Fotis Grontas & Assosiates on April 4, 2020
Surviving coronavirus: FAQs for UK employers
COVID-19 or ‘coronavirus’ has thrown up a myriad of questions for employers. Here we want to share with you some that we have been asked and how we have answered them so far. The guidance from government is still sketchy so we have had to fill in some of the...
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Fotis Grontas & Assosiates on September 11, 2019
Brexit: Scottish judges rule Parliament suspension is unlawful
Boris Johnson’s suspension of the UK Parliament is unlawful, Scotland’s highest civil court has ruled. A panel of three judges at the Court of Session found in favour of a cross-party group of politicians who were challenging the prime minister’s move. The judges said the PM was attempting to prevent...
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Fotis Grontas & Assosiates on August 16, 2019
What company information is available to the public-Companies House | UK
I think people are surprised at what information is available on the public register and it’s often overlooked when you are dealing with an individual or a company. We’re required by law to make the information we collect available to the public. If you’re a director of a registered company,...
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Fotis Grontas & Assosiates on February 18, 2019
Trade mark registration
What intellectual property is Having the right type of intellectual property protection helps you to stop people stealing or copying: The names of your products or brands Your inventions The design or look of your products Things you write, make or produce Copyright, patents, designs and trade marks are all...
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Fotis Grontas & Assosiates on February 18, 2019
Trade mark categories of goods and services
General remarks The indications of goods or services appearing in the class headings are general indications relating to the fields to which, in principle, the goods or services belong. The Alphabetical List should therefore be consulted in order to ascertain the exact classification of each individual product or service. Goods...
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Fotis Grontas & Assosiates on February 18, 2019
Passing off
The main restriction on the use of a name (for any business whether sole trader, partnership, LLP or company) is that the name used for the business, or a very similar name, may already be in use by an existing business. The other business (which could be any type of...
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Fotis Grontas & Assosiates on February 18, 2019
Changing a company’s name
A company can change its name by passing a special resolution in general meeting (CA 2006, sec77(1)), or by such other means as are provided for by the company’s articles (e.g. a resolution of the directors). A copy of the resolution must be sent to Companies House with form NM01...
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Fotis Grontas & Assosiates on February 18, 2019
Protecting a company’s name
Distinctive company names and brand names are valuable business assets. They may be protected by actions at common law for passing off and, if registered as such, by suing for trade mark infringement. Such litigation is expensive, time consuming and the results can be uncertain. Steps should be taken to...
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Fotis Grontas & Assosiates on February 18, 2019
Trade marks
A trade mark is usually a word or logo or a combination of both, used to distinguish the product or service of a particular trader. Since 1994, distinctive smells, sounds and 3-dimensional shapes may also be registered. A trade mark may be registered for existing products or services to protect...
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Fotis Grontas & Assosiates on February 18, 2019
Incorporating an existing business
In outline, the process to incorporate an existing business (i.e. turn it from a partnership or sole trader’s business into a company) is for a new company to be registered and then, on an appropriate date, for the business to be sold to the company at an appropriate value, the...
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Fotis Grontas & Assosiates on February 18, 2019
Ready made companies
The term”ready made company” (or “shelf company”) is now virtually obsolete. It used to denote a company registered by a solicitor or company registration agent to bekept in stock for sale and transfer to a client in due course. When we started in business in 1978, three-quarters of all new...
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Fotis Grontas & Assosiates on February 18, 2019
Voluntary dissolution
Voluntary dissolution of a company is where the directors apply to Companies House for the company to be dissolved and struck off the register of companies. Company Law Solutions provides a voluntary dissolution service. Introduction to voluntary dissolution A company may apply to Companies House to be struck off the...
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Fotis Grontas & Assosiates on February 18, 2019
Company names
A company’s name is an important asset. When you start a new business or you want to change a company’s name the name has to be chosen carefully to avoid infringing the rights of established businesses, and to ensure that it complies with the requirements of the Companies Acts. It...
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Fotis Grontas & Assosiates on February 18, 2019
Company seals
A company seal is a device for stamping the company’s name in paper. At common law, any contract entered into by a company had to be under seal, subject to some minor exceptions. From 1875 until 1989 a document had to be executed under seal if this would be the...
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