Corporate & Commercial

This series of blogs aims to assist you following the UK’s proposed exit from the European Union (EU) on 31 January 2020. The aim is to help you consider how you can prepare your business agreements and commercial contracts for the changes that will happen during the post-Brexit transition. How can you prepare and what […]

When George Osbourne first coined the term Northern Powerhouse in 2014, he purposefully drew on terminology and imagery from the Industrial Revolution, which was powered by the North of England and transformed large parts of the world from slow agrarian societies to fast-paced technology driven urban centres where constant progress was the only aim. However, […]

For many companies, the market that they operate in can become saturated. Not only can this cause issues with competition for the sale of goods or services, but it can have a detrimental effect on the turnover of staff. Restrictive Covenants often prevent those towards the top of the corporate structure from moving across to […]

If you have a family-owned business and are in the process of succession planning, you should consider Family Investment Companies (FIC) as a means to hand over the benefit of your business, or property portfolio, to the next generation. Advantages of Family Investment Companies Incorporated to act as the holder of your family’s assets, one […]

It’s now one year since the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) were introduced alongside the Data Protection Act 2018. However, how has GDPR actually impacted us since then? Last year “Are you GDPR compliant?” was a question that brought about both fear and apathy in equal amounts, and the day it came into force (Friday […]

“Green Socks” Clauses in GP Partnership Agreements allow a partner to be expelled on ‘no fault’ grounds. Why might you need one? Standard expulsion clauses in Partnership Agreements commonly provide for a partner to be expelled if they are significantly in breach of the Agreement, if they are suspended or removed from the Register, or […]

Richer Sounds (a hi-fi, home cinema, and television specialist) has become one of the latest British companies – including Leeds-based door manufacturer Union Industries – to use an Employee-Ownership Trust (EOT) to give its employees a stake in the company. The owner and founder of the retailer, Julian Richer, used an EOT to transfer a […]

If you lend money to a friend, business contact, or relative, you could potentially be facing a criminal conviction, a hefty fine, and the prospect of being unable to recover any of your money if you are found to be carrying out a “Regulated Activity” in breach of the Financial Services and Marketing Act 2000 […]

Following a protracted legal battle between a Yorkshire-based car customising business and internationally renowned Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), it appears that financial power doesn’t necessarily equate to legal horsepower; with the Court of Appeal recently finding in favour of Twisted Automotive’s use of the initials ‘LR’ in the name of their showroom ‘LR Motors’. Some […]

Technology is moving forward fast with developments aiming to simplify and digitise everyday tasks and the use of electronic signatures is already prevalent in daily life, from signing for your food shop on a digital device, to clicking the ‘I accept’ button online. However, when it comes to signing important legal documents, there is little […]

A recent High Court case has again highlighted how important it can be for shareholders to have the right agreements in place to govern the relationship between themselves and the company, and set out processes to be followed in prescribed circumstances. Brothers Angus, Allan and Alistair McCallum-Toppin founded AMT Coffee Limited (AMT) in 1993 from […]

The Marriott Hotel chain announced on Friday 30 November 2018 that information contained in its Starwood brands guest reservation database was compromised. Unauthorised access occurred in connection with reservations at Starwood properties on or before 10 September 2018, potentially dating back to 2014. Marriott received an alert from a security tool on 8 September 2018 […]