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What Are The Benefits Of Registering A Trademark?
If you fail to register the mark that you intend to use for your business, you may find that another party does, putting your business, products, and services at risk. When you register your trademark, you are protecting your brand while giving yourself a valuable...
What Happens If Someone Infringes On My Trademark?
For any business that has spent time, money, and effort on building up a strong and reputable brand, discovering that another party is infringing on their trademark can be a worrying and potentially damaging occurrence. Action must be taken rapidly to guard against...
What Are The Alternatives To A Settlement Agreement?
While a Settlement Agreement is a common way to settle employment-related issues, they are not appropriate in every case. There are, therefore, three alternatives that may be considered. These are: Taking the matter to tribunal Commencing ACAS EC Dropping the matter...
What Are The Key Provisions Of A Shareholder Agreement?
While putting a Shareholder Agreement in place is optional for companies, it certainly makes sense to have one due to the additional protection that it can provide, especially to minority shareholders. However, when drawing one up, there is no one size fits all...
What Should I Expect From An Independent Legal Advisor?
When you meet a professional to obtain independent legal advice, there are several things that you should expect from the meeting. A number of key discussions and considerations will take place in order to ensure that you fully understand all legal consequences and...
What Are The Different Countries Where I Can Register My Trademark?
Registering your brand’s trademark in every country within which it operates is crucial in order to protect your reputation and IP rights. It is possible to register a trademark in virtually every country, and most jurisdictions have a Trademark Office. When you wish...
What is the Process for Negotiating a Settlement Agreement?
Settlement Agreements are legally binding contracts that employers use to outline the agreed conditions for either resolving a dispute or ending the employer/employee relationship. Usually, the terms of the Settlement Agreement involve offering a payment to the...
What To Look Out For When Buying A Retail Pharmacy
As retail pharmacies operate under many strict rules and regulations, it’s important to work with lawyers who have specialist knowledge of how the industry works and if you are considering purchasing a retail pharmacy it’s equally essential that you have an...
Key Steps to Navigating Redundancy Proceedings
Here is a simple step-by-step guide to navigating redundancy in the UK: Identify Redundancy Needs - Analyse the business needs and identify the roles that are no longer necessary. Speak to Trade Unions – In situations where more...
What Should Companies Know About The Upcoming Changes To Companies House’s Powers?
Companies House is about to go through a significant change in its powers and role thanks to the Economic Crime And Corporate Transparency Act (ECCTA). But what will those changes mean for businesses, and how can they prepare? Here, we’ll take a closer look at the...
Why Litigation isn’t Always the Most Cost Effective Option
It is often tempting in cases of dispute with another party to start thinking about legal proceedings early on. Many people have a misconception that legal proceedings are the most effective way of resolving an issue and are keen to inform the other party that they...
Can I Use A Template Shareholder Agreement?
Can I Use A Template Shareholder Agreement? Shareholder Agreements are a key legal document outlining the obligations, responsibilities and rights of the company and its shareholders and offering protection to all parties in the event of a dispute. They outline the...
How Should You Deal With A Trademark Copycat?
Brand loyalty and awareness are very important for all types of business, however, the more consumers recognise a brand, the more likely that brand is to experience infringement by competitors. Trade mark copycats are, therefore, relatively commonplace. Designing a...
What are the Tax Implications of a Settlement Agreement?
If you are in the process of arranging a Settlement Agreement with your employer, it is imperative to understand whether there are any tax implications involved. An expert solicitor will be able to offer legal advice and explain not only the process of making the...
How Much Does It Cost To Have A Shareholder Agreement Drafted By A Lawyer?
How Much Does It Cost To Have A Shareholder Agreement Drafted By A Lawyer? If you have decided that your company and its shareholders could benefit from the protection offered by a Shareholder Agreement, you may be wondering whether it is worth using the services of a...
Preparing Your Pharmacy For Sale
Whatever the reason behind your decision to sell your pharmacy, it’s important to give yourself enough time to prepare your pharmacy for sale, as prospective buyers will be looking for a number of factors when conducting their due diligence. Here, we provide an...
