Specialist solicitors you can rely on

Buying into and taking the helm of a business you know well can be an exciting prospect. A management buy-out (MBO) offers the experienced management team a chance to take a business forward in new ways, ones which the previous owner may not have supported. Your inside knowledge of the business, its strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities, means you can develop a sound business plan for funders, and it puts you in a good negotiating position.

If you are involved in a business dispute, then it is sensible to try to resolve the matter as quickly and cost-efficiently as possible to avoid or reduce the chances of having to go to court. Taking advice at an early stage from a legal advisor who is experienced in dispute resolution is vital, and one powerful tool in their toolbox is a well drafted letter before action.

An employee builds up valuable knowledge and contacts during the time that they work for you, but your commercial interests may be vulnerable if they leave and go on to work for a competitor. It is therefore prudent to take steps to protect confidential information, such as pricing strategies, bids, or cutting-edge research, and to guard relationships with clients or suppliers that could be exploited to another business’s advantage.

If you get planning permission for the development of a site, it now comes with an obligation to ensure that there is a net gain in biodiversity. The statutory obligation is to demonstrate a minimum 10 per cent increase in biodiversity after the development has been completed, compared with the site before the development began. However, you could find yourself facing a bigger requirement as each local authority is free to impose a higher threshold.