Liberating the NHS: Regulating healthcare providers

The Department of Health is consulting on a range of radical initiatives linked to the Health White Paper. One of these: 'Liberating the NHS: regulating healthcare providers', concerns its proposal to establish Monitor as an economic regulator for the healthcare sector.

Consultation, consultation, consultation

A key principle of English democracy is that the courts do not interfere with the will of parliament.

Specsavers v Asda - UK court focuses on Asda's unfair advantage taking (but provides no clear view on how to establish trade mark infringement by dilution)

Specsavers has successfully established that Asda infringed its community trade mark for the word "SPECSAVERS" by Asda's use of the tag line "Be a real spec saver at Asda" during its 2009 campaign to promote its in-store opticians.

Wragge & Co's full-service Real Estate group joined by former Macfarlanes partner

Wragge & Co has enhanced its real estate capability with the hire of former Macfarlanes partner Tim Steele as a consultant in its full-service Real Estate group. An experienced and respected real estate lawyer, Tim Steele acts for property investors and developers.

Wragge & Co appoints new real estate partner in Paris

Wragge & Co has added a new partner to its Paris office. Public law, projects and real estate expert Bruno Richard joins the firm on 13 September 2010, taking the total number of Paris partners to 11 and the total number of real estate partners to 32.

Wragge & Co advises Sanctuary Housing Association on £120 million bond issue

Wragge & Co's Banking & Finance team has advised Sanctuary Group on a £120 million secured bond issue. The transaction is a tap issue to the £200 million secured bond issue the housing provider launched in March 2009, on which Wragge & Co also advised.