Legal news: JMW acts on Lancs regeneration & more

MANCHESTER law firm JMW Solicitors has advised on the acquisition, development and sale of all five phases of a regeneration scheme in Nelson, Lancashire.

A team led by partner Thomas Pearson and Associate Julian Rogozinski helped North West developer Warwick Investments (UK) Limited, on the sale of 17 disused houses and commercial buildings at Bankhouse Road and Regent Street, Nelson from The Borough of Pendle Council.

Warwick Investments teamed up with the local authority  in May 2014 as part of a regeneration project to renovate and develop 17 purpose built residential houses over five phases.

Each completed phase has then been sold to property investor, WUKPG Group.  The units were vacant for a period of up to five years prior to the commencement of the project.

Building works completed on the fifth phase in June 2015 and the final units were then sold to WUKPG Group.  

Michael Warwick of Warwick Investments said: “We are very proud to have worked alongside the Borough of Pendle Council on the regeneration of the Nelson area, which has been one of a number of our successfully completed developments within recent years. 

“We have our sights set on a number of exciting regeneration opportunities in the North West region over the next two years and look forward to working further with local Councils in this regard.”

Julian Rogozinski, of JMW Solicitors, said: “The renovation of the disused homes has been excellent and added real value to the surrounding residential area. We are looking forward to working with Warwick Investments in the future on further regeneration projects.”  
WUKPG Group was represented by Sean Daly at Abacus Solicitors.

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PINSENT Masons has taken a majority stake in Cerico, a cloud-based compliance platform it launched in conjunction with IT developer Campbell Nash two years ago.

Based in Glasgow, Cerico is a technology-driven solution that automates many of the compliance processes that businesses need as a result of legislation such as the Bribery Act and the Health and Safety at Work Act.
 
The platform enables businesses to ensure that their suppliers and service providers undergo a thorough and regular compliance due diligence process in a quick, cost effective and auditable way.

THe firm says the system ‘red flags’ significant legal risks posed for the client company and supplier and allows the purchase of products – such as e-learning or template compliance policies – to remedy some issues.

 As part of the move Pinsent Masons board member Richard Masters will become executive chairman of Cerico.

Since its launch Cerico has won contracts from compaies including ProServ, Electricity North West Limited and Aggregate Industries.

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REGULATORY experts at Manchester law firm LHS have succeeded in a landmark judicial review which they say gives the global pharmaceutical industry certainty and confidence in the UK regulatory process.

In upholding the judicial review brought by LHS client Richmond Pharmacology, the court has found that the UK clinical trials regulator, the Health Research Authority (HRA), must be clear about what constitutes ‘guidance’ and what constitutes legal obligations.

The ruling means that companies sponsoring phase one adult clinical trials in the UK retain control over whether and when they wish to make public the registration of previously conducted trials.

Oliver Wright, solicitor at law firm LHS, which acted for Richmond Pharmacology in the case, said: “Patients and the general public can now continue to have confidence in the way the sector is regulated. The law is now clear and there can be no confusion for the pharmaceutical sector about what constitutes guidance from the regulator and what constitutes legal obligations. 

“The ruling helps ensure companies can continue to operate in the UK with confidence and on a more level playing field with its international competitors.”