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In this section you’ll find a treasure chest of knowledge and insight. All our articles in one place for your convenience.

We have some brilliant expertise on the team to help with all of the areas covered and with ideas that may not have crossed your mind. Hope you enjoy the articles but if you’d rather talk than read, give us a call on 0207 939 3959

Wrongful trading and the twilight zone

You've got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away and know when to run Kenny Rogers, The Gambler Introduction Wise words,...

Getting your business ready for sale

When you want to sell your business, think like a buyer Your guide to a sale ready business Selling your business may be the most important business decision an owner...

About Shareholders’ Agreements

As part of an external fund raise, a shareholders' agreement will usually be insisted upon by the investors to limit the power of the founders Introduction Many SME founders at...

Restrictive covenants & beyond

Many people believe that restrictive covenants are unenforceable and behave accordingly Introduction When key executives or founders leave a business, it is understandable that the owners would want to ensure...

Data subject access requests

Personal data only includes information relating to natural persons who can be identified or who are identifiable, directly from the information in question; or who can be indirectly identified from...

Getting to know your company books

You're my favourite Len Goodman (Strictly Come Dancing) Statutory Company Books – why bother? Can I let you into a secret? Statutory company books are one of my guilty...

How to avoid a dispute

A step back may take you 2 steps forward Key pitfalls pre and post contract signature As inhouse lawyers building long term relationships with our clients, we see patterns emerge...

Directors’ conflicts of interests

Transparency doesn’t mean sharing every detail, it means always providing the context for our decisions Simon Sinek Introduction Directors are under a duty to avoid conflicts of interest. Where a...

AI – the law is adapting

I know a lot about artificial intelligence but not as much as it knows about me Dave Waters AI Expert and entrepreneur As SMEs think about using AI to grow,...

Different ways of raising funds

Money flows in the direction of value For SME’s that are thinking about raising funds, one of the first things to consider is the type of equity instrument to be...

How to save money on lawyers

Price is what you pay for. Value is what you get Warren Buffet Lawyers have a reputation for being expensive (some more than others!) so businesses often, understandably, focus on...

What to include in your AI Policy

Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn Benjamin Franklin Introduction It seems like everybody is talking about AI these days. Whether it’s...

Introduction to ESG

It’s not easy being green Kermit the frog The origins Environment, social and governance (ESG) were first brought together as a concept by the United Nations Environment Programme Initiative in...

Getting ahead of risk

Risk comes from not knowing what you’re doing Warren Buffett Introduction Risk management in its most basic form is a methodology used by businesses to help identify and mitigate risks...

Succession planning for SMEs

By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail. Benjamin Franklin Introduction Political history is not short of examples of the succession planning risks of: procrastination (Elizabeth I of England’s...

The 4-day working week

A hundred years ago, we went from six working days a week to five. Are we due a change? Introduction The pandemic revealed that the traditional office based nine-to-five, five...

Understanding blockchain

The value of an idea lies in the using of it Thomas Edison (1847 – 1931), Inventor Introduction Businesses of all sizes are beginning to look at the opportunities being...

The do’s and don’ts of taking a business loan

“Money is only a tool. It will take you wherever you wish, but it will not replace you as the driver.” Ayn Rand Introduction Start-up, scale-up or grown up, there...

Tops tips when working with influencers

Each of us should be aware of the energy we are putting out into the world. Are we a positive influence or a negative one? Laurence Overmire Introduction Many B2C...

Making board meetings useful

Has anyone ever said, ‘I wish I could go to more meetings today?' Matt Mullenweg Introduction You may roll your eyes when you hear mention of a board meeting thinking...

Some thoughts on legal tech

Before investing in new technology, you need to know what’s going to give you the biggest bang for your buck Introduction The legal function in a business is there not...

5 business lessons, alphabet style

Far and away the best prize that life can offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing Theodore Roosevelt Introduction Being a business lawyer gives you an...

Data protection myth busting

A little joke to begin: Do you know a good GDPR consultant? Yes Can you pass me their email address? No Introduction Back in 2018 when it first came...

Legal jargon buster for contracts

Spoiler alert: some of the terms below are often thought to mean something different to their legal meaning Introduction As noted in my Crib Sheet for businesses reviewing contracts for...

How to review a contract

It's safer to get a lawyer to check over the contracts you enter into. But if you don't have an inhouse lawyer, these tips will help immensely The reality Whilst...

Battle of the forms

It’s a common misconception that the last Ts&Cs sent in the back and forth between contracting parties, will apply. But this is not the formal test Introduction Your business is...

The Equality Act

In 2021, there was a 15.4% pay gap between men and women according to government data Introduction A milestone in equality law was the Equal Pay Act back in 1970...

When court is unavoidable

Discourage litigation. Persuade your neighbours to compromise wherever you can... There will still be business enough Abraham Lincoln Introduction Commercial disputes can arise out of a variety of situations –...

Top tips on dealing with disputes

Every battle is won before it is fought Sun Tzu Introduction Over the years we’ve helped many of our clients with disputes. It seems obvious that if you go to...

Ten things you need to know about international sanctions

At the time of writing, there are currently 28 countries subject to economic sanctions in the UK regime alone Introduction Under the United Nations, international sanctions have been around for...

The Plastic Packaging Tax

Packaging is said to make up 67% of the UK’s plastic waste, and the Government is taking measures to reduce this Introduction This environment-facing tax (the PPT) came into force...

Top tips on M&A

M&A is often seen as rife with complexity. Yet by starting on the right footing you can go along way to setting yourself up for success Introduction Buying or selling...

Preparing your business for sale – a practical guide

Give yourself time to plan. It’s sensible to approach this as part of a 3-year plan Introduction Preparing for an exit is often a very daunting prospect for many business...

