Your website

Legal aspects of owning a website including design, advertising and content issues.

Your firm and the data protection act

Implications of data protection for your business and when and how to notify the Information Commissioner.

Working time

Find out the limits on weekly working hours, what is included and what you can and can’t ask your employees to do.

Trading online

Legal differences between selling over the Internet and traditional sales.

Sickness issues and ssp

When you have to pay sick pay, who qualifies, how much it is and legal pitfalls to avoid.

Starting a business

Key advice on how to start your business.

Shareholder and boardroom disputes

Common causes of shareholder and boardroom disputes and how to minimise them.

Selling your shares back to your company

Legal and tax consequences of selling your shares back to your company or buying back company shares.

Selling a business

Considerations and legal issues when selling your business.

Rent reviews

How rent reviews work and handling rent review negotiations.

Remote working

Legal aspects of managing employees who work abroad, travelling sales people and other staff that work remotely.

Redundancy

Handling a formal redundancy procedure in a fair, consistent and legal way and how to avoid problems.

Purchasing IT

The difference between purchasing hardware, software and IT systems, from a legal perspective.

Planning to sell your business

When and how to start planning for the sale of your business, the legal issues and common pitfalls to avoid.

Passing your business on to your family

Find out how to plan when choosing a successor for your business, the risks, common pitfalls and how to avoid them.

Ownership issues

Rights, obligations and liabilities of a shareholder in a private company.

Obtaining venture capital

How to obtain venture capital, how it works, the impact it can have on your business and expectations of investors.

National minimum wage

What is the current National Minimum Wage, who you have to pay it to and business scenarios you may experience.

Maternity issues and smp

Who is entitled to maternity leave and pay and how much, managing and dismissing pregnant employees.

Leasing premises

The rights, obligations and the costs associated with taking a lease, what to look out for and when you need a lawyer.

Joint ventures

Considerations when entering a joint venture such as competition law, intellectual property, legal agreements, tax.

Issuing and transferring private company shares

When and how to issue shares in your company, the advantages and disadvantages and the effect on your finances.

Intellectual property

Find out about how to protect your business's intellectual property.

Insolvency

What is insolvency?

Information and consultation

How to calculate if the ICE regulations apply to your business, when the rules apply and conducting negotiations.

Home working

Managing employees that work from home including the legal implications and resolving difficulties.

Holidays and unpaid and statutory leave

Work out holiday entitlement for your employees and when they can and can’t take it.

Health and safety

Your responsibilities under health and safety legislation, setting up a policy and identifying hazards.

Gross misconduct

What constitutes gross misconduct and what to do if a case is brought before an employment tribunal.

Grievance issues

What is a grievance, why you need a written grievance procedure, what to do if an employee pursues a grievance.

Getting out of a lease

Your options for getting out of a lease, strengthening your negotiating position, costs and liabilities.

Financing a business

Find out about the different ways you can finance your business and the legal implications of these.

Family businesses

Read FAQs on the most common problems with family businesses and find ways of either anticipating or resolving difficulties.

Equal pay

Ensure you comply with the Equal Pay Act and read about scenarios where it would come into effect.

Employment tribunals

A former employee has decided to sue us for unfair dismissal. What is the procedure?

Employment contracts

What counts as an employment contract, different types of contract and ensuring you comply with the law.

Domain name disputes

Find out what a domain name is, how to register one and how to avoid or manage disputes over your domain name.

Dismissing employees

How to handle dismissing and employee, the procedures you should follow and disciplinary offences.

Discrimination

What is illegal when it comes to recruitment, when you may be accused of discrimination and what to do about it.

Disciplinary issues

Why you need a written disciplinary procedure, when and how to use it, the ACAS code of practice and keeping records.

Directors responsibilities

The duties of company directors have, until recently, been defined by case law. Under the Companies Act 2006 they have now been set out in a single statement.

Decisions of the shareholders

How to hold a shareholder’s meeting.

Directors decisions

Appointing a chairman, calling a directors’ meeting and holding a board meeting

Debt recovery

Decide when to pursue an overdue debt, how to do so and how to take legal action.

Consumer credit

How to offer consumer credit legally including information on credit licensing, interest rates, bad credit and debt.

Company administration

Who is responsible for company administration and requirements for legal documents, statutory books and records.

Commercial disputes

Find out what to do if someone is suing you, when and how to use a solicitor and information about the court hearing.

Choosing a business or brand name

The main considerations when choosing a business name, whether you need to register it as a trademark and dealing with Companies House.

Buying premises

The considerations to take on board when buying a property for your business, the process you go through and extra costs you may incur.

Alternative dispute resolution

What is ADR, when it’s suitable, advantages and disadvantages, how to go about mediation and the costs involved.

Agents and distributors

Differences between agents and distributors, how to work with them and get the most out of your relationship.

Age discrimination

Requirements and obligations under age discrimination law and how to operate your business legally