Alastair Lewis and Emyr Thomas provide a summary of some of the proposals in this week's Queen's Speech that would affect local authorities.

Gwendoline Davies explains what a party needs to do to comply with a ‘reasonable endeavours’ obligation, and considers whether endeavours clauses are always a sensible solution.

Did a workplace shoulder massage amount to sex-related harassment? Charles Pigott reports on a recent Employment Appeal Tribunal ruling.

The Supreme Court has handed down a much-anticipated judgment on 16-17 year olds, deprivations of liberty and parental consent. Alex Ruck Keene explains the ruling and sets out some practical implications.

A High Court judge has ruled in a case involving a local authority that when it comes to whether or not to allow the withdrawal of pre-action admissions, judges should resist the temptation to conduct a mini-trial. Bronia Hartley analyses the ruling.

Charles Pigott examines an Employment Appeal Tribunal ruling that racially offensive Facebook posting was not done in the course of employment.

Anja Beriro and Peter Ware analyse some of the key considerations around the use of frameworks in public procurement.

According to campaigners, more than 200 schools in England are cutting their school weeks short due to funding shortages. This raises questions over legal ramifications and the responsibility of the government. Jean Tsang, associate at Bates Wells and governor of a maintained primary school, addresses these questions and looks at the worrying effects of this ‘funding crisis’ on the ‘most…

A claimant recently successfully argued at first instance that it is unlawful to subject an individual to a detriment on the grounds that the employer perceived them to be considering making a protected disclosure. Jennifer Danvers considers the judgment and potential ramifications.

The case R (on the application of L, an infant (by his mother and litigation friend)) v Buckinghamshire County Council represents the first time when the High Court considered in detail the meaning of the ‘sufficiency duty’ in section 5A of the Childcare Act 2006 (ChA 2006) in the context of whether a council’s consultation on the closure of a number of children’s centres was unlawful or not.…

The Court of Appeal has recently held that when determining particular disadvantage in non-binary situations, Tribunals should look at male and female average pay, not the distribution of male and female pay within a band. Daphne Romney QC, an equal pay specialist, explains Underhill LJ’s judgment.

Are human rights experts necessary in Human Rights Act claims? David Maggs examines the status of their evidence.