Registered proprietors of businesses bear personal responsibility for ensuring that all tax is paid on time, even if their day-to-day management is delegated to others. That principle was applied in one case in which the
Contracting with overseas companies, particularly those controlled by foreign states, can create particular legal difficulties, making it all the more important to have a professionally drafted agreement in place. One case that illustrated the point
There is nothing at all wrong with fierce competition – but a pharmaceutical company was accused of seriously over-stepping the mark by circulating an anonymous letter criticising a trade rival, and ended up having to
Oral contracts are notoriously fraught with legal difficulty and it is always wise to get a solicitor to accurately record in writing the agreements that you reach. One property company found that out to its
Sharp practices and deceit are sadly not uncommon in commerce – but one Court of Appeal case involving numerous shipments of mis-described crude oil showed that the law can catch up with perpetrators no matter
If you lie to your insurers, they generally have every right to refuse to cover any claim that you might make. However, in a ground-breaking decision, the Supreme Court has ruled in the context of
Protecting the environment is a top government priority and those who break the law can expect to be severely punished. In one case, directors of a waste composting company which went bust, leaving piles of
A new series of hoax calls is taking place up and down the country, in time with the 31 July due date for payment of the semi-annual tax instalment. The caller represents themselves as being
It is a fundamental rule of law that the courts will not assist anyone to profit from his own illegal or immoral acts. However, in a landmark decision, the Supreme Court has ruled in the
The tax system can sometimes appear mechanistic, relentless and impersonal – but a tribunal’s decision to overturn a businessman’s late payment penalties in the light of his acute cash flow difficulties showed that it can
