News

3 February 2025

The ongoing legal dispute between Getty Images and Stability AI has taken a critical step forward, with developments on 14 January 2025 setting the stage for what could become a landmark case. This case raises fundamental questions about the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and intellectual property (IP): Can AI developers legally use copyrighted materials […]

3 February 2025

For businesses, the start of a new year provides an excellent opportunity to reflect and prepare for the months ahead. While many focus on marketing and growth strategies for 2025, it’s equally important not to overlook the legal aspects of running a business. Ensuring your contracts are current and tailored to your future plans can […]

31 January 2025

The family team at Berry Smith is supporting Family Mediation Week 2025, which takes place between Monday, 27th and Friday, 31st January, with the aim of raising awareness of the benefits of mediation within the family justice system. On the final day of Family Mediation Week 2025, we share some top tips on how to […]

30 January 2025

The family team at Berry Smith is supporting Family Mediation Week 2025, which takes place between Monday, 27th and Friday, 31st January, with the aim of raising awareness of the benefits of mediation within the family justice system. On Day 4 of Family Mediation Week 2025, we look at how mediation can help with complex […]

30 January 2025

Sports Direct tycoon Mike Ashley has won a recent High Court case against HMRC regarding its handling of a subject access request (SAR) previously submitted by Ashley. The dispute arose from Ashley’s sale of properties, during which HMRC challenged the valuation and issued a tax demand of £13.6 million in 2016. Despite later withdrawing the […]

29 January 2025

Recent changes to the higher rate of Land Transaction Tax (LTT) in Wales may impact those purchasing additional properties. Below, we outline what LTT is, how it works, and the changes you need to know. What is Land Transaction Tax (LTT)? LTT is a tax payable to the Welsh Revenue Authority when an individual or […]

29 January 2025

In the recent Autumn 2024 Budget, the Chancellor announced a wide range of changes to how inheritance tax will be calculated in the future, including changes to the inheritance tax treatment of pensions. If you have a private pension, it is vital that you consider these recent announcements. 1) What is the current position regarding […]

29 January 2025

The Government has published the updated rates for the National Living Wage (NLW), National Minimum Wage (NMW) and statutory payments that will apply from April 2025. Proposed increases to statutory payments: · Statutory maternity pay, maternity allowance, paternity pay, adoption pay, shared parental pay and parental bereavement pay will increase from £184.30 to £187.70 per […]

29 January 2025

The Government has laid before Parliament the Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act 2023 (‘the Act’) introducing a new day-one right to neonatal leave for working families with babies in neonatal care. Subject to Parliamentary approval, neonatal care leave will apply in respect of children who are born on or after 6 April 2025. Currently, […]

29 January 2025

The family team at Berry Smith is supporting Family Mediation Week 2025, which takes place between Monday, 27th and Friday, 31st January, with the aim of raising awareness of the benefits of mediation within the family justice system. On Day 3 of Family Mediation Week 2025, we take a look at how children’s voices can […]

28 January 2025

The family team at Berry Smith is supporting Family Mediation Week 2025, which takes place between Monday, 27th and Friday, 31st January, with the aim of raising awareness of the benefits of mediation within the family justice system. On Day 2 of Family Mediation Week 2025, we take a closer look at the role of […]

27 January 2025

The family team at Berry Smith is supporting Family Mediation Week 2025, which takes place between Monday, 27th and Friday, 31st January, with the aim of raising awareness of the benefits of mediation within the family justice system. In our experience at Berry Smith, many families who come to us for advice or mediation services […]

22 January 2025

In a highly anticipated legal battle, popular cider producer Thatchers successfully appealed against supermarket giant Aldi in a long-running trademark dispute. In this article, we will break down the key aspects of the case, its implications for trademark law, and what it means for companies seeking to protect their brands in the marketplace. Background At […]

22 January 2025

Berry Smith is delighted to have acted as lead adviser to Cardo Group Limited in its successful acquisition of Heatcare Oil & Gas Holdings Limited. This strategic purchase marks a significant milestone in Cardo’s ongoing expansion and its commitment to delivering energy-efficient solutions for social housing and public buildings. The deal follows a series of […]

