Author: Catherine Bates

I’m a hugely positive person. I could find the silver lining in even the darkest of storm clouds. COVID and lockdown were hard times for everyone, but one of the great advantages was that it forced the court system to embrace technology far faster than it would otherwise have done. It meant that instead of having to […]

Timing is everything, in all things. Turning up for a first date on time can make the difference between success and failure in the romantic stakes. Turning up for your first day at work can make the difference between success and failure in your career path. Turning up at Court can make the difference between […]

If I asked you if you were careful with security, you’d no doubt nod wisely about how you always remember to lock up your house before you leave, and make sure the windows are closed. I’m sure you lock your car and keep your keys and credit cards somewhere safe. You definitely have all your computer equipment […]

I’m sure many people feel like that from time to time. Like when you pay someone a compliment, such as “you look like you’ve lost weight” only for them to reply with “are you saying I was fat before”! Or you ask them how they are, and they tell you, in great detail. Or perhaps […]

You’d have thought that the opposite would be true. It’s reasonable to assume that safety equipment is there to, well, keep you safe. Having been involved in construction law for many years, there have been times in my professional career where I’ve spent more time on building sites than in board rooms or court rooms, where hard […]

I often find Christmas a rather strange time of year. The airwaves are full of songs about peace on earth and good will to all men and the benefits of a silent night. I can’t move for people singing at me about how from now on, all my troubles will be out of sight, although the […]

If you read my blogs often, you’ll probably have seen this heading (or a similar one) before. That’s not because I’m running out of things to write about (far from it) but simply because it’s an important point that comes up time and time again, both in business and in our personal lives. For example, […]

Snow days as a kid meant no school, snowball fights with the neighbours, and thawing out with hot chocolate. Snow days as an adult mean having to wear sensible shoes (I don’t have any), having to wear sensible work clothes (ditto) and trying to defrost my hair after an hour of trudging to the station […]

My son has loved talking to me in text speak, ever since he worked out that he could swear without getting into trouble – FFS being one of his first favourites. Now conversations include IDK WTF And his current favourite NMP! And, of course, like most teenagers, he thinks his generation invented such shorthand writing. […]

In court terms, the amount of interest you may claim as part of any proceedings may seem like a side issue – the main issue is the amount of the claim and any interest you get on top might just be an added bonus, assuming that you win. However, even as interest rates rise, knowing […]