Insights & thinking

It is estimated that annually more than 130 million days are lost to sickness absence at a cost to the economy of around £15 billion. Employers face an estimated annual…

Matthew Clayton MA LLM (Cantab), CIPP/E

Partner

Here our charities & not-for-profit legal team outlines three tips for charity trustees to consider this quarter. Strategic review Trustees should regularly review their charity’s effectiveness and how the charity…

Charlotte Cowdell BA (Hons), LLB

Senior associate, solicitor

Who would have thought that the pollsters would get it wrong? Now that the dust has settled on the result of the general election we can consider some of the…

Willans

Solicitors

Starting a business can be both challenging and rewarding but it requires careful planning, research and preparation. It is estimated that each year over 500,000 new small business start-ups are being…

Willans

Solicitors

Hear our managing partner speak of her career path and why she is so fond of our law firm, among other things, in an exclusive interview by the Cheltenham Chamber…

Bridget Redmond LLB

Managing partner

Our corporate & commercial team summarises future legislative changes in company law which businesses should take account of. Legislation is due to come into force at the beginning of next…

Chris Wills LLB (Hons)

Partner

A passing off claim is a way of enforcing an intellectual property right. It can be used to try and prevent one trader from misrepresenting goods or services as being…

Paul Gordon LLB

Partner

During the Alzheimer Society’s National Dementia Awareness Week 2015, Paul Gordon, a partner in Willans’ litigation and dispute resolution team whose specialisms include inheritance and trust disputes, reminds people of the…

Paul Gordon LLB

Partner

Where land is leased to a solar power operator, it no longer qualifies for agricultural property relief so could be subject to inheritance tax of up to 40%. With farm…

Adam Hale BA (Hons), TEP, FALA

Partner

A first tier tribunal has upheld a monetary penalty notice for £50,000 for failure to comply with the rules on unsolicited direct marketing calls, as set out in Regulation 21…

Willans

Solicitors

Society believes that an offender should be punished for their crime. However, it also recognises that once the punishment has been served, the offender should be rehabilitated back into society…

Matthew Clayton MA LLM (Cantab), CIPP/E

Partner

With immigration a key political issue ahead of the upcoming general election, businesses can often find themselves on the front line of the debate. Therefore, it is vital that they…

Matthew Clayton MA LLM (Cantab), CIPP/E

Partner

Local authorities have been slow to come to terms with the new Class MB permitted development right which allows agricultural buildings under certain circumstances to be converted into residential dwellings.…

Willans

Solicitors

Commercial contracts often contain what is known as a liquidated damages clause. One party may have to pay the other a pre-agreed sum for failing to meet a particular obligation…

Willans

Solicitors

Conflicts of interest – On 1 May 2014, the Charity Commission updated their conflicts of interest guidance which contains a revised definition and introduces a three-step approach to handling conflicts…

Charlotte Cowdell BA (Hons), LLB

Senior associate, solicitor

Balancing your wishes and the expectations of the next generation can be emotional and sometimes extremely complicated. Hopefully, you will have given due thought and consideration as to what is…

Simon Cook LLB (Hons), TEP

Partner

1 January 2015 saw the introduction of the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) which replaced the existing Single Farm Payment Scheme. Changes under this new legislation include the new online CAP…

Adam Hale BA (Hons), TEP, FALA

Partner

Litigation is a very expensive way of resolving disputes and it is not uncommon for the cost of issuing, or defending, a claim to exceed the damages. One way of…

Paul Gordon LLB

Partner

In Thomas Pink Limited v Victoria’s Secrets UK Limited, the British shirt maker issued court proceedings for trademark infringement against lingerie retailer Victoria’s Secret over the right to use the…

Willans

Solicitors

Restrictions on the title to registered land can cause undue problems when it comes to a sale. They are often registered to protect the interests of third parties who have…

Robin Beckley MA (Oxon)

Consultant, solicitor

It is well known in the agricultural community that milk quotas will be abolished on 1 April 2015, but there could be tax implications for individuals and farming businesses holding…

Willans

Solicitors

The Autumn Statement in December saw wholesale revisions of the Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) system. The changes will bring major savings on residential transactions below £937,500 but anything above…

Robin Beckley MA (Oxon)

Consultant, solicitor

New regulations which came into force on 31 January 2015 have made it easier for companies and LLPs to choose or change their name. The Company, Limited Liability Partnership and…

Chris Wills LLB (Hons)

Partner

The implications of the ruling in Oliver v Symons are quite significant. A right of way granted for vehicular access was strictly limited to the width of the existing track.…

Robin Beckley MA (Oxon)

Consultant, solicitor

Whether you are a small company with two, or a larger business with multiple shareholders, it is impossible to overstate the importance of having a properly drafted shareholders’ agreement. The…

Chris Wills LLB (Hons)

Partner

Businesses should prepare themselves for yet more reform of consumer law in the UK, as the Consumer Rights Bill received Royal Assent in March. The provisions of the Act are…

Willans

Solicitors

Last year the government introduced the Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill which is designed to improve the legislative environment for small businesses and to enhance transparency of UK corporate…

Chris Wills LLB (Hons)

Partner

Recent reports in the press have confirmed that Britain’s mobile phone operators are lobbying the government to intervene with landlords to reduce the rents payable for mobile phone masts. They…

Alasdair Garbutt LLB (Hons)

Partner

The Charities Act 2011 introduced the new form of a legal entity, known as a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO) 3,426 charities have registered as CIOs. We explain why it may…

Charlotte Cowdell BA (Hons), LLB

Senior associate, solicitor

After George Osborne delivered his Budget yesterday, our expert wills, probate and trusts lawyer Simon Cook considers the impact of one of the proposals. “I can also tell the House…

Simon Cook LLB (Hons), TEP

Partner

Millions in the UK use Facebook to communicate and organise large parts of their personal lives online. It is no secret that Facebook has provided a number of tools that…

Matthew Clayton MA LLM (Cantab), CIPP/E

Partner

LinkedIn now has over 347 million registered users, with two new users joining every second. Despite these large numbers, it rarely makes the headlines in the same way as Facebook…

Matthew Clayton MA LLM (Cantab), CIPP/E

Partner

Social media are the communications and marketing tools of the moment. A significant majority of people have some form of social media involvement, whether that is through Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn…

Matthew Clayton MA LLM (Cantab), CIPP/E

Partner

Not a day goes by without social media hitting the headlines in one way or another. It goes without saying that social media is now ever-present and ever-changing. Sites such…

Matthew Clayton MA LLM (Cantab), CIPP/E

Partner

The High Court has held that Companies House was liable when it mistakenly recorded that a company which had been trading for 124 years had been wound up. Companies House…

Willans

Solicitors

As reported in October 2014, the government has recently undertaken a number of legislative steps to simplify and update UK consumer law. Under the Consumer Rights Bill it intends to…

Willans

Solicitors