Setting up a business involves complying with a range of legal requirements. Find out which ones apply to you and your new enterprise.
Every business needs to be aware of its obligations under minimum wage and equal pay laws, as well as recent pensions auto-enrolment changes.
What particular regulations do specific types of business (such as a hotel, or a printer, or a taxi firm) need to follow? We explain some of the key legal issues to consider for 200 types of business.
While poor governance can bring serious legal consequences, the law can also protect business owners and managers and help to prevent conflict.
You must comply with legal restrictions on employees' working hours and time off, or risk claims, enforcement action and even prosecution.
The right employment policies are an essential part of effective staff management. Make sure any policy is clear and well communicated to employees.
Whether you want to raise finance, join forces with someone else, buy or sell a business, it pays to be aware of the legal implications.
While sick employees need to be treated fairly, you need to ensure that 'sickness' is not being used as cover for unauthorised absence.
Marketing matters. Marketing drives sales for businesses of all sizes by ensuring that customers think of their brand when they want to buy.
Most pregnant employees are entitled to maternity leave and maternity pay, while new fathers are entitled to paternity leave and paternity pay.
Commercial disputes can prove time-consuming, stressful and expensive, but having robust legal agreements can help to prevent them from occurring.
As well as undermining morale, illegal discrimination can lead to workplace grievances. Employee discrimination is covered by the Equality Act 2010.
Whether your business owns or rents premises, your legal liabilities can be substantial. Commercial property law is complex, but you can avoid common pitfalls.
Home, remote and lone workers are becoming increasingly commonplace. Key issues include communication and how to manage and motivate people remotely.
With information and sound advice, living up to your legal responsibilities to safeguard your employees, customers and visitors need not be difficult or costly.
The right approach to consulting with and providing information to your employees can improve employee motivation and performance.
As information technology continues to evolve, legislation must also change. It affects everything from data protection and online selling to internet policies for employees.
Disciplinary and grievance issues can be a major burden to employers. Putting in place and following the right procedures is essential.
Following the right dismissal and redundancy procedures helps protect your business and minimise the risk of a legal dispute at tribunal.
Intellectual property (IP) isn't solely relevant to larger businesses or those involved in developing innovative new products: all products have IP.
Employment tribunal claims are a worrying prospect for any employer. A tribunal case is a no-win situation – even if the claim is unjustified.
Knowing how and when you plan to sell or relinquish control of your business can help you to make better decisions and achieve the best possible outcome.
From bereavement, wills, inheritance, separation and divorce to selling a house, personal injury and traffic offences, learn more about your personal legal rights.
Business ownership and management involves significant responsibilities and potential liabilities. Understanding the key legal issues is vital. Bringing in the right personnel and putting strong management practices in place will help you avoid potentially serious mistakes.
Running a successful business requires robust and efficient corporate governance arrangements. You need to be clear about how you want to run your business and what your objectives for it are. You can use a company's articles of association, a shareholder agreement or a partnership agreement to pin these key issues down.
In a limited company, the board of directors is at the heart of corporate governance. You should aim to build a board with the skills and experience to develop a successful business strategy and to oversee its execution. Where necessary, supplement your in-house expertise with external specialist advice.
Business ownership considerations can be a source of complication and conflict, particularly when it comes to allocating control, financial returns as well as potential liabilities. In a private company these issues can be clarified using articles of association or a shareholder agreement, as well as by issuing different classes of shares. In a partnership, a written partnership agreement serves a similar purpose.
Private companies no longer need to hold an annual general meeting of the shareholders unless their articles of association specifically require them to. However, some decisions still need to be referred back to shareholders. For example, the Companies Act says that the contents of a company's articles of association can only be changed following a decision of the shareholders.
Efficient company administration forms an important part of ensuring compliance with key aspects of business law. And it also reduces the likelihood of unnecessary mistakes or aggravation throwing you off course.