Reducing the stress of M&A

The offer letter is a delicate balancing act. It’s never going to be definitive but things left vague can cause problems later on Introduction I have spent over 20 years...

Health & safety when WFH

The employer has an obligation to provide a safe place of work. This extends to the home environment where employees are WFH Introduction It is now nearly 2 years since...

A crib sheet on shadow directors

Don’t unwittingly derail your careful tax planning by acting like a director if you aren’t one Introduction Beware the law of unintended consequences… don’t unwittingly derail your careful corporate structure,...

Hybrid working – is it a way forward?

Hybrid working is not an automatic right for an employee Introduction The pandemic has given many employees the opportunity to consider the way they work long term, the desire to...

Can you dismiss an employee who refuses to return to the office?

Each case must be considered on its own specific facts and there are special protections to factor in Introduction During lockdown, many employees have become used to working from home...

Can we require employees to get vaccinated?

A vaccine policy is a great way to tell your staff what your position is and how you handle any health data they share Gradual return being encouraged Following the...

How good is your cybersecurity?

Cyber-crime can happen to anyone – it doesn’t matter how small your organisation is What you need to know Cyber-crime can happen to anyone – it doesn’t matter how small...

They’re using my brand!

Broadly speaking, passing off is when someone markets products/services that are similar to yours under a brand similar to yours The importance of protecting your brand from attack It’s one...

Crib sheet on data breaches – what to do

46% of UK businesses suffered a data breach last year Introduction So – you’ve got your two data privacy notices in place, your data retention policy, your data protection policy,...

Employment law update April 2021

What are the key changes in employment law this spring? Introduction My Inhouse Lawyer's employment law specialist, Jonathan Waters, highlights some of the ‘must know’ updates to employment law. Statutory...

Design liability under construction contracts – a crib sheet

You may find yourself assuming an element of design liability even if you’ve not agreed to provide any design Introduction Main contractors and clients will often look to a contractor...

10 golden rules on data protection

GDPR makes data protection business-as-usual Introduction The GDPR is still the gold standard for data protection around the world and we’re seeing many countries adopt GDPR-style laws. The UK incorporated...

Crib sheet on GDPR post Brexit, 10 step procrastinators guide

GDPR is dead! Long live GDPR? Introduction From December 31 2020 at 11 pm – “exit day” – EU law no longer applies in the UK. Well… not exactly. The...

What you need to know about Confidentiality

What would happen if that pricing information, or those strategic plans, ended up in the hands of a competitor? It’s valuable There’s nothing wrong with doing things on trust in...

Top 3 legal tips for start-ups

Starting your own company is like eating glass while staring into the abyss Elon Musk Introduction I often get asked this question and it’s a tricky one. How can I...

Risk & Compliance Alert:
Read if you transfer personal data to the US

The EU-US Privacy Shield is dead. Transfers of personal data relying on the Privacy Shield are illegal with immediate effect Key messages Transfers of personal data to the US of...

M&A deals for SMEs: why so difficult ?

We challenge the traditional approach and call for sense in legal negotiations Introduction I’ve specialised in private company mergers and acquisitions for 25 years - transactions with values anywhere between...

Anti-Money Laundering 101

It’s estimated that money laundering costs the UK more than £100 billion a year Introduction The UK is one the world’s leading international financial centres with a strong and open...

A crib sheet: choosing and using a virtual data room

Introduction If you are selling your business or raising funds, one key aspect will be due diligence i.e., a buyer or finance provider looking under the bonnet to see what...

A crib sheet: corporate housekeeping tips

Why is it important? When a new company is started, the owners often use basic paperwork provided by a third party establishing the company for them - Articles, shareholder agreement,...

Making a team member redundant?

I can’t save every job. I can’t protect every single business Rishi Sunak Introduction Whenever the market is down or there is uncertainty or volatility, we tend to see an...

Some guidance on unfair dismissals

Discrimination claims are not subject to a statutory cap on the amount that can be awarded Introduction Before looking at what constitutes an unfair dismissal, let’s take a step back...

An introduction to workplace mediation

Being taken to an Employment Tribunal can be expensive, time consuming (delays of up to one year or more are not uncommon), a drain on resources and very stressful! For...

Commercial Leases

Introduction There are many types of interest which can be taken when acquiring commercial premises. The most relevant for you is to take a lease of part of an office...

Crib sheet for buying an IT solution

Going about buying an IT Solution? In the early stages of a business, it is all hands to the pumps; every hand to every pump. As the orders come in...

IP 101 – Protecting your ideas

Intellectual Property is the oil of the 21st Century. All today's richest men have made their money out of intellectual property Mark Getty, Getty Family Introduction We hear about “the...

Why you need standard terms of business

We create contracts all the time, without really realising it Introduction Tapping your card on a reader, you’ll be looking forward to the coffee that’s on its way. You could...

Exit Readiness, think like a Buyer and not a Seller

Good preparation will result in presenting a clean, well-managed business which is attractive to buyers. It’s the same as if you were looking to sell your house Introduction Exiting a...

Company directors & Covid-19

Once the line is crossed, directors face the risk of significant personal liability for wrongful trading John Nugent Introduction Covid-19 economic disruption means you as a company director must think...

Alternatives to Litigation

A good settlement is better than a good law suit Abraham Lincoln Introduction Disputes – whether they be with employees, clients or contractors, can not only consume a significant amount...

Crib sheet for construction subcontractors

Are you a construction subcontractor trying to get paid? Your subcontract may appear to allow the main contractor to delay payment to you, or the main contractor's QS may be...

General Counsel: Guardian of the company

…a core part of the leadership team, expected to apply their legal skills to commercial challenges across the business… the only senior executive expected to combine legal expertise with business...

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