.
Read moreStores in focus; reopenings, safety and single use (plastic) setback
With stores reopened, retailers face an unprecedented operational challenge in delivering the retail experience.
Read moreFurlough fraud and Government clawback: managing the risk
HMRC has the right to go back up to five years when considering businesses’ (including retailers’) records relating to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (the “furlough scheme”) and will be able to clawback funds which have been claimed in error, or fraudulently, under new powers contained in the Finance Bill 2020, which is expected to become law in the latter half of 2020.
Read moreFurlough forecast: What kind of employment law claims are on the horizon?
As retail workforces continue to be re-organised, what kind of employment claims could be brought by employees in the coming months, in light of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (or furlough scheme) and what can you do in anticipation?
Read moreTemporary COVID-19 measures in respect of AGMs and other general meetings
The Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 (CIGA), which came into force on 26 June 2020, provides temporary measures which enable companies to comply with their legal requirements on holding annual general meetings (AGMs) and other meetings whilst still respecting social distancing legislation and guidance.
Read moreUK Government introduces “suspension” of wrongful trading provisions
In March 2020, Business Secretary Alok Sharma announced that provisions on wrongful trading would be suspended. The move came as part of a wider package of measures that sought to provide assistance to businesses – and their beleaguered boards – experiencing financial distress due to Covid-19. Now set out in the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 (CIGA), which was passed on 26 June 2020, the provisions adapt the wrongful trading regime making directors’ liability for the “relevant period” unlikely.
Read moreCorporate Insolvency and Governance Act – Supplier Terms
On 26 June 2020 the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act (CIGA) came into force. The CIGA has made both permanent and short-term changes to the insolvency regime in response to the coronavirus pandemic and its consequences.
Read moreRetail Compass Summer edition 2020
Welcome to the Summer 2020 edition of Retail Compass – our guide to key upcoming legal and policy changes affecting Retail and our thoughts on the need-to-know issues.
Read more'Nosecco' is a no-no, says the High Court
In recent years, health and wellbeing has been big business in the UK. The COVID-19 outbreak has only further stoked the desire to obtain and maintain healthy minds and bodies and the trend looks set to continue, across the retail sector.
Read moreTerraLex virtual meeting: The new wave of M&A
In this video presentation, RPC's Neil Brown and Paul Joukador meet with Lori Green and Rick McGuirk to discuss issues related to force majeure, frustration of purpose, material adverse change, and how they’ve been impacted and will likely change in the post-pandemic world.
Read moreThe ASA bites back – Burger King 'Rebel Whopper' ads ruled to be misleading and in breach of advertising rules
At the start of the year, Veganuary hit the headlines, with the British public challenged to ditch animal by-products in favour of a plant-based diet for the month of January.
Read moreThe ASA bites back – Burger King 'Rebel Whopper' ads ruled to be misleading and in breach of advertising rules
At the start of the year, Veganuary hit the headlines, with the British public challenged to ditch animal by-products in favour of a plant-based diet for the month of January.
Read moreGive retailers a break, lawyers tell creditors
Lawyers have called for a break on winding-up petitions against retailers as they fail to pay creditors due to the outbreak. So far, retailers have been hit with 52 winding-up petitions since the beginning of the year, with the numbers accelerating since the coronavirus outbreak took hold, according to lawyers at RPC.
Read moreCould I mitigate my losses by using my premises for other purposes?
With the inevitable impact of the coronavirus on retail businesses, many will be looking to mitigate their losses. One obvious way of doing this would be to use their premises, often their single largest overhead, for other uses. But is this possible and what must you consider?
Read moreCOVID-19: The groceries sector - temporary competition law exemption comes into force
In light of "exceptional and compelling reasons of public policy" arising from the Covid-19 pandemic, the Secretary of State (the "SoS") has announced temporary competition law arrangements in the groceries sector.
Read moreChanging retail landscape leads to decline in employee numbers
The retail sector continues to face change and challenge from every conceivable angle and employment within the sector is following this trend.
Read moreFixing Fast Fashion: Parliament aims to put the brakes on retailers
'Fast fashion' has been providing inexpensive, up to date styles to the mass market for decades, keeping the consumer both on trend, and in the black. However, as society becomes increasingly aware of the environmental and social impact of the retail sector, Parliament has thrown a spotlight upon the sustainability of 'fast fashion' and the modern retailing practices which underpin it.
