Awaab’s Law Is Now in Force – Are Social Housing Providers Prepared for the New Legal Risks?
Awaab’s Law came into force on 27 October 2025. Is your organisation prepared? Two-year-old Awaab Ishak died in 2020 after prolonged exposure to mould in his social housing. Despite repeated reports, no action was taken for three years. Now, social housing landlords face strict statutory timeframes: 24 hours for emergency hazards, 14 days for investigations […]
Blue Monday Is a Myth – Employer Mental Health Duties Are Not
Blue Monday isn’t real. Your legal duty to protect employee mental health is. So apparently, today is ‘Blue Monday’, the most depressing day of the year. Except it’s not. It’s a marketing myth from 2005 with no scientific basis whatsoever. But here’s what we know is very real in corporate manslaughter and health and safety […]
AI in the Courts and the Transparency Gap in Criminal Justice
In October, the judiciary published updated guidance on the use of AI. A Tax Tribunal judge recently disclosed he’d used AI to draft a decision on a disclosure application. He wasn’t obliged to tell anyone – he chose to. The guidance doesn’t require disclosure. So, how many other decisions have been AI-assisted without anyone knowing? […]
Judge-Only Trials and the Jury Question – Are We Undermining Justice to Fix Backlogs?
There has been much discussion across media platforms over recent months about the proposals to fundamentally change how justice works in England and Wales and the basic fixable improvements that could be made. The government nevertheless appears hell-bent on moving 75% of Crown Court cases to judge-only trials. Only murder, rape, manslaughter and ‘public interest’ […]
Human Rights Due Diligence Is Coming – What UK Businesses Need to Know Now
Human Rights Day is a timely reminder that business and human rights aren’t parallel conversations anymore, they’re shaping the future of corporate strategy. At the Council of Europe’s first Business and Human Rights Forum (BRAVE 2025) in Strasbourg, leaders from law, policy, and industry came together to discuss how businesses can turn human rights principles […]
Compliance as Strategy – The Businesses That Treat Regulation as an Opportunity
In our role defending businesses against regulatory action, we notice one consistent pattern: the companies that thrive are those who view compliance as an opportunity, not an obligation. With an increasing move towards risk based compliance, having documented systems can mean the difference between constructive dialogue and criminal proceedings. Here are some essentials for UK […]
From Preparation to Outcome: Understanding CQC Inspections
Why the CQC Investigates The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and adult social care in England. This regulatory body investigates providers of care services to ensure they provide safe, effective, compassionate and responsive, high-quality care. Where shortcomings are identified, action is taken to protect people who use those services. Routine Inspections: Inspections are planned visits […]
Understanding Personal Criminal Liability of Senior Managers and Directors in the Construction Industry
In the world of construction, the roles of senior managers and directors come with substantial responsibility and significant legal exposure. While organisations can provide a liability shield for individuals in the workplace, there are critical circumstances in the construction industry that place personal criminal liability squarely on the shoulders of senior personnel. What Is Personal Criminal Liability? Personal criminal liability […]
Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025
On Friday 4 July 2025, the UK government introduced the Fire Safety (Residential Evacuation Plans) (England) Regulations 2025, which will take effect on 6 April 2026 in England. These regulations require those responsible for residential buildings, typically building owners or managers, to implement legally binding evacuation measures for residents who may have difficulty self-evacuating during […]
UK Data Protection Law Reform
Data protection is a central and critical legal obligation for all UK organisations handling personal data. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compliance is also not a one-off task. Following Brexit, the UK has operated under a revised version of the General Data Protection Regulation, known as UK GDPR. While most core principles have remained the […]