Insights: Legal Updates - March 2015

The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced, in his Autumn Statement on 3 December 2014, his plans to legislate in the 2015 Finance Bill to remove an apparent “unfair tax advantage” and to treat cash received under a B share scheme in the same way as dividend income. Following the publication of the Finance Bill 2015 […]

As we know, the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 was introduced primarily to protect tenants from over-aggressive landlords, following a shortage of commercial property after the Second World War. Landlords were in a very powerful position; tenants may have been promptly paying their rent and yet at the end of the term of their lease, […]

Successful Inheritance Tax (IHT) mitigation in respect of the main residence is one of the hardest things to do, as the law currently stands. However, as many people’s most valuable asset is their bricks and mortar, it is a problem that demands some consideration – even if the answer is to do nothing (yet) or […]

IP owners continue to get punishment dished out to them, and not on a consensual basis. A recent decision of the UK’s Court of Appeal has reviewed the rules that dictate when parallel (or “grey”) market product can be rebranded to match the brand used by the market leader in the national market concerned. The […]

Crowdfunding has become an increasingly important method for raising much needed start-up funding for businesses, and the fashion industry is at the forefront of this trend with many crowdfunding platforms having a fashion sector focus. Retail Week recently published a white paper, in association with Crowdcube, analysing the plethora of options open to retailers looking […]

The case decided in the Supreme Court yesterday left “poor” Dale Vince open to a claim from his ex-wife almost 20 years since the relationship with her had ended. Mr Vince lives with his new wife and their five year old son in an apparently rather lovely £3,000,000 18th century property in Gloucestershire. He owes […]

A good working knowledge of the basics of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 is never a bad thing when you are a tenant or an occupier of a property. Knowing your basic rights can often benefit you greatly in discussions with landlords, investors, funders, etc. The 1954 Act itself was introduced to help tenants. […]

You have been managing your client’s money for many years when, out of the blue, you are contacted by someone claiming to be your client’s attorney. The attorney is brandishing a copy English Property and Financial Affairs Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA), certified on every page (as it should be) by the donor (i.e. the […]

Fashion has been quicker to embrace social media than many other industries, as the sector has recognised the opportunities that exist to reach and influence an ever-growing market. Doubtless, many remote viewers watched shows from the recent London Fashion Week via live streams, whilst the newest and best looks were immediately celebrated by the bloggers […]