Germany Threatens UK With Hague Action If It Would Not Fulfil £50bn Responsibility Bill Upon Leaving

According to The Independent UK, a leaked strategy document from German Finance Minister Wolfgang Scahuble indicates a possible legal challenge against the United Kingdom in the event it refuses to pay its £50bn "divorce" bill to the European Union. According to the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties from 1970, the disputes of any state terminating its treaty commitments would be heard at The Hague.

Germany has warned the UK firsthand that it would take Britain to the International Court of Justice should it refuse to honour its billion-pound commitment to the bloc after UK Prime Minister Theresa May indicated the UK is opting not to pay for any "divorce bill." This statement is in contrast with UK Chancellor Philip Hammond's statement the UK will honour to pay all its responsibilities for the European Union.

Brexit Secretary David Davis also said the UK would "meet all its international obligations" but expects that the EU would respect the UK's rights as it exists the union. Despite Germany's threats, Mr Davis believes he "would not see that sort of money change hands."

The leaked statement said Germany fears a "hard Brexit" could cause an immense financial crash for the Euro and the UK will need to address the possible trouble with an exit fee package.

Bond Dickinson UK Law Firm To Expand In Scotland

Bond Dickinson's UK law firm is expanding their operations in Scotland. The firm plans to open their office in Edinburgh with up to 20 individuals working in the region. However, Bond Dickinson did not indicate an exact date as to when the new branch would open.

Meanwhile, Managing Partner Jonathan Blair said the company intends to open their new office in Scotland to "support our clients (in Scotland)." He added that "Edinburgh was a natural choice" because it was in the centre of Scotland -- making them accessible for their clients.

Blair said that the law firm intends to increase its presence for both domestic and international markets where it could capitalise on its worldwide opportunities to work with clients.

The UK's Brexit is partly to blame for the accelerated international operations and branch openings of many UK law firms. Scotland and Ireland are still likely options for European nationals looking for legal support for English law -- which is commonly used in corporate-level dealings.

According to DLA Piper, a law firm in the United Kingdom, the UK is likely to change many of its corporate initiatives and legal binds, which would mean an immense call for English law specialists for trade and other areas of industries. Both UK and international companies that use English law in their bonds and contracts would need more legal professionals from the United Kingdom -- giving the country's firms an incentive to open their branches sooner than expected.

Trump Immigration Ban Sees Wide Opposition From Entire United States

US President Donald Trump had just signed an executive order that bans Syrians, Somalians, Iranis and other declared nationals to enter the United States. US companies, organisations and European governments have condemned the signing of the ban. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) had received funding from different US companies intent to thwart the implementation of the said order.

In the US, protests jammed airport traffic. A federal judge had blocked the executive order, which had helped give travelers and refugees in US borders a place to stay until the order is denied or implemented. US District Judge Ann Donnelly in New York issued an emergency stay for the affected.

Protesters are still motivated to bring down the decision to sign the executive order -- which intended to suspend the arrival of refugees into the US for at least 120 days. Travelers with visas from the seven Muslim majority countries would be barred entry as the government would declare their visas temporarily invalid for the next three months if the order was completely executed.

Several American companies including Uber rival Lyft had mentioned increasing funding for the ACLU's legal challenge. The ACLU -- aside from fighting against the new immigration ban -- is also fighting to help have two detained Iraqi men released from unlawful detention.

French Employees Could Completely 'Disconnect' From Work Communications Through New Law

A new bill gives French workers the "right to disconnect" from their jobs -- including all emails and calls -- starting this January 2017. Companies with more than 50 workers will be required to set out hours when staff must not receive or send any emails. This will complement better stress management for employees who are working 35 hours since the year 2000.

Stress management for employees is difficult with consistent connection to technology allowing work responsibilities to creep in during their rest periods. The new law will prevent them from feeling any stress, burnout, sleep problems and relationship difficulties because of work emails arriving and being sent.

The new law was introduced in May as a proposal. Many French employees found the law appealing as it did not generate any protests and strikes. Employees found it attractive to join companies that offer "no email" or work communications during their off-work hours.