What To Do As A Business Owner Chasing DebtÂ
 At Carter Bond, we appreciate that a lot of businesses are still feeling the financial impact of the pandemic. As a result, we have seen an increase in business owners chasing debts that are due to them. Oftentimes, these aged debtors are a product of financial...
What is the Role of a Solicitor in a Settlement Agreement?
If your employer has presented you with a Settlement Agreement, it is crucial to take independent legal advice. Not only is this a required element of making a Settlement Agreement legally binding, but it is also the sensible course of action. Some people believe that...
Your Options When an Employee Contravenes a Settlement Agreement
In the United Kingdom, a settlement agreement (formerly known as a compromise agreement) is a legally binding contract that is used to settle a dispute or potential claim between an employer and an employee. It is typically used to resolve issues such as disputes over...
Understanding the Redundancy Consultation Period
A recent ACAS publication shows that around 20% of SMEs are facing the prospect of making redundancies in 2023 due to the significant economic pressures plaguing the UK. Whether your SME is one of the 20% or not, understanding how to run a redundancy consultation is a...
How To Dismiss A Company Director
Directors bear a great deal of responsibility and are legally bound to work in the best interests of the company. As such, any non compliance with the company’s articles, or any breach of duty must be treated seriously and in certain circumstances, a director’s...
What Are The Specific Provisions That Should Be Included In A Settlement Agreement?
Settlement Agreements contain a variety of provisions that vary depending on the reason the document is being drawn up. These provisions will also vary depending on whether the employee’s contract with the business has been terminated already. Nevertheless, there are...
Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act 2023 – What Changes Can You Expect to See?
In July, the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Act 2023 received Royal Assent. This significant piece of legislation is designed to make flexible working arrangements easier to achieve for employees across the country. Find out more about it here. The...
Why Is It Important To Get Independent Legal Advice?
There are many circumstances in which obtaining independent legal advice is advisable or even essential in order to ensure optimal protection for the rights, well-being, and interests of the individuals who are involved in the legal situation or transaction....
De Facto Directors and the High Court – Where Do You Stand?
In the case of Aston Risk Management Ltd V Jones and others [2023] EWCH 603 (Ch), the High Court has maintained that any director of a holding company that becomes substantially involved in the matters of a subsidiary must be regarded as a de facto director and...
How Do I Register A Trademark?
There is a specific process to follow when registering your company’s trademark involving five distinct steps: Defining the trademark Viewing the trademark register Choosing the right classification for your trademark Submitting your application Addressing any...
Is a Settlement Agreement a Good Idea?
Terminating employment can be a difficult time for both the employee and the employer. In situations where a workplace dispute has arisen, a settlement agreement can be a good idea to avoid the potentially length legal process of an employment tribunal. However, there...
How Can I Protect Myself from Being Taken Advantage of in a Settlement Agreement?
When making a Settlement Agreement, there is always the possibility of being taken advantage of if you lack the necessary knowledge and expertise in the law. It is, therefore, crucial to seek out advice from a specialist legal professional who will be able to give you...
Why is Independent Legal Advice Important And How Does it Benefit Me?
The term Independent Legal Advice (‘ILA’) is unbiased and unprejudiced advice given by a solicitor who is not in any way connected to the parties involved in a legal matter or transaction. Some of the instances that you may require ILA include inter alia – personal...
The 1954 Act: Is Modernisation Set to Become Reality?
The relationships between landlords and tenants have long been supported in law through the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954. Over the past 70 years, this legislation has supported business tenants with the right of renewal at the end of contracts along with a number of...
Including A Reference As Part Of A Settlement Agreement
It's common practice for an employee to request a reference as part of their Settlement Agreement with you, but what are your legal obligations? Interestingly, unless you are part of a regulated industry, there is no legal requirement for you to provide a reference...
Building A Business With An Exit Strategy
With more and more start-ups making headlines for multi-million-pound acquisitions by powerhouses like Facebook and Google, it’s unsurprising that many of today’s entrepreneurs are setting up their businesses with the ultimate goal of selling. Regardless of whether...
