As the phased return to normality is likely to be rolled-out over a few months, employers are going to have different needs and requirements in how to restart operations. The timescale by which they can do so, will depend on the industry they are in. Similarly, employees will have their own considerations and mixed feelings […]
Lawyer Karen Holden explores whether parents who keep their child at home because they do not believe school is safe will be fined… With lots of anticipation and trepidation surrounding the return to school, the government has said all pupils are required to return to school unless otherwise agreed. This means that, when absence is […]
As the Covid-19 pandemic reduces in numbers of fatalities, the UK Government launched, on 28 May 2020, a new tech initiative to keep us, the public safe; this is called Track and Trace. This initiative was rolled out on the Isle of Wight on 5th May 2020 and since this time it has gone nationwide. […]
In an unprecedented and uncertain time, business resilience and tools to ensure business continuity are imperative. With the advancement of technology and now COVID-19, working remotely is now the only way many of us can work. Leaders are understandably under pressure to continue business as usual whilst ensuring the productivity of their team members.’ […]
Inequality, unfortunately, is still prevalent in the workplace, despite equality legislation and recognition by many organisations of the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workforce. There are two major arguments in support of employers having a diverse and inclusive workforce, namely moral and financial. The moral case for diversity and inclusion When discussing this […]
Karen Holden is the founder of A City Law Firm judiciary.uk/judgments/r-on-the-application-of-tt-v-the-registrar-general-for-england-and-wales-and-others/ “As a firm that champions equality we are of course disappointed at the judgement and it highlights how the law is slow to keep up to modern society. Our founder was invited to be given Freedom of the City for her work towards Equality she says […]
Many businesses require funding or investment at some stage, either to launch or scale-up. The common route is equity share. Whilst this is readily available, these are not without pitfalls or obstacles. Working with many different companies, investors and financial groups have given us an insight into the options available for companies, including the risks, and benefits […]
Being party to a litigation dispute is not always simple. It is likely to be time consuming and it is almost always going to be costly. This is the case whether you are a claimant or defendant, a business or a litigant in person. It is particularly important for businesses to ensure that it does […]
Here Total Business hears from Karen Holden, the Founder of A City Law Firm, who discusses the steps in handling LGBT discrimination in the workplace. The LGBT community are subjected to bullying and harassment in the workplace on a devasting scale. In a survey conducted by Stonewall, consisting of more than 5,000 LGBT people across […]
A properly planned restructure can save a company. Karen Holden, founder of A City Law Firm, looks at the different options available to business owners and advises on the most suitable route to take. What does it mean to restructure your business? Typically, when referring to restructuring a business people mean carving up the different parts of […]
Jurisdictions around the world are starting to recognise that the law must evolve in conjuncture with language and digital communication. Until now, courts have traditionally relied on hard evidence such as documents, words, audio and video recordings as evidence. However, the strong influence of popular culture and widespread use of Emoji as an enhancement to […]
Bitcoin is known as the “gold standard” of cryptocurrency. Chances are you’ve heard of it but may not really understand its importance and growing relevance. In recent years, however, banks, governments and crucially divorce lawyers are beginning to take a much more forensic interest. And if you own bitcoin, or have a spouse that does […]
While there has been a growing acceptance of the LGBT community in the UK in recent years, which helps to combat issues of discrimination and bullying, these are still prevalent issues in professional settings. The LGBT community are subjected to bullying and harassment in the workplace on a devastating scale. In a survey conducted by […]
An article published in the Independent on 28 August 2018 reported that data breach complaints had increased by 160% since the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) came into force. This staggering statistic does not come as surprise, given the amount of media attention and government campaigns there were for GDPR. The media attention has raised […]
Due to their flexibility and that fact Drones are now so small yet sophisticated they could soon become as common on-site as trucks and diggers. A recent report by Goldman Sachs makes it clear that the largest expected take-up for commercial drones is in construction, primarily in surveying and mapping sites. […]
To much fanfare, Apple has just released the iPhone XS, XS Max and XR. However a matter of hours before the launch, Apple’s own website seemingly leaked key features of the new products including their names, colour and storage size (a key feature of the new products). A City Law Firm looks at what steps […]
CashFlow its an issue for every business. Our founder was asked to speak with other CEOs as a legal adviser & business owner to offer her top tips. NatWest sponsors spotlight sessions with Mary Portas.
