News in brief

Tip service

The government is proposing changes to minimum wage  legislation to ensure that tips given by workers to customers can never count towards the payment of national minimum wage (nmw). Currently tips given directly to workers cannot count towards nmw payment, but those which they receive through cover charges, for example, and therefore via the payroll can count towards nmw pay.

Special treatment claim rejected
Creditors seeking to use the courts for special treatment to hear their claims are likely to be deterred following a High court ruling. Four investment funds had their application for additional information on the status of securities held by failed bank Lehman Brothers International (Europe) dismissed Mr Justice Blackburn. The funds sought reassurance that an agreement to transfer funds lodged withthe bank’s US arm to a third party bank made with three days prior to it going into administration was in place. The administrators argued they should not be required to spend a disproportionate amount of time dealing with the request which amounted to one party seeking special treatment. The High Court ruled that the administrators had to put the needs of all the creditors above those of individuals.

Legal aid oscars 2008

The sixth annual legal aid lawyer of the year awards took place this week. Tony Edwards won the award for Outstanding Achievement, presented by Cherie Booth QC. Edwards singled out “results” as the most satisfying part of his work. The winner of the Mental Health Lawyeraward was Julie Burton.