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Starting a new business venture can be an exhilarating and challenging experience. Amid the excitement, it's crucial not to overlook the legal aspects that can protect your business’s future success. By taking proactive steps to protect your business from the start, you can establish a solid legal foundation that will ...

Protecting your business ideas can prevent others from your innovations. Imagine you came up with a really unique idea, told everyone about it and then before you had time to protect it, someone else took the idea and out it into practice. Entrepreneurs need to protect their valuable ideas from ...

Selecting a good trademark name is a crucial element that involves considering several factors to ensure that the name is unique, distinctive, and capable of identifying the source of the goods or services associated with it. What you don't want is something generic or descriptive. For instance, you sell bananas ...

As a business owner or service provider, you may have created terms and conditions (T&Cs) to outline your service or product and how you work. However, as your business grows or circumstances change, you may need to update your terms now and again. Can you change your terms and conditions? ...

Recently at Jamieson Law, we have been involved in numerous corporate transactions that have highlighted the importance of conducting due diligence. We think it's crucial for anyone who is selling/buying a business to be aware of the importance of due diligence. This is a crucial process that companies undertake before ...

  What is a Technology Lawyer? A technology lawyer is a legal professional who specialises in providing legal services to individuals and businesses in the technology industry. They possess a deep understanding of the unique legal challenges that arise in technology-related fields, such as software development, data privacy, intellectual property, ...

Do you run your own tech business or are starting off in the tech sphere? If you are, there are a number of steps you should think about to help safeguard your business while complying with relevant laws and regulations in your jurisdiction. Here are a few key points to ...

What is GDPR and why should your Technology business comply with the rules? GDPR is a set of regulations designed to protect the personal data of individuals. It applies to all businesses that process personal data, regardless of size, including technology companies in the UK. There are several reasons why ...

As more and more business activities take place online, the importance of data protection has become increasingly clear. Data protection refers to the measures that businesses take to safeguard their sensitive information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure.   There are several reasons why businesses need to be aware of ...

What is Technology Law? Technology law refers to the legal framework and regulations that govern the use and development of technology. It covers a wide range of topics, including (IP) intellectual property, data privacy, cybersecurity, and the liability of tech companies. Technology law plays a crucial role in shaping the ...

When buying a business, it's important for buyers to consider the legal aspects involved to ensure a smooth transaction and avoid any potential problems down the road. It's just as important that the sellers have everything in place from a legal perspective. Due diligence (DD) is the process of thoroughly ...

Technology businesses face unique challenges and legal implications as they grow and scale. From protecting their intellectual property to ensuring they comply with data privacy regulations, it’s essential for technology companies to have a strong legal foundation in place. Here, we’ll discuss the key areas of legal protection that technology ...

Selling your business can be stressful and is a challenging task to say the least. There are lots to consider; whether that be tax, the legals or just being aware of how secure your future is going to be. Statistics show that without the right professional support in place, about ...

As we approach the festive period, it’s important to be aware of consumer rights! Yes, as a business owner, you should know what rights your customers have as well as your own rights! What are consumer rights? In the UK and EU, there is a range of laws protecting consumers ...

With the end of the year fast approaching and thoughts turning to 2023, we find that this is the time of year when we get lots of enquiries about buying and selling businesses. If you’re thinking about switching things up a bit in 2023, here’s our quick guide to some ...

November and December are the busiest months of the year for many businesses. Sales peak, which is great, but with great power comes great responsibility. This brings me on to the legal issues you should be aware of when selling around Black Friday, Cyber Monday and during the festive period. ...

Client contracts are so important as they set out from the get-go everything the client needs to know about your relationship with them, what they can expect from you, and more importantly what you can expect from them. Before I get into it, it’s important to add that a client ...

We are just over Halloween but that doesn't mean all the scary business stuff has disappeared off the face of the earth. This week over at Jamieson Law we have been talking about all things spooky! Whether that be having your trademarks in place, supplier agreements up to date or ...

We’ve been back and forth, and upside down, with all the changes relating to IR35 in recent years. IR35 is the off-payroll working rules, and applies to self-employed contractors providing services through a limited company. The rules are in place to ensure that contractors pay the correct amount of tax ...

One of the most important aspects to think about from a legal point of view is the vulnerabilities that could be hiding in the tiny cracks of your business. Here are some actionable steps to carry out to make sure that your business is fully protected.   Brand Protection Brand ...

 What is an ‘employee handbook’ and should you have one? This article is directed at businesses planning on hiring staff, as well as businesses who already have employees on the books, but need to understand the paperwork they are required to have in place. Let’s dive straight in!   Employment ...

We hear a lot about intellectual property (IP) protection while starting and growing a business. Lots of people say they “need to protect their IP”, but not so many are clear about how and why. We talk a lot about trademarks, protecting your branding – your name, your logo, maybe ...

You might have noticed, but trademarks and brand protection are among our favourite topics here at JL. There’s good reason for this! Trademarks are very important to businesses. Why, might you ask? Why register a trade mark? By registering your branding, like your company name, logo, product name or slogan, ...

