We are delighted to announce that Kathryn Beasley has been promoted to a Partner. 

Changes to the process to grant options under an EMI scheme were announced by the government in the Spring Budget.

The corporate team at Laytons ETL are delighted to have advised Planit Testing, an Australian headquartered global leader in quality engineering and application testing services, and part of the Toyko based NRI Group, on its acquisition of Shift Left Group, a Yorkshire based quality specialist.

Laytons ETL are proud to have advised the shareholders in the sale of Phoenix Management Group, England’s leading cricket talent management business to CSM Sport & Entertainment.

We have advised Hydrogen Utopia International PLC (HUI) on its admission to the AQSE Growth Market. HUI plans to develop facilities around continental Europe which will turn non-recyclable waste plastic into carbon-free fuels, including hydrogen.

In the run up to COP26 in Glasgow, the UN labelled 2021 as the make it or break it year for climate action. COP26 was the largest COP to date with 120 world leaders and more than 38,000 participants attending representing 194 countries. Its aim was to keep alive the hope of limiting the rise in the global temperature to 1.5c.

It has been three weeks since the end of the Brexit Transition Period and many businesses, in particular small retailers exporting to the EU, are finding themselves facing a barrage of new rules and regulations which, together with the announcement on January 4th of another National Lockdown across England, has made for a grim New Year.

Laytons' corporate team are proud to have advised BVA S.A.S. on its recent cross-border acquisition of BDRC Group Limited.

The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (the “Act”) has introduced a number of reforms to Companies House in March this year. One of the Act’s aims is to improve corporate transparency and enhance the role of Companies House.

A popular tax-advantaged share scheme is the Enterprise Management Incentives (“EMIs”). An HMRC research report found that “the EMI scheme had led to increased equity investments” and the majority of adopters surveyed “perceived EMI to be successful in helping companies retain key and skilled staff and improve staff morale”.

Investment in infrastructure, productivity and research & development were some of the principal focuses of the Autumn Statement; we provide a summary below of some of the key points that affect the technology sector.

Companies that develop video games in the UK, are able to make savings on their corporation tax bill through the Video Games Tax Relief. The Relief can therefore be highly beneficial.

Stage One of the application process (the submission of a two minute video pitch) closed in November 2016 and successful applicants will be invited in January 2017 to make a written application for Stage Two.

Included is a list of issues that the shareholders of a company may wish to consider for the basis of a shareholders’ agreement and articles of association. 

From 6 April 2016 most UK companies and limited liability partnerships ("LLPs") must keep a register of people with significant control ("PSC register") in addition to their current statutory registers.