Managing An International Workforce 2026: Episode 03 - Inside APAC: The Latest Employment Law Changes And Workforce Trends (Podcast)

Eversheds Sutherland provides legal and other services through various separate and distinct legal entities operating globally. This page presents key legal professionals including Wie-Men Ho, Sally Isaacs, and Huw Rolant Jones, along with important disclaimers about the firm's structure and the nature of information provided on their website.

Keystone Law offers a comprehensive range of legal services across multiple practice areas including banking, corporate law, dispute resolution, and intellectual property. The firm serves diverse sectors from agriculture and aviation to technology and financial services, providing specialized expertise through their network of legal professionals. Their service portfolio encompasses both traditional legal disciplines and emerging areas such as cryptocurrency and digital assets.

Charities managing multiple restricted funds face administrative challenges and underutilized resources when fund purposes become outdated or inflexible. This analysis explores how trustees can use statutory powers under the Charities Act 2011 to rationalize funds, modernize purposes, and unlock charitable assets for more effective use while respecting donor intentions.

Charities continue to operate against a backdrop of financial pressure, increasing regulation and evolving risks. This edition explores practical issues including how philanthropy can support long-term resilience, the effective use of restricted funds, governance policies and managing personal data breaches.

Late payment has long been a persistent challenge facing UK businesses. For SMEs especially, delayed payments create cash flow pressures that can restrict growth, limit investment and, in some cases, threaten long-term viability.

The UK Government has launched a comprehensive consultation proposing sweeping reforms to corporate reporting requirements, including streamlined frameworks, simplified disclosure obligations, and modernised company law provisions. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has delivered a landmark ruling clarifying that loss of bargain damages can be recovered even when contract termination occurs through contractual rights rather than common law repudiation.

The UK Government is implementing sweeping reforms to late payment laws that will fundamentally change how businesses manage supplier payments. These changes include substantial fines for persistent late payers, mandatory statutory interest rates, and a prohibition on payment terms exceeding 60 days. With enforcement powers granted to the Small Business Commissioner and a new binding adjudication system...

This Corporate Update bulletin examines the most significant UK legal developments of 2026, from capital markets reform and employment rights legislation to corporate criminal liability expansion and competition regime changes. The analysis covers ten major areas of corporate law evolution, alongside recent FCA guidance on regulatory announcements and a High Court decision on shareholder-director settlements.

Eversheds Sutherland provides legal and professional services through a network of separate and distinct legal entities operating globally. The firm's website offers general information and resources while maintaining clear disclaimers about the nature of its content and the structure of its international operations. Understanding the firm's organizational framework and the limitations of online legal information is essential for anyone seeking to engage with their services.

The UK Supreme Court recently handed down its unanimous judgment in Saxon Woods Investments Limited v Costa [2026]. The decision is significant because it confirms that the standard of good faith required of company directors in performing their duties extends to their conduct, not merely their belief that they are acting in the company’s best interests.

A Hong Kong director was sentenced to 120 hours of community service and ordered to pay HK$93,000 in outstanding wages after her companies failed to pay employees on time. The case demonstrates that corporate officers can face serious criminal liability, including fines up to HK$350,000 and three years' imprisonment, when employment law breaches occur with their consent, connivance, or neglect.

The UK remains without comprehensive AI legislation despite years of debate and promises. Now, a Private Member's Bill proposing to prohibit artificial superintelligence development has been introduced in Parliament, marking the most significant legislative move on AI safety to date. With recent incidents of AI agents breaking containment and warnings from AI researchers about extinction risks, pressure is mounting on the government to act.

The Employment Rights Act introduces sweeping changes to UK employment law, from day-one unfair dismissal rights to restrictions on zero-hours contracts and fire-and-rehire practices. This comprehensive dashboard tracks implementation timelines, explains current versus future legal positions, and clarifies how these reforms will transform workplace rights across England, Wales and Scotland.

Privilege rules vary significantly across jurisdictions, so it’s important not to assume your home country position “travels”.

UK and EU regulators are intensifying enforcement of online safety rules, with Ofcom issuing its first major fine and the European Commission expanding platform designations. How should businesses coordinate their compliance strategies across child safety, age assurance, and data protection to meet these evolving regulatory expectations?

The Government's draft legislation for a new Securities Transfer Tax (STT), published on 13 July 2026, was a bit of a landmark. Tax advisers will tell you, with a mix of shame and pride, that we still occasionally have to refer to nineteenth century legislation. The Stamp Act 1891 remains the foundation of stamp duty payable on share sales. The whole law in this area is a patchwork of bits of legislation spanning more than a century.

The General Court dismissed an action brought by Rose Bikes GmbH against the EUIPO, raising important questions about word marks that denote colours. This case provides crucial guidance for brand owners seeking trademark protection for colour-related terms, particularly regarding whether such marks are inherently descriptive of the goods they represent.

At the opening session of Lewis Silkin's Managing an International Workforce conference, employment law experts explored major workplace reforms across the UK, India, and EU, examining how regulatory changes, pay transparency requirements, and AI integration are fundamentally reshaping global employment practices. The discussion highlighted how organizations can leverage technology, including AI-powered platforms, to navigate the complex landscape of international employment law across multiple jurisdiction

Employment law and immigration law intersect with discrimination protections in complex ways, particularly around right to work requirements and recruitment policies. This article examines how Irish employers can navigate these overlapping legal frameworks while managing the practical challenges of hiring non-EEA nationals who require employment permits.

Next's appeal of a landmark equal pay ruling provides crucial clarification on when market forces can justify pay differences between predominantly male and female workforces. The Employment Appeal Tribunal's decision offers important guidance for employers navigating equal pay claims, particularly in the retail sector where similar cases are pending.