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Corruption in corporate Britain

The UK has slipped to an all-time low of 17th in a global corruption index. GB assesses the scale of the problem.

Taking on cartels as an SME

Growing businesses lose out when big competitors club together to keep prices high. But how easy is it to take on the giants in court? Ingrid Gubbay, a consultant at law firm Hausfeld, examines the issue.

The global bribery crackdown

Bribery may be a fact of life for many business operating internationally. But the regulators are closing in, writes Alex Rene, a partner at law firm Fulbright & Jaworski.

Litigation to rise in 2009

Businesses expect commercial disputes and regulatory investigations to rise in 2009. Chris Warren-Smith, a partner at law firm Fulbright & Jaworski, looks at why that’s likely to happen.

Escaping the UK tax system

Tax changes have left some feeling the UK’s no longer the best place to base their business. But shaking off your tax liabilities isn't as easy as it sounds. We look at the legal implications of business migration.

Dealing with bad debt

Bad debt, the bane of the growing business, is on the rise. David Gordon, a solicitor at London-based commercial law firm DG Law, explains how to deal with this most soul-destroying of problems.

Companies Act Part Five

In its sheer scale, the Companies Act has set a new record for business legislation.

Service level agreements

You want to make sure you get what you’re paying for from your suppliers. Service level agreements (SLAs) can set agreed standards in stone.

The Equality Bill and positive discrimination

Companies that practise positive discrimination may have the best of intentions, but they are still likely to find themselves on the wrong side of the law. Julie Quinn, partner at law firm Nabarro, looks at how Harriet Harman’s proposed Equality Bill will modify the status quo.

A tax inspector calls

Recent weeks have seen panic and confusion spreading about the statutory rights of tax inspectors. Anne Eager, a tax specialist at advisory firm The Robert James Partnership, examines the changes in April’s Budget and explains what they mean for businesses.

Corporate manslaughter and your business

Companies which ignore new corporate manslaughter laws could be ‘courting disaster’, according to security specialist red24.

Making directors liable

Most directors believe that a limited company does what it says on the tin: in other words, they do not expect to be held personally liable for the company’s misdemeanours. That could be a false assumption, writes Kelly Tinkler of solicitors Rooks Rider.

Protecting great designs

Patents and design registration are the two legal defences your product has against plagiarists. In essence, patents protect ‘new’ and ‘inventive’ ideas, while design registration protects the look of your product, provided it is ‘new’ and ‘of individual character’.

The risks of office romance

Acrimonious break-ups between employees not only damage team morale and productivity, but can prove costly as well, according to Hannah Ford, a laywer in the employment team at Guildford-based firm Stevens & Bolton. There are increasing legal risks associated with the fall-out of office romances, Ford tells GrowthBusiness.

How to avoid unfair dismissal claims

Most businesses have at least one employee who doesn’t do his job but is never shown the door. Directors frequently bemoan the fact that it is almost impossible to get rid of unproductive staff without paying through the nose, writes Caroline Doran, head of the employment group at solicitor Rooks Rider.

Punch above your weight

Jos White, who sold his company MessageLabs for $695 million, on why it's so important to act like a bigger business than you really are.

Meeting menaces: The Waffler

More tips from John Cleese, who reveals how to stop a waffler in full flow.

Reducing energy usage

Ian Cheshire, chairman of B&Q, explains how the store has saved 10,000 tonnes of carbon emissions.