Stage 1: FACT-FINDING

We are always pleased to visit clients' premises to discuss legal requirements. We will agree objectives with you and give a quotation for any subsequent legal work you require.

Stage 2: LEGAL OVERVIEW

Once the framework is agreed, we will conduct a legal overview on legal issues arising out of your company's objectives and concerns. Directors, managers and relevant employees should all be involved and they may well be asked to describe their jobs, functions, and problems - as they perceive them. In the light of our experience of existing business practices, we find that the following are frequent areas of difficulty, but we can advise on many other areas as well. These may include:

• Employment Law
• Commercial Contracts
• E-Commerce
• Competition Law
• Conditions of trading
• Agreements with suppliers
• Distribution and Agency Agreements
• Joint Venture Agreements
• Product liability
• Credit risk and control
• Debt collection
• EU cross-border work

Stage 3: THE REPORT

We will prepare a first report on the agreed subjects. We will then discuss the report with management. We will make specific recommendations in the defined areas. If required we will also make other suggestions which may avoid any potential difficulties.

Stage 4: IMPLEMENTATION

We will implement any recommendations on your behalf as required. For example, you may ask us to update your standard terms and conditions of business.

Stage 5: ADDITIONAL SERVICES

We hope that our contribution will not end with our first report. Running a business today is increasingly complex. Don't forget, if you unwittingly step out of line, ignorance of the numerous and continual changes in both national and European law is no defence. We would welcome the chance to meet you and update our first report on a regular basis. When in doubt, we hope that you will ring us. (back to top)

European Law Compliance Review - We also provide a European Law Compliance Review for businesses who trade in EU cross-border work. Wherever European law collides with English law, European law prevails. Any agreement or trading practice which contravenes European law may prove void and unenforceable and can attract swingeing fines, even though theoretically it may comply with English domestic law. This can be the case even where the agreement or trading practice is between two English firms.

Businesses must be able to rely on a secure contractual framework to support and protect profitable trading. Complexities involved between European and English law mean that specialist help is essential to avoid unforeseen problems. We provide such preventative help in the form of an European Law Compliance Review which sometimes follows on from an initial Legal Health Check. (back to top)

Auditors and In-house Solicitors - Where financial or tax matters are concerned, we are more than happy to complement the specialist expertise of your company's auditors by contributing our analytical legal skills. We will work as part of your team of professional advisers, and, ultimately, as part of your decision-making process. If you have your own in-house solicitor, we believe he or she would welcome working with us. Our resources are dedicated to processing and absorbing a continuous flow of new legislation. The combination of an inside and outside view is often the way to achieve the best solution, so we would prefer to work alongside your current team. But when and where required we can and do work independently.

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