Browne Jacobson

From regulatory reform and planning law to cyber security, this week’s media highlights showcase our lawyers covering a broad range of topics in the news.      Vicki Searle comments on the practical merits of delivering Andy Burnham's council house building ambitions (The Telegraph).    Our place on the UK Government's new £600m public sector legal panel (The Lawyer).    Tim Johnson on how autonomous AI attackers expose ambiguities in cyber policy wording (Insurance Business).    Megan Rogers and Trish D'Souza on the High Court ruling confirming weekend-only students should be treated as distance learners, and what it means for universities and course providers (Times Higher Education). Victoria Howard discussed our Next Chapter pilot scheme, offering care-experienced students mentoring, paid work placements and skills training in partnership with Nottingham City Council (The Law Society Gazette).   Peter Ware on incoming procurement rules for public sector contracts over £5m requiring contractors to demonstrate local jobs and skills benefits (Building Better Healthcare).    Simone Ketchell’s appointment as a real estate litigation partner, marking 23 specialist real estate lawyers joining the firm in the past 12 months (New Law Journal).    Faria Jamali on the complex relationship between mental capacity and care decisions, and whether a person can have capacity for one but not the other (Expert Witness Journal). 

A new consultation on workplace monitoring technology launched last month raises a question every employer using AI or algorithmic tools should be asking right now: are your decision-making processes as legally sound as you think they are? Existing employment and data protection law already imposes obligations on employers, and proposals on the table could significantly raise the bar.   Abbie-May Griffiths and Colette Deamer have broken down the three options being considered as part of the consultation and what employers should be doing now to get ahead of the curve: https://lnkd.in/em8ESKuC

Hear what our students had to say about our FAIRE work experience programme…   This summer, we welcomed 25 students to our Birmingham, Cardiff, Exeter and London offices as part of FAIRE – our social mobility work experience programme offering paid, structured in-person work experience across all areas of our business, not just law.   Over the course of the week, students took part in seat rotations across different areas of the firm, giving them hands-on exposure to real legal work, from drafting documents to legal research, as well as training sessions and networking opportunities.   A huge thank you to our training leads and supervisors for their time and support, and to all of our students for the energy and enthusiasm they brought to the programme. As the top-ranked law firm in the Social Mobility Index for five consecutive years, creating meaningful opportunities like FAIRE is how we turn our values into action.

We have advised Lucy Aylen, founder of women's fashion brand Never Fully Dressed, on the brand's investment from Refined Capital Partners.   Founded in 2009, Never Fully Dressed has grown into a globally recognised womenswear brand, celebrated for its distinctive prints, inclusive approach and loyal international following. This investment marks a significant milestone in the brand's continued growth.   Our deal team was led by Partner Sandra Wong, supported by senior associates Shania Sood and Jade Williamson, associates Alys Bratch and Dina Hansotia, and Partner Craig Thomas.   Read more: https://lnkd.in/eANEZbSD

Join us on Tuesday 22 September for a free webinar on the Employment Rights Act 2025 — are you ready for the Autumn 2026 changes?   A significant wave of reforms arrives in October 2026, with further changes following in January 2027, affecting organisations of every size and across every sector.   Our expert employment lawyers will guide you through what's changing, when it's happening, and what employers need to do to prepare, covering: • The extension to ET time limits. • The duty to take all reasonable steps to prevent sexual harassment. • New third party harassment obligations. • New trade union rights. • Fire and rehire and unfair dismissal changes coming in January 2027. • And a look ahead at reforms still to come.   There will also be an opportunity to put your questions to our speakers.   Register now to secure your place: https://lnkd.in/ewBz2yN4

This week, our experts featured across national and specialist publications on diversity, employment, healthcare, devolution, infrastructure and more, while also welcoming two significant new appointments. Our top-five ranking for female equity partnership and top-three for female representation in non-partner roles was featured in an article reflecting on Law.com's diversity survey, including comments from Caroline Green about DEI strategies (Law.com). Lee Ashwood on managing rising employment claims before they reach the tribunal (HR Magazine). Our financial services team commented on why Corporate Chartered status is becoming a key trust signal for brokers navigating consolidation and Consumer Duty (Insurance Business). Bethan Parry on why hospitals and insurers can’t afford to wait as experimental gene therapy tourism moves from fringe concern to foreseeable reality (International Hospitals and Healthcare). Craig Elder on what a new PPP blueprint could mean for making UK infrastructure investable under Andy Burnham (Construction Outlook). Laura Hughes on the risk that Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are left out of the government's fiscal devolution agenda (Public Finance). Peter Ware on the government's new social value rules in procurement and what they mean for businesses competing for public contracts (PBC Today). Simone Ketchell’s hire marking the sixth real estate partner to join in 12 months of record growth (Estates Gazette and Commercial Disputes Resolution). Our appointment of Professor Clive Kay, former King's College Hospital chief executive, as a strategic adviser to our health and life sciences team (Healthcare Markets).

We have been recognised in the latest Chambers High Net Worth rankings, achieving Band 1 for Private Wealth Law in Nottingham & Surrounds.   Alongside our firm ranking, some of our experts have been recognised individually: • Wenna Thompson — Senior Statespeople • Jaclyn Barnes — Band 1 • Lucy Worwood — Band 1 • Imogen Holmes — Band 2 • Scott McKittrick — Band 2   These rankings are a true reflection of the expertise, dedication, and client commitment that our private wealth team brings every day. Congratulations to all those recognised.

We're heading to ESS Expo 2026 – and we're bringing our own theatre.   This September, we are launching and sponsoring the brand-new Environmental Law Theatre at ESS Expo – the UK's leading event for environmental services, technologies and sustainability, attracting over 15,000 attendees each year.   Our dedicated theatre has been designed to bridge the gap between environmental science and legal compliance, with sessions spanning: • Waste management, changing requirements and the circular economy. Insight into the delivery of energy projects. • Contaminated land and remediation. • Changing permitting requirements and environmental regulations. • Delivery of projects from planning application to sustainable construction. • ESG, EPR and much more.   With over 14 sessions across two days, our expert team will be breaking down the complex legal frameworks and compliance pressures shaping the sectors you work in.   Whether you're navigating tighter regulations, managing risk, or planning for a more sustainable future, this is the place to be.   Find out more about the ESS Expo: https://lnkd.in/ezPBMF3W

We're welcoming Simone Ketchell, real estate litigation partner, to the firm. With 25 years of sector experience, Simone is trusted by FTSE 500 real estate businesses as their go-to litigator for complex, business-critical matters.   Her appointment is part of an ambitious expansion of our real estate practice over the last 12 months, which has seen 23 specialist lawyers join the firm across our UK and Ireland network, reflecting our accelerating strategic commitment to the sector.   Read the Estates Gazette coverage and our full press release below: Estates Gazette: https://lnkd.in/eEm7-pSi  Press release: https://lnkd.in/eyJZBtnE

Our summer update of Food for Thought is now available, covering some of the most significant regulatory developments in the food and drink sector.   This edition covers the confirmation of England's incoming ban on energy drink sales to under-16s, set to become a criminal offence under the Food Safety Act 1990 from April 2027, alongside a roundup of everything else shaping the food and drink regulatory landscape this season: • From doughnuts to delivery apps: the ASA's less healthy food advertising rulings so far. • A new global standard for precautionary allergen labelling. • Alternative proteins: navigating the regulatory landscape. • VAT on package deals: what the Queenscourt v HMRC decision means for your business. • SPS agreement: updates to Defra's guidance.   Read the full update: https://lnkd.in/dQpiCYPT