Can a Settlement Agreement be enforced?
A Settlement Agreement, once it has been signed by both parties, is a legally binding document and can, therefore, be enforced. In the event that either party breaches the terms that were agreed upon in the document, action can then be taken against them as long as...
What To Consider When Selling Your Business
When selling your business, the foremost concern is usually getting a fair price for all of the hard work you’ve put into building your company over the years. However, there are also important legal considerations to take into account to ensure the transaction...
Five Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Intellectual Property Law
Intellectual property (IP) protection is essential for people working across a wide range of industries, from business owners to people working in creative services. With a proper understanding of IP law, you can ensure that your work is thoroughly protected, and...
What to know when selling your Pharmacy
It is never easy selling a pharmacy, especially when you have built it up over a long period of time, established a reputation in the local community and have become very accustomed to serving patients for many years. Whatever the reason behind the decision to sell...
What is the Difference Between Redundancy and a Settlement Agreement?
Terminating the contract of an employee is not usually a decision that is made without much consideration. The process for terminating employment will be different depending on the circumstances of the employment and the reason for the termination. Whether or not the...
What Is A Landlord Friendly Lease
Discover the complex world of commercial property leases and landlords in this engaging podcast episode. Lena Thakrar, a commercial property partner at Card Bond, joins us as our guest expert. Lena shares invaluable insights into the essential components that...
6 Things To Look Out For When Buying A Franchise Business
Investing in a franchise business can seem like a quick and easy route to success: there’s already an established brand identity and goodwill, so you may think that takes a lot of the leg work and risk out of starting a business. While this may be true to an extent,...
The Role of TUPE in Restructures and Redundancies
According to employment laws in the UK, employers have a legal obligation to consult thoroughly regarding both restructuring and redundancy. This includes not only discussions on the necessity of reducing workforce roles or creating new ones to better align with the...
Corporate Insolvency For Businesses: 6 Things You Need To Know First
In challenging economic times, it is not uncommon for businesses of all sizes to find themselves in dire financial straits, which can lead to a company becoming insolvent. While insolvency is not a desirable scenario, some insolvency procedures can be the life raft a...
Why you need a Shareholders Agreement
For privately owned companies, a shareholders agreement is absolutely essential. Even if you’ve started a business with friends or relatives, this formal legal document sets out ground rules for ownership of the business, including the roles, the responsibilities and...
Buying Share Capital Vs Buying Assets
Many buyers of a business are often unclear as to the differences and repercussions of a share purchase versus an asset purchase, yet each type of acquisition involves very different procedural and legal requirements. In a share purchase or share acquisition, the...
What Is A Deed Of Postponement Between Creditors?
It is very common for a company to borrow money from several different creditors for varying reasons and in varying ways. As a result, creditors may be classified as a senior or junior creditor, depending on their level of risk. Junior creditors assume a greater risk...
What Is The Difference Between A Warranty And An Indemnity?
Warranties and indemnities are frequently used during negotiations over the acquisition of a company, yet there is often confusion over the differences between them and their ramifications. What is a warranty? A warranty is a contractual statement by the seller,...
7 Things To Consider When Starting A Business
Starting a business can be an exciting and rewarding experience, but it is also a lot of work. Firstly, need to carefully consider the type of business you want to start, determine the industry you want to work in, the products or services you want to offer, and the...
5 Reasons Why You Need To Have A Shareholder’s Agreement
A shareholder’s agreement is an essential part of any business venture involving multiple shareholders. The agreement is a legal binding contract between all shareholders and is designed to protect the interests of the parties involved. We have highlighted the 5 main...
Staff Handbook Vs Employment Contract – Knowing the Difference
As an employer, providing your employees with clear and legally approved contracts of employment is critical, both to adhere to legal requirements and to set out what is expected from both parties during the term of employment. In addition, many employers also issue...
How Can I Enforce My Trademark Rights?
Should you discover that a competitor has been using your trademark without your permission, it is imperative to act efficiently and speedily. Should you fail to do so, your brand could experience reputational or financial damage. You can take several courses of...
