Friday 28 February 2014

What is the Law in your Life?

5 things you need to know about company (shareholder resolutions):

  1. There are two types of shareholder resolution under UK company law - an ordinary resolution and a special resolution.
  2. An ordinary resolution requires a simple majority (i.e. just over 50%) of the shareholders voting in favour to be passed. An example of an ordinary resolution is a shareholder resolution to remove a director.
  3. A special resolution requires at least 75% of the shareholders voting in favour to be passed. An example of a special resolution is a resolution to change the company’s name or change its articles of association.
  4. Shareholder resolutions may be passed at an actual meeting of shareholders (e.g. at a general meeting or an annual general meeting) or by way of a written resolution. It important to get the resolution wording right - Brymer Legal can help you with that.
  5. Special resolutions require to be registered at Companies House.

Monday 17 February 2014

What is the Law in your Life?

5 things you need to know about plagiarism:

1.   Plagiarism is defined in Oxford Dictionaries as “the practice of taking someone else’s work or ideas and passing them off as one’s own”.
2.   The policing of plagiarism in educational institutions is very topical as a result of digital communications and the scope of the internet. Plagiarism is often described as academic fraud.
3.   Software detection systems such as Turnitin are now increasingly used as a supplement to academic review.
4.   Ignorance of the law of an institution’s regulations is not an excuse – these are usually made known to students during class and/or as a condition of matriculation.
5.   Given the ease of availability of published texts on almost any subject these days, is there not a case for referencing techniques to be taught at a much earlier age in school?

Monday 10 February 2014

What is the Law in your Life?

5 things you need to know about trade marks:

1.    You are afforded protection even if you have not registered your trade mark – use the ™ legend to show you know your rights!  You cannot use the ® legend unless you have a registered trade mark.
2.    Registration provides you with immediate and robust protection against anyone copying your brand, it becomes an asset of your business.
3.    You should always carry out thorough due diligence when starting a new company or brand to make sure no one else is using that brand. Brymer Legal can help you do that.
4.    You are not guaranteed the use of a particular company name even if you own the trade mark.  Nothing directly links Companies House to the IPO. Be careful not to lose the company name you want.
5.    Registration in the UK is governed in the UK by the IPO (link), in the EU by the OHIM (link) and worldwide by the WIPO (link).