Why business owners should think twice before disposing of assets
When looking to the future, or going through a change in circumstances, it’s likely that business owners will wonder whether selling or disposing of assets and interests is the right…
Laura Stone LLB (Hons), TEP
Partner
Quit drafting the notice to quit
The Court of Appeal has recently deemed a notice to quit invalid as it was addressed incorrectly, highlighting the importance of accuracy when preparing and serving notices. The court considered…
Bethen Abraham LLB (Hons), LLM
Solicitor
Break clauses: A case for careful drafting
The Capitol Park Leeds Plc v Global Radio Services Ltd case has further highlighted the importance of the careful drafting of break options in commercial leases. The break clause in…
Charlotte Cowdell BA (Hons), LLB
Senior associate, solicitor
Grazing licence or Farm Business Tenancy: Which is right for you?
Grazing licences and Farm Business Tenancies (FBTs) are both occupational arrangements available to landowners – but which is right for you? This will largely depend on the activities to be…
Adam Hale BA (Hons), TEP, FALA
Partner
Hold your horses: The dangers of a grazing licence gone wrong
If not in writing or drafted carefully, a grazing agreement may inadvertently create a tenancy rather than a licence, giving the grazier far greater rights than the parties intended. A…
Adam Hale BA (Hons), TEP, FALA
Partner
Property protocol forms updated to reflect building safety legislation
The Law Society protocol forms provide guidance in respect of sale and purchase transactions, designed to assist with making the conveyancing process transparent and effective. Recently, key property protocol forms…
Suzanne O'Riordan
Partner, conveyancer (non-solicitor)
Lawyer up for the updated act that could affect you!
On 1 December 2022, the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 came into force. This brought about sweeping changes to housing law in Wales, such that there is now a large…
Bethen Abraham LLB (Hons), LLM
Solicitor
Improving transparency in UK real estate investment: An overview of the new Register of Overseas Entities before January deadline
The UK government has introduced a new register that requires overseas owners of UK real estate to reveal their identity before the deadline on 31 January. This is part of…
Chris Wills LLB (Hons)
Partner
Sponsor licence holders: The latest changes you should know for your business
The Home Office has published some important changes to its guidance for sponsor licence holders. Some of the reforms will be welcomed by sponsors. Exemption from immigration skills charge Subject…
Hayley Ainsworth BA, MSc
Senior associate, solicitor
COVID-19: Is long covid a disability?
Our expert employment law team discuss the first case dealing with the status of long covid and what it means for employers. In Burke v Turning Point Scotland, the employment…
Hayley Ainsworth BA, MSc
Senior associate, solicitor
New register for overseas owners of UK property
For a more recent article covering the Register of Overseas Entities by our corporate & commercial team, please view here. One of our real estate experts explains the new register…
Charlotte Cowdell BA (Hons), LLB
Senior associate, solicitor
Advice for landowners – the advantages and traps of promotion agreements
What are the benefits of land promotion agreements and when should landowners be wary? One of our experienced agriculture & estates lawyers shares their insight. Promotion agreements are joint venture…
Adam Hale BA (Hons), TEP, FALA
Partner
Articles of association update: Does this impact your business?
Our corporate & commercial team shares the latest update for small and sole director companies on reviewing articles of association. In this year’s summer edition of Law News, we reported…
Helen Howes LLM
Senior associate, solicitor
New rules for energy performance in non-residential buildings
April 2023 sees the introduction of new EPC regulations for commercial properties. We discuss the potential implications for landlords. There can be no more pressing issue for both domestic and…
Nick Cox LLB (Hons)
Consultant, solicitor
Zero hours contracts: How will the ban on exclusivity clauses affect lower income workers?