We get this question a lot "What's the difference between a client contract and client terms and conditions?". The answer is they're the exact same thing.  A client contract or client T&Cs should both cover the same legal bases, because, at the end of the day, their purpose is to ...

Let's talk about verbal contracts. I hope that businesses would always have written contracts in place, but you never know, there’s always one. When you think of verbal contracts, you’re probably wondering to yourself  ''are they legally binding like a written contract is?’’ It’s widely assumed that verbal agreements are ...

If you haven't already realised, trademarking is one of our favourite topics here at Jamieson Law. One question we get pretty often across the board is "does registering your trademark in the UK give you protection elsewhere?". For example, would registering your trademark in the UK protect your brand name ...

If you’re an AI developer, then you may have heard of the UK Governments future plans regarding Text and Data Mining (TDM) and copyright. The initial Copyright, Designs and Patents Act (that sets out the UK’s current intellectual property rules and regulations) was introduced initially in 1988, a time where ...

So, you've created a piece of software. Maybe it collates information from lots of different places, allowing streamlined lead generation for clients. Maybe it it's a new CRM system for clients to manage their data. It might be an app or a web-based platform. That is incredibly exciting! So how ...

A Shareholders’ Agreement is an INSANELY important legal document in the corporate business sphere. We like to think of them as the prenup of the corporate world! Instead of them being like a document in place for people who are about to get married, it’s for those about to go ...

Picture this. You and your best mate, that you’ve been friends with since you were wee, are aspiring entrepreneurs. You’re both thinking “hey, why don’t we go at this together”, you decide to join forces. What could be better than working alongside your best friend, right? You’re brainstorming when finally, ...

At Jamieson Law, we're *kind of* obsessed with celebrity trademark battles and dramas. We know, it's a bit sad, it's the trademark geek inside of us all coming out! Let’s chat about an interesting one involving a celebrity icon. So Beyoncé of course had her daughter 'Blue Ivy Carter' back ...

Where would businesses be without websites (or social media, for that matter)? Gone are the days of looking up a shop in the Yellow Pages. If we need to know anything about a business, all we do is type them into Google or check out their Instagram! If you're a ...

We’re often asked by clients whether they can use notable words or phrases, like “Muggles” in their business without infringing on copyright or trademark. If these words have been trademarked, the simple answer is no.   As we know, trademarks are a tool that most companies, big or small, strive ...

You might have seen that Winnie-the-Pooh hit the headlines this week. The reason is that Hollywood actor, Ryan Reynolds, has satirised the bear in an ad for his telecommunications company, Mint Mobile. How was he able to do this, I hear you ask? The rule of thumb for most creative ...

For me, I start to get in the holiday spirit when I see the John Lewis advert on the telly. Sometimes this is earlier than I might like to realise, as I’m yet to make the lists and do the shopping (last minute is my middle name), but as a ...

We’ve been talking A LOT about data protection on our socials this week. Since it’s almost Halloween, let’s scare you a little… For the most serious of data protection breaches, you could face a maximum fine of £17.5 million or 4% of your annual global turnover, whichever is greater. Are ...

No, this isn’t a knock-off of that Mel Gibson film… today, we’re talking about website compliance! It sounds boring but this is super important for pretty much every business since operating a website isn’t so much a choice in today’s age, but a necessity! In a nutshell, your website needs ...

Entering into a contract with someone is kind of like starting a new relationship. You walk into it with the best of intentions, and you have every hope that it will be a match made in heaven. But…you always have to prepare for the slight possibility that things could go ...

In today’s age, it seems that more and more people are looking to better themselves, whether it’s in their career, their relationships, or with their mindset completely. For that reason, many of the Legal Advice calls we take are from those setting up coaching businesses. Generally they are looking for ...

Many of us have dreamed of starting up own businesses, but the process sounds daunting. The reality is, it doesn’t need to be. It’s actually easier than it seems! Following a specific framework can make the process much simpler and much more manageable. Here at Jamieson Law, we implement ‘The ...

As you may notice, we talk A LOT about trademarks, and with good reason! They are critical to a smooth-running, hassle-free business. In a nutshell, trademarking is the legal protection of your branding, like your company name, logo, product name, slogan etc – basically everything that makes your business yours ...

Client wins!!! We work with some super interesting, innovative and cool businesses over here at Jamieson Law. We want to shout about them from the rooftops! What a better way to do so than by sharing some of their major wins? Today we’re chatting about our brilliant clients over at ...

Well, here we are in the second quarter of 2021 already – where has the time gone? Q2 has brought loads of excitement for us all already – the UK has started easing its lockdown restrictions, meaning many businesses are finally starting to be able to open their doors again ...

Today we’re chatting a bit about a Covid-EU related legal update. So, we all know that for the past while there have been some major tensions and issues growing between the EU and AstraZeneca So what’s the lowdown? Well, it all comes down to a shortfall in the initial dose ...

The past year has been the most mentally challenging year for everyone on the planet. For many of us, we switched from being in the office every day surrounded by our colleagues to working from home on our own. Some people lost their jobs completely and lack of physical connection ...

