Category: Legal

New measures have been announced by the Government today which they believe will help SMEs to protect their intellectual property and grow their business.

With two million public sector workers taking to picket lines in a row over pensions, an employment expert outlines the dos and don’ts for employers of striking workers. Make sure you don’t get caught out.

The Government today confirmed that a new small claims service will be introduced at the Patent County Court (PCC), helping small and medium sized businesses protect their copyright, patents, trade marks and designs.

An increase in crimes against SMEs means that, in the past year, over 15,000 small businesses claim to have fallen victim to corporate identity fraud – which can have crippling financial consequences.

Businesses wanting to save both time and money should revisit the basics and make sure they have in place a good set of terms and conditions.

Business recovery still retains some of the stigma ascribed by what some see as a traditional British reserve and lack of endorsement for vanity or ostentation. Failure is regarded by some as the just reward for getting ideas above your station.

Munir Yakub Patel, an administrative clerk at Redbridge Magistrates Court, has been the first person to be charged with an offence under the Bribery Act 2010.

The Government has confirmed that with effect from 6 April 2012 the qualifying period of service required for an employee to present a claim for unfair dismissal would be extended from 1 to 2 years.

You may have seen the recent coverage of Carlos Tevez ‘ refusal to play in Manchester City’s game against Bayern Munich earlier this week. Whilst football clubs and players may seem quite far removed from the usual ‘employee – employer’ relationship the same considerations do still apply.

The face of the UK’s workforce will change dramatically as a result of the Government calling time on the Default Retirement Age. From 1st October, employers will not be able to use the DRA to compulsorily retire employees. As a result, workers will get older and companies will have to review their recruitment policies to ensure they continue to stay within the law.

“You’ve got nothing worth investing in…so I’m out” is one of the scathing put downs frequently voiced on Dragons’ Den as the budding entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas. So why do so many of the hopefuls leave empty handed, and what is the secret to the success of others Barbara Rigby, Patent Attorney, Dehns explains…

External challenges of a weak economy and lack of banking finance remain constant challenges to family businesses. As a result, most business owners wish to use their management time and cash resources to ensure their business remains competitive in the marketplace.

After the disruption caused by the recent riots, business as usual has resumed for most businesses. However, as the month end approaches, some employers may be facing a potentially costly dilemma – should they go ahead and pay workers for their complete shift, even if the business closed early?

Whilst the Olympic and Paralympic Games present many opportunities for businesses as we approach 2012, there are also pitfalls in the shape of the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Act 2006 (“Olympics Act”).

As the summer holiday season gets underway, employers being advised to avoid the temptation to dip into employees’ email inboxes or listen to their voicemail messages, unless they have good reason as well as the individual’s prior permission to do so.