Karen Holden of A City Law Firm has represented hundreds of tech businesses and sees the same issues time and time again. Here’s what to look out for and how to navigate the legal minefield. This month my company (A City Law Firm) marked our ten-year anniversary, which has made me think back to our […]
From 25 May 2018 the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA) will be replaced by The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and it will bring important changes to the ways data is stored and processed by businesses. The introduction of GDPR is designed to set clear rules for businesses to follow when collecting and storing personal […]
The Data Protection Act is about to be changed becoming tougher, and only about a third of businesses are ready for it – particularly those in the arts and creative industries. It will bring the UK into line with Europe and nothing, not even Brexit, will slow its implementation. Lawyer Karen Holden, who has made […]
There has been an incredible revolution over the past 100 years, which has transformed the lives of women. Opportunities have been created, expectations have been surpassed, and women are working to (successfully) achieve equality. Changes in the law have empowered women to gain the right to vote, right to an education, right to divorce, the […]
WE HAVE ALL READ THE CHALLENGES MADE AGAINST UBER, DELIVEROO, ADDISON LEE AND PIMLICO PLUMBERS BY MEMBERS OF STAFF. The issue is not new and boils down to whether certain self-employed staff should be considered as employed (and subject to employers NI) and in turn whether they should then have employment rights and benefits. We […]
This month my company (A City Law Firm) marked our ten-year anniversary, which has made me think back to our first year, how we started and some of the early mistakes we made. For one thing, within a year of our launch, we had to restructure the entire business and there were so many hurdles […]
Karen Holden, founder of A City Law Firm and Mumpreneur asks for your thoughts. I have never been diagnosed with cancer, but I have experienced family members going through Chemo and sadly losing the battle with breast cancer. I met someone recently who challenged the philosopher in me and made me really think about how […]
I own my own business and have recently separated from my partner, but I was not married. Could my partner have any rights over my business?There is nothing worse than a separation from someone you loved, but sorting out the house and finances can feel like a minefield. You want it to be amicable , […]
Karen Holden of A City Law Firm shares her views It is often debated whether women can ‘have it all’ and I truly believe we can. There is nothing stopping us climbing the career ladder whilst being doting parents, providing you are willing to work hard and sacrifice. I started my own legal practice after […]
So you’re pregnant, but you love your career, do you have to choose between your family and your success? In short, you shouldn’t have to and the law is there to protect you , but what’s the reality ? There are so many protections and options for mums that there is no reason why you […]
A City Law Firm – Awarded ‘Innovative Law Firm of 2016 London’ We pride ourselves on being the ‘leading entrepreneur law firm in the City of London’, offering our clients alternative options, out the box ideas as well as traditionally sound legal advice. What does 2016/2017 hold for you and your business? I am not […]
My partner took out a loan so I could buy a motorbike – now she’s told me to pay her back in full or hand over the bike, what are my options? By Rebecca Rutt for thisismoney.co.uk Two years ago my partner took out a loan so I could use the money to buy a […]
There are many people who will refer you to companies and accountants that can take in your investment, but these agents often take a referral free for doing so, but make no real attempt to check whether that company is able to perform the immigration processes you require or that it is sustainable for the […]
Not necessarily but be warned! Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), mediation being the most well-known example, is now being strongly encouraged by the courts, more than ever before. The rationale is easy to follow. The courts are becoming increasingly burdened by an ever growing number of litigants and ADR, if used properly, increases the chances of […]
So you’ve come up with an awesome idea for a startup. You know that you have the potential to be the next big thing. So you look at your budget and break down where you need to spend – be it marketing, networking events, hiring of staff or technology… but how safe is your very […]
Empty Judgments: What to do when faced with an insolvent defendant company. It is a claimant’s nightmare: succeed in obtaining a judgment against a defendant company only to find that the company is insolvent or does not have sufficient means to satisfy the judgment debt. This is what is known as an empty judgment, which […]
“Can I recover my costs from the other side?” This is one of the first questions asked in any dispute in which solicitors are involved and an important consideration when weighing up the commercial viability of pursuing a person for money owed to you. The general rule is that the person against whom judgment is […]
All change The landscape of litigation has changed considerably this year. The guiding principle of the courts to deal with cases justly appears to have been qualified by the requirement that cases are run efficiently and at proportionate cost. In short, this means that the courts’ tolerance of non-compliance with the procedural rules has all […]
Challenging rent terms in your lease: Canonical UK Ltd. v TST Millbank LLC In this case a tenant sought to break a lease, which clearly specified (as is normal practice) that for a break notice to be valid, all the rents payable under the lease had be paid up to the date of the break. It […]
