The Insolvency Service has reported that the director of a data processing and equipment sourcing business, Richard Oliver, has been disqualified for the maximum period (15 years) after obtaining £145,000 in coronavirus (COVID-19) support scheme funds his business was not entitled to.

Definitions (General) Competent Authority • any authority having jurisdiction in relation to the Property, its occupation or use; Restricted Period • any period [exceeding [number] [continuous] weeks]

Law360, London: An EU court annulled on 14 May 2025 a decision by the EU’s executive arm to refuse to release texts to the New York Times between its president, Ursula von der Leyen, and Pfizer’s chief executive during coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine negotiations.

Law 360: The Second Circuit said on 11 March 2024 that Pfizer does not need to give a French nonprofit the communications between its CEO and the European Commission’s president related to a coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine development agreement, ruling the materials are irrelevant to a jurisdictional issue in the group’s legal challenge to the pact in France.

The Wills Act 1837 (Electronic Communications) (Amendment) Order 2022, SI 2022/18 was introduced to extend the remote witnessing of Wills, brought in during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in England and Wales, until 31 January 2024. Plans for a further extension to permit remote execution have not been implemented.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has launched a consultation seeking views on proposed amendments to introduce common specification requirements for manufacturers of high-risk in vitro diagnostic (IVD) devices to the Medical Devices Regulations 2002. Additionally, the MHRA is seeking views on removing the Coronavirus Test Device Approval process. The deadline for response is 14 June 2024.

Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 The object of the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Act 2020 (CIGA 2020) was to avoid insolvency and assist businesses to continue operating during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and ensuing economic uncertainty. The UK government published the Corporate Insolvency and Governance Bill on 20 May 2020. It went through the accelerated Parliamentary process and received the Royal Assent on 25 June 2020. The main parts of CIGA 2020 consist of the following: • a new moratorium whereby the formal insolvency process is suspended • a new restructuring plan for companies in financial difficulty whereby a company and its creditors (and/or members) can agree a plan for the purpose of reducing, preventing or mitigating its financial difficulties • a prohibition on the issue of statutory demands and winding up petitions relating to debts arising from coronavirus • suspension of

This Q&A assumes that the property is in England and the landlord is a private landlord, not a social housing provider. In normal times, the simplest way to seek possession of an assured shorthold tenancy, the fixed term of which has expired (or is about to do so), is by serving a section 21 notice (section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 (HA 1988)) and the use of accelerated possession proceedings. However, under the Coronavirus Act 2020 and related regulations, from 29 August 2020, the notice required to be given in a section 21 notice is six months, so some alternative mechanisms may be more attractive (see Practice Note: Coronavirus (COVID-19)—implications for property [Archived], in particular section ‘Residential tenancies—extended notice periods’). HA 1988, Sch 2, Pt I contains the grounds

Pandemics are exceptional events which present organisations with difficult business conditions, uncertainty and particularly challenging information and cybersecurity issues. Office closures and social distancing required during a pandemic create unusual circumstances for businesses, including potentially managing an unprecedented number of staff who are working from home, some of whom having never done so before. Key information and cybersecurity risks to consider and seek to mitigate during a pandemic centre around: • continued compliance with legal and regulatory requirements • cybercrime • keeping systems and devices secure, and • staff awareness This Practice Note considers each risk area and suggests practical steps you can take to mitigate them. Legal and regulatory requirements Sound risk management practices require you to identify, monitor and manage all material risks to your business. See Practice Note: How to identify and evaluate risk across the business. Information and cybersecurity are important risks for any business. Identifying, monitoring and managing material risks is a regulatory requirement for law firms. Confidentiality Solicitors and law firms must keep the affairs of

Law360: A large portion of the highest level of funding surpluses recorded by pension plans in 2023 was caused by a decline in life expectancy in Britain, a consultancy said on 3 June 2024, as the sector continues to wrestle with the uncertain impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The Insolvency Service has reported that Indian takeaway owner, Zaman Shaa, has been banned as a company director for two years after he fraudulently applied for a £30,000 coronavirus Bounce Back Loan (BBL). Shaa was sentenced to 36 weeks in prison, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to pay £6,000 in costs.

The Insolvency Service has published its monthly insolvency statistics for December 2023 on company and individual insolvencies. The data shows that 2,002 company insolvencies were registered, higher than in December 2022 and in pre-coronavirus (COVID-19) numbers. For individuals, the total number of insolvencies in December 2023 was 6,584, 20% lower in December 2022.