Five major publishers including Hachette and Macmillan have sued Meta in Manhattan federal court, alleging the tech giant pirated millions of books to train its Llama AI. Industry experts warn UK SMEs of mounting licensing risks.
Category: Legal
Contracts, Human Resources HR, Employment and legal advice for owners and managers of SME small and medium sized business owners.
HMRC loses landmark £584,000 tax battle as referees ruled self-employed
HMRC has been defeated in the landmark £584,000 PGMOL employment status case, with a tribunal ruling football referees were genuinely self-employed — casting fresh doubt over the tax office’s CEST tool.
Aston Martin takes its 17pc shareholder Geely to court over ‘copycat’ wings logo
Aston Martin is taking legal action against Chinese part-owner Geely over a winged LEVC taxi logo it claims infringes its 1927 emblem — despite Geely’s £245m stake in the British marque.
Live Nation and Ticketmaster ruled an illegal monopoly as US jury sides with States
A Manhattan jury has found Live Nation and Ticketmaster operated an unlawful monopoly over major concert venues, overcharging fans by $1.72 per ticket. Live Nation plans to appeal.
Imminent changes to Statutory Sick Pay: What employers need to know
In a recent Acas survey, employers and employees were asked which three changes in the Employment Rights Act 2025 would have the biggest impact in their workplace.
Luke Littler moves to trademark his face in bid to combat AI fakes
Darts champion Luke Littler applies to trademark his face to prevent AI deepfakes and counterfeit products, highlighting gaps in UK IP law.
AI-generated legal claims add to cost burden on British businesses
More than a third of UK firms face rising AI-generated legal claims, increasing costs, cyber risk and pressure on in-house legal teams, new research finds.
Dragons’ Den success story Piddle Patch wins landmark trademark infringement case
Piddle Patch, the eco-friendly dog toilet brand featured on Dragons’ Den, has won a High Court trademark infringement case against City Doggo Ltd in a ruling that could shape UK intellectual property disputes.
UK Supreme Court rules Spain cannot avoid €120m renewable energy debt by claiming state immunity
The UK Supreme Court has ruled Spain cannot claim state immunity to avoid paying a €120m renewable energy arbitration award, allowing investors to pursue seizure of Spanish assets in England.
Iceland supermarket drops decade-long trademark dispute with Iceland and offers “rapprochement discount”
UK supermarket Iceland has ended its 10-year EU trademark battle with the country of Iceland and plans to offer Icelandic shoppers a “rapprochement discount” as the dispute concludes.
High Court clears way for thousands to pursue Capita data breach claims
A High Court judge has ruled that thousands of claimants can continue legal action against Capita over a major 2023 cyber attack, marking a significant moment for UK data privacy cases.
Lawhive raises $60m to scale AI-native consumer law firm across the US
UK legaltech Lawhive has raised $60m in Series B funding to expand its AI-native consumer law firm across the US, surpassing $35m in annualised revenue.
Pinterest sacks engineers after internal tool exposed laid-off staff during AI-driven cuts
Pinterest has dismissed two engineers who created software to identify colleagues made redundant as the company cuts 15% of jobs and shifts further towards AI.
Implementation of the Employment Rights Act 2025: what employers need to know
The Employment Rights Act 2025 received Royal Assent on 18 December 2025, and the Act will be implemented on a phased basis, through to 2027.
High Court fast-tracks judicial review into inheritance tax relief reforms
The High Court has granted an urgent rolled-up hearing for a judicial review challenging the Government’s proposed changes to Agricultural and Business Property Relief from inheritance tax.
