At the recent Alliott Group AGM in South Africa, I was delighted to be re-elected as Chair of Alliott Group Legal, an alliance of law firms that is part of the Alliott Group. It’s a challenging role that demands much commitment, but it is hugely rewarding. Our involvement in AG Legal is really important for the firm …

As Head of Litigation & International Services, I recently spoke at a Law Society  IBA master class alongside Stephen Denyer, head of international and city at the Law Society and Elizabeth Fehnrich of UK Trade & Investment. The International Bar Association is the leading global association for lawyers. I gave my views on how firms can go …

The Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzō Abe, opened this year’s IBA annual conference in Tokyo which I was very pleased to attend. In his address at the opening ceremony in the presence of the Emperor and Empress of Japan, I listened to him make it clear that “the concept of the rule of law is universal”. I …

Even though life is of course exciting and glamorous at Sherrards (!), let’s face it, it’s not every day we get a visit from the Law Society and their TV crew who work for MTV and are more used to interviewing rock stars. However, we like to think we have a few stars of our own …

I was privileged to be invited by the UK Government to the two-day Commonwealth Games Business Conference in Glasgow this week, in what has been a very impressive showcase for Scotland and the UK.  And imagine my delight when I discovered that I was the only lawyer in attendance – that’s definitely one to tell the …

Sunday Working: What are the rights for employees? In the Days of Old Some of us can still remember the days when shops all used to close on Sundays and those shops that stayed open, such as newsagents, had to cover certain products with a sheet or rope them off as they were prevented from …

Russian city Sochi recently hosted the Sochi Legal Conference, which was presented by one of Moscow’s leading law firms, Egorov Puginsky Afanasiev & Partners (“EPAM”). The event brought together over 200 delegates from 26 different countries to discuss topics affecting business in the CIS and beyond. Paul Marmor, Head of Litigation and International Services at …

As part of the wide-ranging changes due to come into force next year in the area of parental rights, men will soon be entitled to take time off work to attend some of their partners’ antenatal appointments. The Current Position Pregnant employees and agency workers have the right to take time off work to attend …

Dismissal. Luis Suarez is in trouble once again for an alleged offence involving biting. FIFA have just imposed a 4 month ban from football and suspended him from the next nine international matches, but what about his career with Liverpool? Handily bypassing the question of whether Suarez is an employee of Liverpool, and whether they will …