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Business legal insights

Employees
Employees
Protecting your business’s confidential information

Confidential information is a valuable commercial asset to a business. Like other assets of the business, confidential information requires protection.

Directors Duties
Directors Duties
7 key points to be aware of

When you take on an appointment as a director of a company in the UK, you agree (simply by virtue of your appointment) to accept certain duties intrinsic to your role.

Dismissing employees with less than two years’ service
Dismissing employees with less than two years’ service
What are the risks?

It is well understood that an employee requires at least two years’ continuous service before obtaining the statutory right not to be unfairly dismissed.

Product Liability
Product Liability
Understand your position

Under the Consumer Protection Act – a no-fault liability regime – “producers” are responsible to compensate for damages caused by a “defect” in a product.

Company Books
Company Books
Why you need to keep them updated

Companies in the UK are required to create and maintain a collection of registers which are known as the Company’s statutory registers (or the Company/Statutory Books).

Family Businesses
Family Businesses
The Benefits of a Shareholders’ Agreement

Family ties whether through blood or marriage are usually the reasons family business owners give for not having formal legal documentation to govern the relationships between themselves.

Setting up or investing in a company
Setting up or investing in a company
The main Articles and Agreements to consider

If you’re planning to set up your own company, or considering investing for the first time, this Briefing sets out the main company documents you will need to consider and most likely require.

Protecting your business from a divorce
Protecting your business from a divorce
What steps to take?

A divorce can force an owner managed company to break up, with painful consequences not just for the shareholders and directors directly involved. In addition, dividing up a business in a divorce can be costly and stressful.

Pellys and Law Brand join forces
Pellys and Law Brand join forces
To open new branch in Hitchin

Pellys Solicitors and Law Brand have joined forces to provide an all-embracing legal service based in Hitchin. The new faces were introduced to town business people and members of the public at an informal launch party at The Hermitage on February 28th.

Top ten tips
Top ten tips...
For acquiring a business and assets

You want to buy a business, but do you want to buy the business and assets or do you want to buy the shares of the company which owns the business/assets? It is an important distinction.

McDonalds UK worker strike
McDonalds UK worker strike
What does it mean for UK franchising?

Workers in McDonalds in Cambridge and Crayford have made headlines by staging the first ever strike by McDonald’s workers on UK soil. The arguments seen here are common with the workers wanting wage and working hours security and union recognition.

EMI options
EMI options
Changes in HMRC policy and practice

Companies operating tax-advantaged EMI option arrangements need to be aware of some recent changes in HMRC policy and practice, including restrictions on shares and working time declaration.

The consequences of suspending an employee
The consequences of suspending an employee
Be careful of knee-jerk reactions!

Suspending an employee without considering the circumstances could result in an employee arguing this decision was a fundamental breach of contract, resigning and pursuing a claim for constructive dismissal.

Get in touch
Or pay us a visit
Covid-19 update

Following a review of the current position, we are pleased to announce that from Wednesday 13th May all of our offices will once again be fully staffed and operational. All that we do ask is that for the time being all visits to our offices be by appointment only and even then only when they are necessary. If you are unsure if your visit is necessary then please do not hesitate to ask us.

As we emerge from the current crisis, you may rest assured that we at Pellys will do all we can to assist you with your legal requirements and provide all the support you need.