Tughans Solicitors

April 2026 employment law changes: what employers need to know

Tughans Solicitors

Statutory payment rates and the Vento bands receive their usual annual increases this month, alongside major UK wide reform of Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) eligibility rules. In Northern Ireland, the new financial year also sees the introduction of paid miscarriage leave.   SSP changes from 6 April SSP eligibility rules are changing as part of…

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Increase in Court Fees in Northern Ireland

Tughans Solicitors

What is changing? From 1 April 2026, civil and family court fees in Northern Ireland are expected to increase by 5% in year one, followed by 2% in each of the next two years, alongside changes to Enforcement of Judgments Office (EJO) fees and new fees in the Small Claims Court. The Department of Justice…

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Data protection litigation trends: why these claims are changing and what it means for businesses in Northern Ireland

Tughans Solicitors

Data protection disputes in Northern Ireland, and indeed throughout the UK, are increasingly becoming the subject of civil litigation. This is being driven by three connected shifts: the tactical use of subject access requests (SARs) to obtain early information; the steady normalisation of damages claims under the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018…

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AI in employment disputes: AI generated witness statements

Tughans Solicitors

AI is increasingly finding its way into employment litigation, but recent Northern Ireland tribunal decisions stress that its value, and its risks, lie in how it is applied. In employment tribunal cases, witnesses usually provide a written witness statement instead of giving evidence orally. Each witness adopts their statement as their evidence to the tribunal…

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Tughans remains at the forefront of Northern Ireland’s sustained M&A activity

Tughans Solicitors

Tughans LLP marks 11 consecutive years as Northern Ireland’s most active M&A law firm, according to the latest Experian MarketIQ report.   The latest Experian MarketIQ review confirms Tughans as Northern Ireland’s most active M&A law firm for an eleventh consecutive year, further extending the firm’s sustained leadership of the regional deal market.   The…

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Gridlocked: Grid connections and environmental impact assessment

Tughans Solicitors

The Inner House of the Scottish Court of Session has delivered judgment in Raeshaw Farms Limited v Scottish Ministers [2026] CSIH 10, creating ripples in the energy sector. The Court has quashed the grant of planning permission for a wind farm, holding that the construction of the wind farm and its connection to the electricity…

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Tughans advises TeamFeePay on major growth investment

Tughans Solicitors

Tughans has advised TeamFeePay on a £9 million investment led by YFM Equity Partners, the Investment Fund for Northern Ireland, managed by Clarendon Fund Managers, and Techstart with additional participation from private investors.   The investment will support the company’s plans to expand its operations across the UK and into Europe, enhance product development and…

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Interim payments in clinical negligence: High court reinforces cautious approach

Tughans Solicitors

The High Court’s recent decision in Sarah Stewart v Northern Health and Social Care Trust provides a timely illustration of the careful scrutiny the courts apply to applications for for substantial interim payments in clinical negligence litigation. The Court’s task remains anchored in a conservative assessment of what is likely to be recovered at trial,…

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Tughans shortlisted across several categories at the Northern Ireland Dealmakers Awards 2026

Tughans Solicitors

Tughans is pleased to share that we have been shortlisted across several categories at the Northern Ireland Dealmakers Awards 2026. This year’s shortlist reflects the continued strength of our Corporate team and the central role we play in major transactions across Northern Ireland and further afield.   The Northern Ireland Dealmakers Awards celebrate the firms…

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Northern Ireland’s Nature Recovery Strategy: The future of biodiversity net gain and the biodiversity duty

Tughans Solicitors

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA)‘s consultation on its draft Nature Recovery Strategy for Northern Ireland marks a significant moment for environmental policy. Stretching to 2032, the Strategy sets out how Northern Ireland intends to halt and reverse biodiversity loss.   Strategic objectives Under the Wildlife and Natural Environment Act (Northern Ireland)…

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