When you own a business, you need to make sure that you are staying on the right side of the law. Businesses of all sizes can face legal issues with everything from employee matters to customer claims needing to be addressed.
For any new business owner, it can be useful to understand what the common issues are in order to know how to deal with them.
Below, we are going to discuss some of the common legal problems. Read on to find out what these are.
Shareholder Disagreements
One of the most common issues that many businesses face when it comes to legal matters is disagreements between shareholders. This kind of issue needs to be addressed with caution as shareholders need to know that their wishes are being taken into consideration. If the problem is not dealt with quickly, it could easily escalate.
For many small businesses, shareholders can be extremely valuable and so any disagreements should be handled with care. Make sure to seek legal advice in this case.
Unfair Dismissal Claims
When an employer decides that they no longer require an employee to work for them anymore, there are certain protocols that need to be adhered to. If an employer does not follow these protocols, the employee might claim that they have been unfairly dismissed.
This is more common than you think, and it is a matter that employment solicitors can help you to manage. There are many potential reasons for unfair dismissal, and you want to steer well clear of them to avoid any legal ramifications that represent a drain on your time, money, and reputation.
Poorly Drafted Contracts
Another common legal issue that many business owners typically face involves the contracts that are set out. Any contract needs to be drafted by a legal professional and if it isn’t, there could be some serious flaws. Contracts aren’t just for employees; they can also be for clients. These need to be airtight or else there could be some serious issues in the future when it is referred to.
Intellectual Property Breaches
Finally, you will find that intellectual property breaches are a very common legal issue that many business owners need to deal with. If they have created their own brand and imagery, these should be protected by the law.
This also goes for any documents or files created by the company. If you think that your property has been used by someone else without your permission, you could find that you need to get in touch with a lawyer to resolve the issue.
Final Verdict
As you can see, there are some serious legal issues that many businesses face throughout the year. Luckily, there are teams of solicitors who can help with everything from employment issues to intellectual property breaches.
If you are planning on setting up a business or you are already running one, you should seek legal counsel as soon as possible. This will help you to ensure everything is how it should be and that any contracts are tightly bound!
