Intellectual property (IP) has become the genie in the lamp of the 21st century business landscape; an overblown smokescreen that entrepreneurs and businesses are afraid to release in fear of idea theft.
Category: Legal
Contracts, Human Resources HR, Employment and legal advice for owners and managers of SME small and medium sized business owners.
Beware the Dragons!
An interesting story has been published on the negotiations between one of the most successful candidates for investment to appear on Dragon’s Den and two of the Dragons, James Caan and Duncan Ballantyne, who together agreed to invest £80,000 in Sharon Wright’s business, Talpa Products. And she had only asked for £50,000!
When, some time after her session in the den, Sharon signed up to a contract with very onerous terms without reading the contract she had been given.
A 50 point check-list for business legal security
We spoke to Chris Sherliker, founding partner of the London based law firm Silverman Sherliker, who gave us a non-exhaustive 50 point checklist designed to help you avoid some very common legal pitfalls and maximise the legal security of your business.
Protect your brand on the move with new ‘app’
The London law firm, Silverman Sherliker LLP, has just launched Namesearch TM Legal, an interactive application for iPhone and Blackberry smart-phones that helps you protect your trade marks, business names, logos and brands without being tied to your desk.
Do new medical notes ‘fit’ the bill for SMEs?
Is your company ready for ‘fit notes’? If you’re unsure, then you are not alone. A new survey shows that a third of employers are unaware of the system replacing the 62-year old sick note, and a further 64% haven’t received any guidance on how to manage the new notes.
Businesses could lodge VAT claims for using Parcelforce
Tens of thousands of businesses could benefit from a loophole and receive VAT payback following the introduction of VAT on some Royal Mail services such as Parcelforce.
Is your business ready for the World Cup?
With the England squad finally announced yesterday and manager Fabio Capello now putting the finishing touches to his game plan, UK businesses are being advised to make sure they too have their World Cup strategies in place in time for kick off on 11 June.
Panic up-staffing
The phrase “all hands to the pump’ has been well used over the past week with staff who work in travel related roles, but can travel businesses suddenly ask their staff to work around the clock to cope with the huge upsurge in business? Victoria Russell, an employment law solicitor looks at the legal implications
Explained: Shareholder Agreements
A shareholders agreement is an agreement among the holders of shares in the start-up corporation. In general, such agreements address the following matters:
Explained: Angel term sheets
If you are a start-up in need of funds, you are likely keen to bring interested angel investors on board. But before you sign an early-stage, seed or angel term sheet, make sure that you understand, from a legal perspective, the basics of dissecting the key provisions.
Is your business open to fraud?
The National Fraud Authority has announced that fraud costs the UK economy £30bn each year. Of this, identity fraud is responsible for an estimated £1.2 billion per year. It is also one of the fastest growing crimes in the UK and a threat to all businesses.
Contract Terms – Price & Payment explained
This article is the first of a series in which I will look at different contract terms and the sort of issues that you need to cover in your contract – or to think about in a contract you have been given to sign.
Winter chaos versus employment law
Heavy snowfall has disrupted commuters, shut schools and caused traffic chaos in many parts of the UK. So what are your rights if you couldn’t get into work or if you are an employer and your staff couldn’t make it in? We have asked Richard Nicolle, partner in Denton Wilde Sapte’s employment practice looks at some of the issues.
Is your company data really safe?
Survey findings highlight companies may be at risk of data theft despite 46 per cent of employees admitting they worry about information getting into the wrong hands
Business at risk of equal pay claims, warns top employment lawyer
A leading law firm is urging the UK’s 4m small business owners to ensure their salary systems are fair following of a glut of equal pay claims in the public sector.
