Sector Focus
Legal
Sponsored by: mfg Solicitors
Solicitor opens up about non-disclosure agreements
Buying a commercial property? Here’s what you need to know…
By Brian Flint Partner mfg Solicitors LLP
In the first of a series of short articles, Brian Flint, a partner at mfg Solicitors, discusses the boxes people should tick when looking to buy a commercial property. Purchasing a commercial
property takes time and planning. One of the first considerations is whether to buy a freehold or leasehold property. This really depends on your budget, priorities and your long-term intentions. In short, if you are looking for a good long-term investment, then purchasing the freehold gives flexibility, especially after the mortgage is paid off and costs have been lowered. It does, however, mean you are responsible for all maintenance. A leasehold is also a viable
option for many and can still prove to be an effective long- term solution with a good resale value. Many go for this option as it means less responsibility for the upkeep of the building, while others go for a full insuring and repair lease which leaves the business responsible for upkeep, but often with a much lower ground rent. Birmingham is currently
offering remarkable opportunities to buy freehold commercial properties – especially in the Ladywood and Jewellery Quarter districts. The city is in the midst of an exciting transformation and, via schemes like HS2, will become far closer in terms of connections to London. That’s just one reason why
moving into the second city is making sense for more and more businesses. I look forward to sharing more thoughts in the next edition.
Members can contact Brian by calling 0121 236 7388, or email
brian.flint@mfgsolicitors.com
W:
mfgsolicitors.com
Follow us on Twitter through @mfgsolicitors
76 CHAMBERLINK April 2019
The growing use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) came under the spotlight at an event organised as part of the Chamber’s month-long Growth Through People campaign, which aims to boost productivity in business through improved leadership and people management skills. The event was held by lawyer Pinsent Mason, and
featured employment solicitor Emma Noble and Jonathan Coley, a partner at the firm. Ms Noble said that NDAs had come under particular
scrutiny in recent months as a result of the #MeToo movement and other related news stories.
‘There has been a lot of negative press around of the use of ‘secrecy clauses’ within agreements’
#MeToo is a campaign against sexual harassment
which was launched in the US following the allegations against film producer Harvey Weinstein. NDAs have been the subject of many news stories
recently, because of their alleged use by Weinstein, Donald Trump and retailer Sir Philip Green. Ms Noble said that any firm intending to use such
agreements should ensure it sought appropriate legal advice. She said: “There has been a lot of negative press around of the use of ‘secrecy clauses’ within agreements when settling allegations of harassment in the workplace. “In March 2019, the government published its
commitment to investigate the use of NDAs in cases involving harassment, and it is currently consulting on how they are used and whether restrictions on their use should be mandated. “Employers and employees should obtain legal advice
whilst negotiating these agreements and on the effectiveness and enforcement of such secrecy clauses.” Ms Noble and her colleague and Jonathan covered a
number of other topical employment law issues during the event, including how to deal with the increase in the
number of data subject access requests, employment status and how this can impact businesses, dealing with sexual harassment in the workplace and looking ahead to some of the key developments in employment legislation now coming into force. She said: “Other proposals currently being consulted
on include extending protections which currently apply to women during pregnancy and maternity leave, potentially extending the ‘protected period’ to cover the period of pregnancy and an additional six months after maternity leave ends. “This forms part of the government’s response to the
Taylor Review of Modern Working Practices. The Good Work Plan unveiled proposals to revamp employment laws designed to protect workers’ rights and address the growth of the gig economy by seeking to clarify employment status, and protections for agency workers.”
Lucy bolsters real estate team at Pinsent Masons
Law firm Pinsent Masons has boosted its real estate team with the appointment of planning and compulsory purchase partner Lucy Thomas. Her expertise will reinforce the firm’s major property client
relationships, including those with Lendlease, Berkeley Homes, Transport for London and Countryside Properties. Ms Thomas joins from Ashurst, where she has played a key role in
the firm’s planning and compulsory purchase team for more than 20 years.
Head of planning at Pinsent Masons, Iain Gilbey, said: “Lucy will be
an asset to our number one rated planning and compulsory purchase team.
“Her role on big ticket planning and compulsory purchase work, as
well as experience in the Australian market, will boost our real estate sector capabilities in the UK and internationally. “Her move reinforces our commitment to delivering exceptional
client service and expertise.” Lucy said: “I’m looking forward to helping drive the practice forward
and to working with a team with such a diverse range of expertise as well as exceptional UK and international reach.”
Law firm’s pay gap in favour of women
Law firm Trowers & Hamlins, which has an office in Birmingham, has announced that it now has a gender pay gap which is in favour of women in its partnership. The pay gap in favour of women
at the firm is 0.8 per cent. The figure has been boosted by
the number of women among its partners – more than 40 per cent of the firm’s partnership are women, including its senior partner, who is one of only nine among the UK’s top 100 law firms. A lower gender pay gap across
all of Trowers’ fee-earning staff (excluding partners) is 2.5 per cent in favour of men, compared to last year’s 4.2 per cent. Senior partner Jennie Gubbins
said: “We are proud to announce a very low gender pay gap across our partnership which is great in a sector that can struggle to retain female talent at senior levels.”
Emma Noble, a winner at last year’s ‘Future Faces’ annual awards
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