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...
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...
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...
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...
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? 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...
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...
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? 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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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....
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...
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...
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...
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...
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 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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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,...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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,...
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...
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...
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...
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...
A redundancy selection pool is a way to group employees with similar roles who are at risk of redundancy. It is crucial to ensure that the selection process is impartial and without discrimination and to document the selection criteria and methodology used. It's worth...
What do we mean by “Squat practice”? Squat practices are dental practices that are set up from scratch and are often established in an empty property or a property that is used for another purpose for example a retail unit, residential property or office building. A...
In business contracts, the clauses typically found at the end of an agreement are known as the boilerplate clauses, which set out provisions for specific aspects of the contract. There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to drafting these clauses, as they will...
If your business hires employees, it is more than likely that they are protected by the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) regulations, also known as TUPE. This means that if you’re selling your business, you must act in compliance with TUPE’s...
There are different steps to be taken when changing the terms of an employment contract, depending on whether the changes are being proposed by the employer or the employee, and depending on the nature of the changes. First, obtain the employee’s written consent by...
Launching a start-up business is more than coming up with a great business idea, and it can be daunting to tackle all the legal requirements for your new company. That’s why we’re sharing a few key tips for every soon-to-be start-up founder, to set you and your...