So…You find yourself on the wrong side of an unfortunate business agreement. Money is owed to you. You try to negotiate, but the other side is either unwilling to be reasonable or even to negotiate at all. As with all legal disputes, prevention is cheaper than the cure. Even with simple debt recovery matters, legal […]
New legislation has come into effect which will allow employees to become shareholders in a company in exchange for surrendering key employment rights. Significant tax reliefs are available for employees who enter into one of these schemes. The provisions are expected to come into force in Autumn 2013. The “Exchange” Employees who enter into the […]
Family Care asks: With National Careers Week and International Women’s Day falling in the same month, what better time than to discuss where equality in the workplace is for women. From your viewpoint, has the equality gap begun to close? And what needs to be done to progress to the next level? The Past is […]
As parents we have a number of important decisions to make. One is who will look after and care for our children , where we cannot do so, due to returning to work for example. This article focuses on Nurseries, but please see our other articles on nannies and child minders if this is applicable. […]
It is a common misconception that a “common law marriage” is recognised in UK law; it is not. Regrettably, irrespective of the length of your relationship or the time you have been living together or whether you have children, there is still no legal recognition of this status and it can leave you vulnerable upon […]
The Court of Appeal has upheld the County Court’s decision confirming that Christian Hotel Owners Mr & Mrs Bull discriminated against Civil Partners Messrs Preddy & Hall by denying them a double bed. In accordance with their religious belief, Mr & Mrs Bull operated a strict policy permitting only married couples to share double beds […]
Have you been offered a franchise or do you need to renew or sell yours? If so, let our team assist you, with clear and swift legal advice. We offer comprehensive advice for a fixed fee, which remain competitive and are also transparent. We will take you through the terms of the agreement, advise you […]
If you are a creditor you will still be able to recover your debt and the costs are not as prohibitive as you may think. In particular this is easier if the debtor is within an EU country; the country has a reciprocal agreement and/or you have a term in your contract submitting the relationship […]
An Injunction is an equitable remedy in the form of a Court Order that usually requires a person to do or refrain from doing something. However, they may also require a person to positively do something to prevent what would be unlawful conduct leading to damage to the claimant. Injunctions are discretionary remedies and it […]
Q: What is Intellectual property? A: Intellectual Property (IP) ascribes the legal right that exists in products of human creativity. IP is divided into two categories: Industrial property, which includes inventions (patents), trademarks such as your logo, company name or slogan, industrial designs; and Copyright, which includes literary and artistic works such as novels, poems […]
The smart phone, a seemingly innocent accessory, has revealed itself as a much more dangerous weapon against employers. The Smart Phone – an Employee’s weapon of choice! The smart phone, a seemingly innocent accessory, has revealed itself as a much more dangerous weapon against employers. High quality recording and photographic functions give employees a portable […]
The Act (as amended) identifies three ways in which an employer might discriminate against a disabled employee. Firstly, by virtue of S.3A(1) by treating him or her, for a reason related to his or her disability, less favourably than he treats employees to whom that reason does not apply. This is subject to the possibility […]
You’ve had a great idea for a business; you’ve set yourself up and may even have staff working for you; perhaps you’re now looking for your first premises or your first client seeking professional legal advice at the earliest possible stage will actually save you money in the long-term and avoid frequent pitfalls. Decide on an […]
As an employer you have the same responsibilities for ensuring the health and safety of home workers as you would for staff based at your premises. Employers have a legal duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of their employees, including homeworkers. Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, employers […]
In this day and age you can buy recording devices from high street shops to a standard that even MI5 would be proud of. It is surprisingly easy. However, recording conversations without the participant’s knowledge is essentially considered a breach of that person’s right to privacy. When the evidence that is recorded is central to […]
An increasing number of Individuals are taking advantage of the fiscal and lifestyle advantages attainable by establishing residency in Gibraltar, which has no physical presence requirements. HIGH NET WORTH INDIVIDUALS TAX ADVANTAGES OFF-SHORE An increasing number of Individuals are taking advantage of the fiscal and lifestyle advantages attainable by establishing residency in Gibraltar, which has no physical […]
Our top employment solicitors in London offer specialist employment legal advice to employers and employees alike. Our goal is to help employers prevent grievances or claims arising through comprehensive advice and structured manuals/training & procedures whilst also aiding those employees who have suffered or are suffering in the work place. Our top employment lawyers have […]