A recent Court of Appeal decision illustrates the dangers for businesses of relying on conversations and unsigned draft agreements.

The case underlines the importance of ensuring that key contractual provisions are always documented, especially those as fundamental as a termination right.

You should always take legal advice if you are negotiating a large or unusual contract, but this checklist highlights the key issues to consider when negotiating contracts on behalf of your business.

The London 2012 Olympic Games will be held between 27 July and 12 August 2012.

This checklist highlights some of the issues businesses may need to consider before the Olympics start.

It is not uncommon for a business to sponsor students to advance their training, particularly where there is an expectation (or commitment) that the student will work for the company at the end of the course. An Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) decision has confirmed that these type of arrangements are unlikely to be considered to be contracts of employment if the primary purpose of the arrangement is training and education.

In this case, the EAT had to consider whether a contract to sponsor a former apprentice during a university degree was a contract of employment entitling him to claim unfair dismissal, or a contract which would not give him statutory employment rights. The EAT held that there was no dismissal when the sponsor refused him full-time employment following his withdrawal from the degree.

This checklist explains the significance of the distinction between an employee, a worker and a self-employed contractor. It also sets out the factors that will be considered by an employment tribunal when deciding whether an individual is an employee or self-employed.

An NHS Trust and three senior employees have been ordered to pay £4.5 million in compensation to a female obstetrician.

The obstetrician was subjected to harassment, criticism, false allegations and “a lengthy and wholly unauthorised period of suspension” before disciplinary proceedings began, culminating in her dismissal.

The award was made up of £1.1 million for loss of past and future earnings, £600,000 for loss of pension, damages for injury to feelings and exemplary damages against the Trust. It is thought to be the largest award in a UK discrimination case.

This checklist sets out the different types of discrimination that can occur within the workplace and highlights practical steps businesses can take to help avoid breaching discrimination and harassment law.

A Court of Appeal decision has confirmed that, if a business if offering services to the public, it must offer those services in a non-discriminatory way.

The court held that a hotel had discriminated against gay civil partners on the grounds of their sexual orientation. The court said that only heterosexual married couples could comply with the hotel’s precondition for letting double rooms only, because gay couples could not marry. Therefore, the hotel directly discriminated against homosexual couples.

This checklist sets out the duties a business owes to members of the public when they are provided with goods, services or facilities. It is aimed at non-lawyers and is designed for practice development purposes only. 

A recent High Court decision will have implications for tenants who are considering exercising a break clause in an existing lease. The court held that a tenant owed default interest on late payments under a lease, even though the landlord had not issued any demand for default interest.

This checklist highlights the practical issues a tenant should consider before exercising a break clause.

Employers with employees who regularly work overtime, should be aware of a recent Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) decision on the 48-hour working week opt-out. The EAT held that a requirement by an employer for an employee to sign an opt-out agreement to work overtime was reasonable and necessary to ensure the employer complied with its duty under the Working Time Regulations 1998 (SI 1998/1833) to take reasonable steps to ensure compliance with the 48-hour week.

This checklist summarises your business’ obligations under the Working Time Regulations.

The government has confirmed that, subject to two exceptions, mandatory online filing of VAT returns will be extended from 1 April 2012. Currently, only businesses with an annual turnover of £100,000 or more must file VAT returns online. All VAT registered businesses will now need to file VAT returns online for VAT accounting periods beginning on or after 1 April 2012.

This checklist highlights the key legal obligations your business should consider when dealing with personal data about:

Customers, Suppliers, Employees and any other individuals who you may encounter in the course of your business. 

A case in the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) highlights the importance for employers of carefully considering whether an employee’s failure at work is misconduct or a lack of capability matter, before taking any formal action against them that could lead to their dismissal.

This checklist sets out the steps your business should follow when you are considering dismissing an employee.

A company had appointed a contractor to carry out works to a listed Victorian manor house. The parties could not agree the sum due to the contractor and the parties each commenced proceedings. Following an exchange of written settlement offers between the parties’ solicitors, the parties’ managing directors spoke by telephone to try to settle the dispute. After the conversation, the contractor asserted that the parties had reached a binding settlement, but the company denied this. The court ruled that, as a result of the conversation, the parties had orally agreed that the company would pay the contractor £275,000 in full and final settlement.

This checklist highlights the factors a business should consider when it is thinking of settling a commercial dispute.

Manufacturers are under no obligation to offer a guarantee for goods. However, if a business does offer one, this will create a legally binding contract between the business and the consumer. A business may want to offer a guarantee because it promotes the product, sets it apart from similar competitor products in the marketplace, helps establish the business as a reputable and reliable manufacturer.

This checklist sets out the legal obligations your business owes to a consumer if you offer a manufacturer’s guarantee with your goods.

This legal update highlights the various salary sacrifice arrangements that can be used by a business and the impact of the new VAT rules
on themas HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has confirmed that, from 1 January 2012, businesses must account for VAT on the supply of VATable benefits provided to employees under salary sacrifice arrangements.

This legal update highlights the key data protection issues your business should consider when carrying out direct marketing. It explains
how your business should collect information about your customers (including individual customers, named individuals within a business and businesses themselves) and how to communicate information about your products and services to existing and potential customers.