20 January 2025

Further to our previous article “Is it time to revise your terms and conditions” If you’ve determined that it’s time to revise your T&Cs, use the following checklist to ensure that you’ve covered all the essential aspects: 1. Clarity and Accessibility 2. Legal Compliance 3. Business Model Updates 4. Limitation of Liability 5. Force Majeure […]

17 January 2025

For any business, well-drafted terms and conditions (T&Cs) are the foundation of clear and legally sound relationships with customers, suppliers, and other third parties. These agreements outline the rules governing transactions and interactions, safeguarding your business against potential disputes and liabilities. However, market changes, legal updates, or shifts in your operations may mean it’s time […]

16 January 2025

It’s estimated that less than a quarter of us will stick to any New Year’s resolutions we make. So, instead of coming up with more excuses to skip your 6 am spin class, grab some leftover Christmas chocolates and a cuppa, and set yourself some New Business Resolutions you can actually stick to! The New […]

10 January 2025

Emma Jayne Scullion, an Associate in our Property Litigation team, recently helped a client successfully defend against their neighbour’s claim that past trespassing incidents had permanently reduced the value of her property. The Case: A Dispute Over Trespass The case went to trial in late November 2024. Both sides agreed that some minor trespasses had […]

9 December 2024

Failure to pay may seem like grounds for termination, but this isn’t always the case. Acting prematurely could backfire, potentially putting you in breach of the contract. Do You Have a Contractual Right to Terminate? In cases of late payment, parties typically have two legal routes to consider: However, neither guarantees an automatic right to […]

6 December 2024

The Supreme Court’s Landmark Decision on Force Majeure and “Reasonable Endeavors” In the recent case of MUR Shipping v RTI, the Supreme Court ruled that the “reasonable endeavours” proviso in a force majeure clause does not oblige parties to accept non-contractual performance, even if it would resolve the issue created by the force majeure event. What […]

6 December 2024

Intellectual Property (IP) can arise in various shapes and sizes. Understanding the various forms of IP is useful for considering who and how your IP is owned and can be used. In business, it is common for multiple parties to desire the rights in certain IP. The following is an overview of the rules of […]

3 December 2024

What is a Lasting Power of Attorney for Health and Welfare? A Lasting Power of Attorney is a document in which you (the donor) give someone else (the attorney(s)) the power to make decisions on your behalf. A Lasting Power of Attorney for Health and Welfare grants your attorney the authority to make decisions regarding […]

28 November 2024

Recently, you may have seen several allegations against high-profile figures making headlines, highlighting the importance of conducting successful investigations. These can involve grievance investigations, disciplinary investigations and other forms of investigation in the workplace.  Dealing with the intricacies of workplace investigations can be fraught with difficulties. For many employers, the decision to appoint an external […]

28 November 2024

On 3rd December 2024, Sarah Alford (Partner) and Caitlin Rees (Associate) in our Employment & HR department at Berry Smith, will be speaking about the upcoming employment law reforms, including the proposed changes to family leave rights, at the Women at Work Wales Conference, hosted by Policy Insight Wales.   We therefore thought that now was […]

20 November 2024

CST Wealth Management Limited is a renowned chartered financial planning firm based in Bridgend, managing an impressive portfolio of individual and business clients with approximately £170 million in assets under advice. Brooks Macdonald is one of the UK’s leading wealth management firms, focused on providing expert investment management and financial planning. Berry Smith worked closely […]

18 November 2024

Sky v SkyKick In a key case for trade mark law, the Supreme Court recently handed down its long-awaited judgment in Sky v SkyKick. The legal issue at hand was whether Sky’s trade marks had been validly registered, given the broad scope of their coverage. Originally, Sky sued SkyKick, a cloud management company based in […]

7 November 2024

A £279m partnership in the UK Government’s life sciences sector The UK government recently announced a £279 million investment in its life sciences sector through a partnership with Lilly, a multinational pharmaceutical company. This significant investment is aimed at accelerating healthcare innovation and advancing new care delivery models, particularly focused on improving health for people […]