On Tuesday the 6th of April 2021, the new tax year starts. Do you know what that means? IR35 changes will be coming into effect! In 6 days, the new off-payroll workings rules will be rolled out Preparation is KEY here. Here's what you need to know in a nutshell: Changes ...

We all know the basics of running a business and being a CEO. But there’s a key word to note there ‘Basic’. That’s not what you want to be, right? We know we don’t anyway. You want to visualise the bigger picture, so you can become the ‘unstoppable CEO’. So, ...

Hindsight is 20/20 (literally!), we know that. A lot of the time we do look back and reflect on what we’ve done and find something we wish we did completely differently. We’re all a bit guilty of it. So, on that note, would things have been different if your business ...

“You can have the best strategy and the best building in the world, but if you don’t have the hearts and minds of the people who work with you, none of it comes to life.” – Renee West   What is every organisation's most important asset? People It is widely agreed ...

“My client hasn’t paid me and I don’t know what to do”. A horrible situation to be in, and a phrase we unfortunately far too often. Mostly all of us have had to deal with it, and it’s quite frankly, awful. There is no glaringly obvious solution that will make ...

We all know that the law isn’t static. It’s forever changing, and it’s super important to keep up to date with any changes in policy and regulation that come about An important one to keep up to speed with is employment law changes. As an employer, it is your duty ...

Whether you're a product seller or service provider, a coach, a consultant, a tech business, an accountant, a digital marketer, there may be a time where you receive kickback from clients regarding receiving a refund. It's bound to happen as you grow and scale, people are always trying to chance ...

Here at Jamieson Law, we're here to help you navigate the often tricky waters of Brexit as a business owner. We've discussed setting up a subsidiary in the EU for access purposes in Ireland, now the Netherlands is up next. Could setting up a subsidiary company in the Netherlands be ...

How many times have you had a contract drafted or put in front of you to sign and thought 'what does any of this actually mean'? Legal jargon is, quite frankly, no fun whatsoever. If you aren't a legal professional, it can be tricky figuring out exactly what these mean. ...

Clubhouse, the new networking platform that’s become all the rage. We have to be honest...we were getting severe FOMO (fear of missing out) and HAD to get an invite. Who wouldn’t want to be in a room with celebrities?! But with new apps comes new privacy issues. Is clubhouse going ...

Is IR35 causing you confusion? Are you not really sure if it applies to you or not? Well, first things first - it doesn’t apply if you’re a sole trader or freelancer. Limited companies with 1 shareholder or director are the ones to likely get caught out by it here. If ...

As we're sure most of you have seen in the news, it seems the government are urging businesses to set up in the EU after Brexit. Confusion and worries aside, let’s talk about setting up in Ireland. Is this a good option for you? Let's consider some points: Ireland (in ...

The King is back in the building...and so are we with another celebrity trademark battle, you know that these are our favourite (fun and educational, can you beat that?!). Have you heard of this big trademark clash that happened a few years back between the King of Rock and Roll ...

We've got a question for you. Have you ever had a client ask you to reduce your rates? We have, it's bound to happen at some stage as a growing or scaling business. Have you never really been sure what to do in that kind of situation? Do you feel ...

Ah yes, another thing to add to the Brexit list. But this is actually super important. Your contracts might not be viable now in light of Brexit, there are certain things you need to think of. For example: Increased trade barriers Movement of people Currency changes Changes in legal jurisdiction ...

Something you *may* not know about us here at Jamieson Law is that we offer a HR legal support function for your business! That's right, we don't just help with the 'classic' legals, we cover so many bases to make sure your business runs smoothly. We're passionate about employee relations ...

If you want to grow and scale your business, you’ll want to know the basics of intellectual property (IP). Building a bullet-proof brand, strong, sustainable brand  all comes down to protecting your all important IP. Growing a business without robust IP protection is incredibly risky, and to be honest, it ...

Have you ever been stung by a client that just will not pay? We’ve all been there. It’s an incredibly stressful situation to deal with. No matter how well you try to align yourself and your business to work with your ideal clients, it's likely going to happen at one ...

Here's a fun Christmas fact for you, did you know that 'Merry Christmas' is actually trademarked?! With all the mass produced Christmas stuff we see every year, it’s pretty crazy to think about. In fact, in the US there are actually four federally registered trademarks for ‘Merry Christmas': 1. For ...

The legal world is full to the brim of misconceptions and myths that can be incredibly damaging for you and your business. Think about it this way, if you believe A but the truth is B, this could lead to a whole bunch of issues down the line. Here at ...

Here at Jamieson Law, we have a bit of a guilty pleasure - looking up celebrity trademark cases. We hear you saying "get a life", but we're trademark geeks and proud (and we'll shout this from the rooftops)! Not only are these cases interesting to read in general, we can ...

Ah yes, here we go again chatting about Brexit... But there is a reason we keep banging on about it You need to be prepared! The withdrawal period will be over very very soon, and there are bunch of things you need to consider as a business owner... Are your ...

Starting your business is super exciting. You just want to get going with the fun stuff…but often this means that the more ‘boring’ things can be left out. This frequently comes down to legal matters. As uninteresting as it may seem, protecting your business from a legal perspective is INCREDIBLY ...