Now that National Divorce Day is safely behind us (for good, we hope - Ed), legal public relations firms need another peg for Jeremaid pronouncements. Up pops the feast of St Valentine, which seems to have metamorphosed in recent years into a national holiday. Hence the steady stream of love-themed press releases in our email this week. 

As the senders are law firms, don’t expect much spreading of joy.

Andrew Macaulay‑Ferguson of York-based firm Hethertons, suggests 14 February is an opportune moment for employers to consider new legal duties now in force under the Worker Protection (Amendment of Equality Act 2010) Act 2023. This requires employers to take active steps to prevent sexual harassment before it happens. Risk assessments and staff surveys are often a good starting point to determine the extent of the potential problem for the business, he says. 

On a more romantic note, Macaulay‑Ferguson says that blanket bans on workplace relationships are unlikely to be the answer. 'Such agreements can feel coercive, raise privacy concerns, and may be misused or difficult to enforce, particularly if a relationship later breaks down.'

Valentine's email

Source: iStock

If that's not alarming enough, apparently Valentine’s Day is for scammers one of the most profitable moments of the year. That's according to an outfit called Chargebacks911, which describes itself as a global leader in dispute resolution and chargeback prevention.

Valentine’s Day creates the perfect conditions for romance scammers, says Tracy Cray, UK managing director. 'People are open, hopeful and ready to trust. That is exactly what fraudsters look for. They build emotional connections first, then apply pressure when money enters the conversation. By the time victims realise what is happening, the funds are usually gone.'

Meanwhile, Declan Goodwin, partner at national firm Clarke Willmott, uses the day to point out that, like strong relationships, strong branding can stand the test of time. His example? The slogan 'A diamond is forever', coined by De Beers in 1947 but not immediately registered as a trade mark. 'Generally slogans are often considered too generic or descriptive to qualify for trade mark protection,' he explains 'However, through decades of consistent global advertising, this phrase became deeply embedded in public consciousness and connected to the De Beers brand, eventually earning legal recognition as a trade mark.'

Ahh. At last, a happy ending. 

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