Energy & Utilities
What you need to know about corporate…
A conviction for corporate manslaughter will devastate a business and individual managers – so steps to avoid prosecution are essential. Corporate manslaughter legislation affects all businesses operating in the UK.…
What is a company reorganisation and what…
Reorganising your business’ ownership, operational structure, and legal constitution can result in many business benefits such as improved profitability, greater productivity, or better use of assets. Reasons for restructuring include…
Green deals market showing resilience
Notwithstanding the continuing difficult economic climate, certain sectors seem to be showing some encouraging signs of growth. One area in particular where the UK mergers and acquisitions market seems to…
What is due diligence and why is…
What does due diligence mean to you? To some people it is the legal equivalent of kicking the tyres or looking under the bonnet of a used car. To some,…
Are you aware of changes to unfair…
Employers need to take note of a change to unfair dismissal laws, coming into effect from April 6 2012, which extends the qualifying service period for employees wanting to bring…
Contract disputes: Don’t leave it to chance…
Last year I posted a blog that highlighted the importance of ensuring terms and conditions are properly drafted to minimise the risk of contract disputes arising over the interpretation of…
Protecting your intellectual property
The ownership and right to use intellectual property is an increasingly important consideration as businesses seek to gain a competitive edge. Where a product is protected by intellectual property, this…
Using restrictive covenants in employee contracts
Seeing one of your former employees set up a business in direct competition to yours can be a frustrating experience and one that is damaging to your interests. If your…
Could heads of terms provide a roadmap…
A heads of terms document is used towards the start of a commercial transaction, and is used to set out the principle terms of agreement between the parties before substantive…
Do employment contracts cover unforeseen events?
Last month’s English riots served as a reminder of the huge disruption and upheaval such unforeseen incidents can cause to businesses. The disturbances left many business owners having to make…
Could ‘deferred consideration’ help you get that…
With funding for acquisitions still being hard to come by, buyers are increasingly looking for ways to spread the cost. Historically it was the norm for the full amount of…
What you need to know about Agency…
A number of changes are coming into force on October 1 2011 when the Agency Workers Regulations 2010 is implemented. The regulations are intended to offer better treatment to agency…
Does your business need a social media…
Social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and blogs have become an excellent new tool for businesses to market their products and services. Many businesses now use social media to…
Five common mistakes with joint ventures
Working together with someone to bring something new to market is an exciting time for any business. However, in the rush it is easy to slip up and miss things…
Are you ready for the Bribery Act…
The Ministry of Justice has recently published new guidance on the procedures commercial organisations should put in place to ensure they fully comply with The Bribery Act 2010, which comes…
What is an injunction and who can…
We've seen and heard much in recent days about the rising use of injunctions to 'gag' the press, but what exactly are they? Put simply, an injunction is a court…
The five golden rules of management buyouts
Management buyouts (MBOs) are a good way to plan for succession when owners of a business are looking to take a step back, giving greater continuity to the business. For…
Why shareholder agreements are vital in family…
In any business, when shareholder disputes arise, it‘s always a difficult time. However, when the owners of a business are also members of the same family, then things can…