Read moreMyth busting and moving the dial in DEI
This article is a summary of a session delivered by Kelly Thomson (Partner, Employment, Engagement & Equality and ESG Strategy Lead at RPC) and Rachel Pears (Head of Responsible Business at RPC), at the second Annual D&I Conference, in partnership with the British Retail Consortium (BRC). During this particular session, common myths and misconceptions surrounding Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) were discussed and different sides of various issues were dissected, drawing out the nuances of seemingly polarised positional statements. Below, we address a handful of these myths, offering a balanced perspective on the complexities of DEI and exploring how to drive meaningful progress in our organisations.
Read moreBanking and Financial Markets Litigation Update - Summer 2024
This update is brought to you by RPC’s top tier banking and financial markets disputes practice in London, with specialists in all areas of financial markets litigation (and arbitration) and a wealth of expertise including frequent involvement in the most complex, high-value, and high-profile disputes in the sphere. Here, we take a look at some of the most important judgments in recent months.
Read moreCAT Collective Proceedings - Summer 2024 update
Developments in the UK’s competition collective proceedings regime continue apace with new claims recently issued in the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT).
Read moreNo objection: When is a party barred from challenging jurisdiction where it continues in the arbitration?
The High Court has provided invaluable guidance on the factors that it will consider when determining when a party is barred from challenging jurisdiction under s. 67 of the Arbitration Act 1996 (the Act) by failing to raise an objection while continuing to take part in the arbitration.
Read moreEmployer lessons from teacher's menopause bias win
On May 31, a Scottish employment tribunal made its decision in Allison Shearer v. South Lanarkshire Council and awarded a teacher over £60,000 ($77,829) for disability discrimination and unfair dismissal, following her dismissal for ill health after a period of long¬term sickness absence.
Read moreCrypto damages quantification: valuation at the date of breach or date of judgment?
In Southgate v. Graham [2024] EWHC 1692 (Ch), the High Court addressed an appeal from the County Court concerning inter alia the appropriate date for assessing damages in a cryptocurrency loan dispute. Initially, the County Court determined that the damages should be based on the cryptocurrency's fiat value at the breach date. Due to the volatility of the cryptocurrency, this decision would have resulted in significantly lower fiat damages award than if the valuation were based on a later date. The High Court allowed the valuation date part of the appeal, directing a further hearing to establish the appropriate date.
Read moreNew digital markets regime guidance published for consultation
The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 received Royal Assent on 24 May 2024. This article considers who will be impacted by the new digital markets regime, the requirements it will introduce, and how it may be enforced, and summarises the CMA’s new draft guidance under consultation on how it intends to implement the regime in practice.
Read moreThe Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act – the Competition Perspective
This article considers the key changes to general competition law under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act which received Royal Assent on 24 May 2024 and is expected to enter into force in the Autumn.
Read moreRecent CAT rulings consider distribution concerns
With two collective settlements now approved by the UK's Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) and the outcome of the first substantive trial in the case of Le Patourel v BT anticipated shortly, it is an important time for the competition collective proceedings regime as the first sums start to be paid out to affected classes.
Read moreSummary judgment against persons unknown – a tale of two crypto judgments
Two recent crypto judgements in the High Court, Mooij v Persons Unknown (February 2024) and Boonyaem v Persons Unknown (December 2023) reached different conclusions regarding whether a summary judgment could be granted against unidentified (and unidentifiable) fraudsters, with Mooji deciding 'yes' and Boonyaem deciding 'no'.
Read moreUK CAT Collective Proceedings Spring 2024 Update
Last year, we reported on what was then a fledgling collective proceedings regime in the UK’s Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT). Our 2023 update is here. Since then, the competition collective proceedings regime has continued to grow at pace, notwithstanding the seismic Supreme Court decision in PACCAR affecting the underlying funding arrangements which underpin the entire collective proceedings landscape.
Read moreSupreme Court confirms no knowing receipt claim where equitable interest is destroyed: Byers v Saudi National Bank
In Byers v Saudi National Bank, the Supreme Court affirmed the findings of the lower courts by holding that a claim for knowing receipt cannot be made if a claimant’s equitable interest in the property in question has been extinguished by the time of the defendant’s knowing receipt of the property.
Read moreCRE funds – targets for future litigation
There was a wave of negative press about commercial real estate funds during the course of 2023. The higher interest rate environment and the pandemic’s economic and social legacy has stressed the sector. This was reflected in suspensions of redemptions by funds including BlackRock UK Property Fund and Blackstone’s (US) Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust, and the closure of the M&G Property Portfolio fund. Asset valuation concerns are leading to many CRE funds trading at a significant discount to their net asset value. Shortsellers are circling – see for instance, Muddy Waters’ disclosure of a large short position on the Blackstone Mortgage Trust.
