Before you start the potentially lengthy and complicated process of applying for a patent, check whether or not it is right for your business. You can find out more about patenting your invention, the process by which the Intellectual Property Office grants patents, and how to enforce your patent on the Intellectual Property Office pages of the GOV.UK website.
START-UP AND SME RESOURCES
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Starting up
Setting up a business involves complying with a range of legal requirements. Find out which ones apply to you and your new enterprise.
Setting up a business involves complying with a range of legal requirements. Find out which ones apply to you and your new enterprise.
Business ownership and management
While poor governance can bring serious legal consequences, the law can also protect business owners and managers and help to prevent conflict.
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While poor governance can bring serious legal consequences, the law can also protect business owners and managers and help to prevent conflict.
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Finance and business strategy
Whether you want to raise finance, join forces with someone else, buy or sell a business, it pays to be aware of the legal implications.
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Whether you want to raise finance, join forces with someone else, buy or sell a business, it pays to be aware of the legal implications.
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Employment law
From pay, hours and time off to discipline, grievance and hiring and firing employees, find out about your legal responsibilities as an employer.
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From pay, hours and time off to discipline, grievance and hiring and firing employees, find out about your legal responsibilities as an employer.
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- Recruitment and employment contracts
- Pay and pensions
- Working time: hours, leave, flexible working
- Employment policies
- Sickness and sick pay
- Maternity, paternity and adoption
- Discrimination
- Managing homeworkers, remote workers, lone workers
- Information and consultation
- Discipline and grievance
- Dismissals and redundancies
- Employment tribunals
Marketing and selling
Whether you are selling to businesses or consumers, you must comply with laws designed to protect customers and ensure acceptable trading standards.
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Whether you are selling to businesses or consumers, you must comply with laws designed to protect customers and ensure acceptable trading standards.
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Contracts, disputes
Commercial disputes can prove time-consuming, stressful and expensive, but having robust legal agreements can help to prevent them from occurring.
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Commercial disputes can prove time-consuming, stressful and expensive, but having robust legal agreements can help to prevent them from occurring.
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Commercial premises law
Whether your business owns or rents premises, your legal liabilities can be substantial. Commercial property law is complex, but you can avoid common pitfalls.
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Whether your business owns or rents premises, your legal liabilities can be substantial. Commercial property law is complex, but you can avoid common pitfalls.
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Health and safety
With information and sound advice, living up to your legal responsibilities to safeguard your employees, customers and visitors need not be difficult or costly.
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With information and sound advice, living up to your legal responsibilities to safeguard your employees, customers and visitors need not be difficult or costly.
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Data protection and IT
As information technology continues to evolve, legislation must also change. It affects everything from data protection and online selling to internet policies for employees.
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As information technology continues to evolve, legislation must also change. It affects everything from data protection and online selling to internet policies for employees.
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Intellectual property
Businesses large and small have intellectual property. It can be a key business asset that requires sufficient protection if you are to maximise its full value.
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Businesses large and small have intellectual property. It can be a key business asset that requires sufficient protection if you are to maximise its full value.
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Exit strategies
Knowing how and when you plan to sell or relinquish control of your business can help you to make better decisions and achieve the best possible outcome.
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Knowing how and when you plan to sell or relinquish control of your business can help you to make better decisions and achieve the best possible outcome.
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Personal law
From bereavement, wills, inheritance, separation and divorce to selling a house, personal injury and traffic offences, learn more about your personal legal rights.
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From bereavement, wills, inheritance, separation and divorce to selling a house, personal injury and traffic offences, learn more about your personal legal rights.
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