Following a government decision to extend the ban on exclusivity clauses to lower income workers, our employment law team shares the latest information. In 2015, regulations were introduced to prevent…
Hayley Ainsworth BA, MSc
Senior associate, solicitor
A guide to the National Security and Investment (NSI) Act 2021
Buying a company? One of our corporate & commercial experts introduces the National Security and Investment Act, which transactions could be affected and when you should be mindful of it.…
Helen Howes LLM
Senior associate, solicitor
The plight of unmarried cohabiting couples: government rejects MP calls for reform
A group of MPs recently published a report calling for “urgent” reforms in legislation, which currently leave unmarried, cohabiting couples with “inferior” protections. Some key recommendations made for consideration were…
Sharon Giles LLB (Hons)
Partner
From neverland to never ever – disputing ‘the King of Pop’s’ estate
Michael Jackson, known by many as the ‘King of Pop,’ passed away on 25 June 2009. When preparing his will, he had plenty to consider, including his many assets and…
Jessica Whooley LLB (Hons)
Associate, solicitor
Why you can’t list a Ford Focus as a Porsche 911
Vehicle misrepresentation – a statement made from one person to another, which is later found to be untrue or inaccurate – is a common issue and can lead to drastic…
James Melvin-Bath LLB (Hons)
Senior associate, solicitor-advocate
First-time buyer? Stamp duty tax cuts revealed
In the government’s recent growth plan, announced by the former chancellor on Friday 23 September, it was revealed that first-time buyers will only pay stamp duty land tax on homes…
Willans
Solicitors
Government u-turns on off-payroll working rules
Today (17 October 2022), the new chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, has announced that the government’s plan to scrap the IR35/off payroll working rules (as detailed just three weeks ago in September’s…
Jenny Hawrot LLB (Hons)
Partner
A guide to agricultural property and business property relief
Agricultural property relief allows land and farm buildings to be passed free from inheritance tax either during a lifetime or after a death. This is subject to certain conditions being…
Miranda Hawkes FCILEx, TEP
Associate, chartered legal executive
IDTA: New UK standard contractual clauses for international transfers
New standard clauses mean organisations will need to incorporate either the International Data Transfer Agreement or the UK Addendum in all contracts concluded on or after 22 September 2022. This…
Klára Grmelová MGR (LLM Czech)
Solicitor
Queen's funeral bank holiday - what are employers' obligations?
It was announced over the weekend that Monday 19 September will be an additional public holiday to mark the funeral of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II. Since this has, understandably,…
Jenny Hawrot LLB (Hons)
Partner
New global business mobility route streamlines UK worker visas
2022 has been a year of exciting developments in the business immigration world. So far, the biggest news is UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) opening the new global business mobility…
Hayley Ainsworth BA, MSc
Senior associate, solicitor
A new gateway for pay equality
A recent case has paved the way for employers to be more transparent in identifying equal work and pay. For the first time, a tribunal has ordered a company to…
Jenny Hawrot LLB (Hons)
Partner
Why sole director companies should check articles of association
A recent case has highlighted the importance of ensuring a company is incorporated with carefully drafted articles of association, if there is only one director. All limited companies must have…
Helen Howes LLM
Senior associate, solicitor
One month to go: countdown to 1 September Trust Registration Service deadline
There is just one month to go until 1 September, when all ‘express trusts’ must be registered with the Trust Registration Service (TRS). One of our trusts experts, Tom O’Riordan…
Tom O'Riordan LLB (Hons), TEP
Partner
Major Supreme Court ruling finds paid holiday for part-year workers cannot be pro-rated
On 20 July 2022, the Supreme Court upheld the Court of Appeal’s earlier decision in Harpur Trust v Brazel that part-year workers should not have their paid holiday pro-rated. Here,…
Matthew Clayton MA LLM (Cantab), CIPP/E
Partner
The Charities Act 2022
After key changes to the law were proposed in May 2021, the new act received Royal Assent on 24 February 2022, and was passed into law as the Charities Act…
Charlotte Cowdell BA (Hons), LLB
Senior associate, solicitor
How does the Queen’s Speech 2022 impact employment law?
The Queen’s Speech was delivered by HRH the Prince of Wales on 10 March 2022, on the occasion of the opening of Parliament, setting out the priorities of the government…
Matthew Clayton MA LLM (Cantab), CIPP/E
Partner
Court rules that ‘hidden’ terms can’t be relied upon
It’s a general legal principle that once a contract is signed, a person is bound by the terms of that contract and any terms incorporated into it (such as standard…
Helen Howes LLM
Senior associate, solicitor
Landlords are off the hook rules tenancy case
A 2021 Court of Appeal decision suggests that landlords are off the hook if they failed to serve the energy performance certificate (EPC) or gas safety certificate (GSC) for an…
James Melvin-Bath LLB (Hons)
Senior associate, solicitor-advocate
Divorce and finances: A guide to dividing assets upon divorce or separation
On this page, we offer a comprehensive guide to divorce and finances. Read on for more information about financial remedy orders, asset protection, and dividing up your personal and business…
Sharon Giles LLB (Hons)
Partner
Regulation changes to see rise in energy efficiency standards
From 1 April 2023, the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) regulations are set to become even stricter for commercial properties. The regulations were introduced in 2015 to target the least…
Charlotte Cowdell BA (Hons), LLB
Senior associate, solicitor
The higher cost of proceeding to trial
Our litigation & dispute resolution partner outlines some of the commercial risks involved in proceeding to trial in an intellectual property infringement case. In trademark infringement and passing off cases,…
Paul Gordon LLB
Partner
