Miles and miles and miles of stones

Life is full of milestones. Big birthdays. Anniversaries. First and last times you do things.

This year is full of some big ones for me. Not birthdays (or at least not ones I’m willing to admit to!) but big dates. My youngest son leaves junior school and my eldest finishes his GCSEs (gulp!). It’s also 10 years since I set up on my own and (wait for it !) 20 years (yes, 20 years) since I qualified as a solicitor. Doesn’t time fly when you are having fun.

For me, milestones are as much about looking forward to what I want to do next, as looking back at what has been achieved. I’m sure I’m not alone, but does everyone think about the future in the context of business law, or am I the only weirdo – probably.

If I was going to make some suggestions about what looking forward in the context of business law looks like, here are a few ideas.

1. Look at your mem and arts – has your business evolved in such a way so that what you are actually doing is different from what you were set up to do. This isn’t a crisis, but if it’s happened (and it’s quite common) your mem and arts should be amended. If not, you could fall foul of your obligations under the Companies Act.
2. Look at your ts and cs (I’m sure you all have ts and cs!) and any contracts you have with your clients/suppliers to see if they are still fit for purpose. If your business practices have changed, and what you do in real life is different from what your paperwork says, the real life version make take priority. For example, if your clients have got into the habit of paying late, and you haven’t challenged it, you may found that you are bound to accept late payments, even if your ts and cs say otherwise.
3. Look at your contracts of employment and HR policies. This is another area where things can change but your paperwork might not. You may have more staff and so need different practices such as holiday leave procedures or working hours.

I’m sure it won’t surprise you to know that these are all things that people tend to forget about, often to their detriment. I’m sure it also won’t surprise you to learn that these are all things we can help you with. This may come as a surprise – we do a free review of your paperwork.

If you’d like to celebrate anything – birthdays, milestones, new businesses, anniversaries, end of exams, free offers or just that fact that you made it through another day, drop me a line at stephanie@kleymansolicitors.com and we can find a time to raise a glass and make a plan for the future.

Kleyman & Co Solicitors. The full service law firm. Good at celebrating.