Secret and half-secret trusts do not meet the formalities set out in section 9 of the Wills Act 1837 but are still enforced by the courts to promote equity, justice and fairness as well as to prevent unjust enrichment and fraud. These types of trust
Companies can group together in order to pay VAT but the exact way that these are structured or operate in a practical sense can be quite confusing. This became a real issue when it turned out that the period for refunding overpaid VAT was too
When a bank fails it is split up into a ‘good bank’ and a ‘bad bank’. The assets and liabilities that pass to each can vary but after it was decided that a large debt owed by the former Portuguese bank ‘Banco Espírito Santo’ would
In 2004 Tony Blair struck the now infamous ‘deal in the desert’ with Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi. The assistance provided by the British Secret Intelligence Service in rendering political dissident Abdelhakim Belhaj back to his homeland in the run-up to that meeting was almost certainly
Ever since civil partnerships became available in the UK in late 2005 their status has been up in the air. Originally the only option available to same sex couples, they now have marriage as an alternative. In this case the Supreme Court considers whether civil
The recent decision by the New Yorker to disinvite former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon from an event left me a little perturbed. Don’t get me wrong, Bannon’s views on race, economics and politics in general are disgusting yet few people would seriously deny
The Construction Industry Scheme has been in operation since the early 1970s and aimed to not only provide a means for the government to collect tax but also to crack down on tax evasion in the sector. Trusted sub-contractors can be awarded certificates that exempt
One of the most important social rights that has been won in recent years was gay marriage. The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 came into force in early 2014 and since then hundreds of people and their partners have taken advantage of the legislation.
With a thriving Muslim population and growing investment from the Middle East there is a need for Islamic financial practices to be integrated into English law. This case revolves around the sale of the historical Chelsea Barracks by the Ministry of Defence to Qatari investors
When it comes to Brexit no one can accuse the European Union of not being prepared. There are 68 notices on the European Commission’s website that cover a wide range of subject areas and outline the legal position after the UK leaves. Take, for example,