In Europe, Daimler -- one of Germany's vehicle giants -- said it would delete all new emails when they were away as an optional service for their employees going away on a holiday.

Almost seven out of 10 workers in the world receive work-related emails during their weekends, holidays and vacations. Having to think of work is one of the leading causes of burnout among employees especially those working in renowned companies.

While no official laws have been introduced in other countries, France's work can be considered revolutionary for its employees.

UK's Single Market Membership Up For Debate: Courts Will Decide Final Outcome

The UK's single market membership in the European Union where non-EU members including Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein participate is up for debate between the UK and EU courts. 

Should the EU courts leave the matter to Parliament, pro-single market MPs promise to vote the UK's remain in the single markets.

Analysts at British Influence have written to Brexit Secretary David Davis about its position for a formanl judicial review of the government's position. For the EU courts, there is an air of uncertainty regarding the UK's European Economic Area membership as UK government lawyers believe the UK has a different legal bind with the EEA and the EU membership itself.

The EEA allows the UK to move its goods without paying for tariffs. These include money and people having no additional costs to move in and out in the European Union. The void of this membership could mean the UK loses one of its largest markets as analysts expect post-Brexit upon the outcome of an Exit vote.

Once the two sides settle the matter, the UK's MPs could vote to stay in the single market to the UK's economic advantage. All EU member states believe the UK will leave the EEA upon the invocation of Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty. The matter can only be settled if the UK finds it is a member of the EEA legally independent on any binding or agreement stated on its EU membership.

US Senate May Block HFC Landmark Climate Treaty

The US Senate could choose to approve or block the landmark HFC climate treaty that bans the use of climate-changing chemicals.

While the United Nations climate talks have approved and supported the climate treaty on the ban on HFC chemicals and finalised deals with countries to avoid using the chemicals in refrigerators and air conditioners, the US senate may vote not to ban the products.

Coinciding with the climate treaty approval is the enforcement of the Paris agreement.

American experts on international environmental law said the new HFC agreement may require two-thirds of the votes from the Senate. The new treaty on HFCs could only start in 2019 if enough countries formally agree to join the treaty.

“This is different from Paris, in that it requires ratification — and that’s concerning to me,” said Michael Wara, and expert on energy and environmental law at Stanford. “This is going to require getting Republicans to vote for it.”

If Trump wins next month’s election, his campaign statements on environmental issues strongly suggest he would not pursue American ratification of the HFC agreement. But even if Hillary Clinton wins, Republicans may yet be able to block America from entering into the agreement.

“I worry about her ability to have enough cocktails with enough Republican senators to get this over the hump,” Wara said. “That’s a heavy lift.”

Brexit Threatens Equal Laws Between Men and Women

Equality law and developments on equal pay had been "profoundly driven" by Europe. As the UK had voted out of its EU membership, equal pay laws for men and women may find different standard as future governments may attempt to tamper the laws.

The UK government said the Parliament will repeal the equality laws through a vote.

According to Professor Aileen McColgan and Professor Catherine Barnard of Kings College London, the laws would depend on the government of the day.

She said that nothing may change after the UK leaves the EU as most directives was implemented by 

UK law.

"But on another level it means there would be no underpinning or demand for maintenance of the current provisions, so... it is very troubling as the whole thing could be knocked away", she told MPs.

"My particular concern would be about equal pay... because it's probably economically rational to pay women as little as you can get away and if you don't have strong legislative provisions to prevent that, that is one of the areas that could be very problematic."

Catherine Barnard, professor of European law at Cambridge University, told MPs it would be very difficult for a government to repeal protections against discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation or religion and belief, as it was "so politically sensitive".

If the UK opted for a Norway-style model, and remained a member of the European Economic Area, 

EU laws would continue to apply, Prof Barnard said.

"More difficult is if there is no model at all or a really hard Brexit," she added, as the UK would "lose EU law acting as this floor" and lobby groups were worried that a government may then "decide to lower the standards".

It could be "a complete free-for-all as far as employment law and equality legislation are concerned", she said, as it would be "for the government to decide which rules it wanted to keep" - although she acknowledged any changes would require parliamentary approval.