Read moreMerchants Beat Venice: Court of Appeal finds that local authority of Venice did have capacity to enter into Interest Rate Swaps
In a significant judgment in Banca Intesa Sanpaolo and Dexia Credit Local SA v Comune di Venezia [2023] EWCA Civ 1482, the Court of Appeal overturned the findings of the High Court
Read moreBT case may shape UK class action landscape
In January, the trial in Justin Le Patourel v. BT Group PLC[1] commenced in the U.K. Competition Appeal Tribunal, or CAT. The trial is scheduled to be heard over eight weeks.
Read moreCollective proceedings - robust approach to determining carriage prior to certification (Hunter v Amazon.com)
In a recent decision, the CAT has given guidance on how carriage disputes between competing proposed class representatives (PCRs) will be addressed in future.
Read moreRPC features multiple times in the Solomonic 2023 High Court Disputes Year in Review
International law firm RPC has earned significant recognition for its leading disputes practice, in the highly-regarded Solomonic 2023 Year in Review of High Court Disputes.
Read moreNot the last word: High Court holds that ICSID Convention does not effect automatic waiver of immunity
The decision in Border Timbers Ltd v. Republic of Zimbabwe [2024] EWHC (Comm) [2024] EWHC 58 (Comm) considers state immunity under English law in the context of enforcement of ICSID arbitral awards.
Read moreMenopause discrimination: Where are we now?
October heralded an important legal first when a Leicester employment tribunal began hearing the case of Rooney v Leicester City Council. It is the first case where a person's menopausal symptoms have been deemed by an appeal court to potentially amount to a disability for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010.
Read moreComing to a bank near you? How "investment AI" could transform financial mis-selling claims
Living under a rock is probably the only way anyone might have escaped the media attention given to ChatGPT and generative AI in recent months. Beyond the (considerable) hype, this technology could have a profound impact on financial mis-selling claims where financial institutions and fund managers turn to the new technology to help them select investments and products.
Read moreThe Times recognises RPC among Best Law Firms 2024
International law firm, RPC, has been recognised by The Times in its Best Law Firms 2024 report, an annual ranking of the top 250 law firms in England and Wales.
Read moreUK tech cases warn of liability clause drafting pitfalls
Excluding and limiting liability is a vital part of any commercial contract. The irony, though, is that despite its importance, almost any exclusion or limitation of liability — if pored over to the nth degree — will have some ambiguity in the face of complex and often unforeseen consequences of breach.
Read moreA tool that French law does not like: English Court refuses to grant anti-suit injunction in support of French-seated ICC arbitration
The English Court has refused to grant an anti-suit injunction (ASI) in support of an ICC arbitration seated in France.
Read moreWhistle-blowing on illegal cartels drops 70% in 5 years
Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) recently increased award to £250,000 Calls to the CMA hotline have plummeted from 1,442 in 2017 to 427 in 2022
Read moreAdjusting your recruitment process for a candidate with a disability: What is reasonable?
The Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) has held that a failure to make enquiries into a job applicant's disability amounted to a failure to make reasonable adjustments.
Read moreFraud not "some kind of open sesame" in Privy Council appeal to set aside judgment
An appellant was unsuccessful in his bid to set aside judgment on the basis of fraud as the Board of the Privy Counsel dismissed his claim as an abuse of process (1). The appellant had failed to show "fresh evidence" of fraud as he already had all of the information he was relying on to allege fraud at the time he entered into a final settlement agreement, and had not offered an explanation of why he had not deployed this information whilst the original dispute was live.
Read moreCaught out by APP fraud? Here's the 101 of what can be done
Dan Wyatt, partner at RPC, takes a look at the best strategy for APP fraud victims and their recovery options.
Read moreHigh Court sets aside disclosure orders against Australian banks in 'lukewarm' pursuit case
In Scenna v Persons unknown using the identity ‘Nancy Chen’[2023] EWHC 799 (Ch), the High Court set aside disclosure orders made against two Australian banks which had previously been granted at an urgent hearing without notice.
Read moreCourt of Appeal: strength of a case not a relevant factor for late amendments to statements of case
The Court of Appeal has clarified that once a court has determined that amendments to a statement of case have a real prospect of success, the perceived strength of the case should not be a consideration when determining an application for permission to amend (CNM Estates (Tolworth Tower) Limited v Carvill-Biggs and another). ([2023] EWCA Civ 480)
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