Alvin and the Chipmunks return in a digital-first reboot with a 2028 film. What the family-owned franchise teaches UK SMEs about IP and licensing.
Category: Legal
Contracts, Human Resources HR, Employment and legal advice for owners and managers of SME small and medium sized business owners.
Prince Harry and fellow claimants face ‘eye-watering’ legal bill after Daily Mail court defeat, warns former Costs Judge
A former Costs Judge warns Prince Harry and his fellow claimants could face an eye-watering legal bill after losing their privacy case against Daily Mail publisher Associated Newspapers.
Glamping couple take Britvic to court over Magic Mushroom Cabin photo
A Northamptonshire glamping couple are suing J2O maker Britvic over the unauthorised use of a photo of their Magic Mushroom Cabin, in a case every SME should watch.
Backlash in China as bubble tea chain Molly Tea ordered to pay Louis Vuitton £1.1m over logo
Chinese bubble tea chain Molly Tea must pay Louis Vuitton £1.1m after a court ruled its logo copied the luxury house’s four-petal flower trademark, sparking a fierce online backlash.
HMRC concedes defeat on referees as decade-long IR35 fight ends
HMRC will not appeal the PGMOL ruling that football referees are self-employed. Dave Chaplin says the decade-long case lays bare flaws in the CEST tool and mutuality of obligation.
The UK’s 100 biggest businesses hide behind 37,000 company registrations
Beauhurst analysis reveals the UK’s 100 largest businesses are built from more than 37,000 Companies House entities, with one registered over 3,800 times, obscuring the true picture.
Three in four UK firms heading for America have no US trademark protection, research finds
New research reveals 76% of UK companies expanding into the US have no USPTO trademark protection, leaving brands and patents dangerously exposed.
HMRC warns 700,000 umbrella workers over ‘bills of exchange’ tax avoidance scam
Promoters in the recruitment and temporary labour sector are pushing a bogus payment ‘trick’ that HMRC says has no legal foundation — and SMEs further down the supply chain risk being dragged in.
Bolt boss defends sacking entire HR team, claiming staff ‘invented problems that didn’t exist’
Bolt chief executive Ryan Breslow has defended axing the fintech’s entire HR department, claiming the team “created problems that didn’t exist” as the firm slashes headcount and pivots to an AI-first model.
ICO Warns SMEs: one month to comply with new Data Complaints Law
UK businesses have just four weeks to put a statutory data protection complaints process in place before the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 takes effect on 19 June 2026. Here’s what SMEs must do.
How a 50-person start-up beat TikTok at the IPO – with Lord Sugar in its corner
An Isle of Man fintech start-up has beaten TikTok at the UK Intellectual Property Office, winning a two-year trade mark fight backed by Lord Sugar’s Trade Mark Wizards, and TikTok has been ordered to pay costs
Meta dealt blow by EU court in landmark ruling on publisher payments
Meta has lost a pivotal EU court case after challenging Italy’s right to set compensation for press content. The ruling strengthens publishers’ hand in negotiations with Big Tech platforms over snippets and AI training data.
Tesco loses court of appeal fight over equal pay job assessment in landmark ruling for SME and retail employers
Tesco has lost its Court of Appeal challenge to the way tribunals assess job value in the £multi-million equal pay claim brought by 16,000 shop workers — with significant implications for UK employers.
Ashley’s Frasers group dodges hefty damages bill in trademark appeal victory
Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group has overturned damages in a long-running trademark battle with Beverly Hills Polo Club owner Lifestyle Equities, after the Court of Appeal ruled licensee claims were filed too late.
Meta launches high court challenge against Ofcom over online safety act fines
Meta has launched a judicial review against Ofcom, arguing the regulator’s fees and fines regime under the Online Safety Act is disproportionate and unfairly tied to global revenue.
