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The common types of commercial disputes Commercial disputes are an unavoidable aspect of business and can arise out of many different events or circumstances.
Lodders’ team of Dispute Resolution Solicitors is dedicated to helping businesses navigate commercial disputes quickly and effectively. Here, the team discusses common types of commercial disputes. What is a commercial dispute? A commercial dispute can occur in any sector or industry between companies and individuals. It is essentially a disagreement between two or more parties in relation to the exchange of goods and services. Such disputes often occur through a failure to perform contractual terms and conditions, or because of misunderstanding or mismanagement. The most common types of commercial disputes that businesses experience include: • Contractual disputes This is when a party does not comply with the terms of a contract or does not perform their side of the obligations under the contract. • Shareholder/director disputes These typically involve conflicts between individuals who have a vested interest in
the company’s success, such as majority and minority shareholders, and can involve breaches of directors’ duties and unfair prejudice petitions. • Insolvency This type of commercial dispute can arise with stakeholders, shareholders, banks and insolvency practitioners once the insolvency process has started. • Professional negligence This is when a professional fails to perform their responsibilities to the required standard or breaches a duty of care, and the poor conduct results in losses or damage being sustained by their client. • Partnership disputes These arise from disagreements regarding ongoing issues in a business, such as company objectives, responsibility and authority, and use of income. • Construction disputes The nature of construction projects and the law surrounding them often means that claims are made by both parties to the contract, both under the terms of the contract and for other breaches. •
Patent and intellectual property (IP) disputes IP such as patents and trademarks are often a vital business asset, and commercial disputes arise where one
business infringes another business’s IP or takes action against the other for infringing their IP rights. • Debt disputes Disputed claims for debts usually arise as a result of disputed issues of fact, often around the quality of the goods or services provided to the debtor, and will frequently include a counterclaim which the debtor raises as a set off to the debt being claimed. Minimising the impact of disputes Commercial disputes are an inevitable part of the business landscape, but with proactive measures and strategic legal guidance, businesses can minimise the impact of these disputes. Working with an experienced law firm that specialises in commercial law is essential for navigating the complexities of legal challenges and ensuring a favourable resolution for all parties involved. Any commercial litigation dispute involving your business is a problem you can do without. As well as eating up time and money, they are a drain on staff resources, and can do serious damage to key relationships.
Britain’s largest airside WHSmith store has opened at Birmingham Airport (BHX) making environmental claims add up The new flagship store at Birmingham Airport is the result of a £2 million investment by WHSmith.
Andrew Harrison, Managing Director, UK Travel, WHSmith, said: “What sets this store apart is our commitment to curating an array of travel essentials products under one roof, with a bespoke store design inspired by the local architecture, that caters to every traveller’s needs. “From travel essentials such as health and beauty, food to go, and reading materials, to global tech brands and souvenirs - this store really does promise an unmatched convenience shopping
experience for time pressed customers. I couldn’t be more proud of both the end result and also the team’s hard work and meticulous attention to detail to create what is now our largest UK airport store for our partner at Birmingham Airport and our customers.”
Richard Gill, Commercial Director, Birmingham Airport Limited, said: “We are delighted that WHSmith chose Birmingham Airport as the location to open its new flagship store. The new outlet is a one stop shop for our travelling customers, with products ranging from beauty to tech and everyday essentials. The store will
complement our current departure lounge offer further, ensuring our customers have ample choice when travelling from Birmingham Airport. “The WHSmith flagship store is just the first step in our exciting journey in ensuring our departure lounge is ready for our customers, as we grow the airport to 18 million passengers over the next ten years. We are already on our way with our new larger relocated security area due to open in June 2024, which will then create more space to enable a wider choice of catering and retail outlets within our departure lounge in future.”
Business mobiles are crucial for the growth of remote working In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, Pink Connect’s business mobiles have become a vital tool for professionals across various industries. From enhanced security features to seamless communication solutions, business mobiles have adapted to meet the evolving demands of employees in an increasingly interconnected world. One of the most notable shifts in business mobiles is the emphasis on security. With the expansion of remote work and the digitalisation of sensitive information, Pink Connect has ensured that the robust security measures are designed to be satisfactory with the latest requirements and meet your business needs. Pink Connect’s MD, Gisela Pink, said: “Providing the best mobile tariffs for businesses across the UK enables businesses to offer remote work options. This is crucial for a healthier work-life balance, so employees can focus on satisfying customers’ needs, resolving issues promptly and staying ahead of competition.” Business mobiles have evolved from basic communication devices to essential companions for members of staff and business endeavours. These devices enable employees to stay connected with seamless communication and access critical data on-the-go, empowering them to work efficiently, from anywhere, at any time.
Auditel achieves ISO 14064-1 verification making environmental claims add up Auditel is proud to announce that it has passed a significant milestone in its journey to achieving carbon neutrality and its longer-term target of reaching Net Zero by 2050.
Chris Aston, Managing Director, said: “It has been a pleasure working with NQA to help Auditel achieve ISO 14064-1 verification. “This internationally recognised standard provides a robust framework at organisational level for calculating and reporting on greenhouse gas emissions and removals. Too often we see carbon disclosure claims being made by organisations without the evidence or substantiation needed to avoid green washing claims.
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“Our carbon footprint in the period 2022, across Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions has been calculated and now independently verified to ISO 14064-1 by NQA as being 75.8747 tCO2e. We are now ready to take the next step over the next few months to achieve PAS 2060. This standard specifies the requirements to be met by any organisation seeking to demonstrate carbon neutrality through the quantification, reduction and offsetting of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.” Chris continued: “Being one of the first organisations in the UK to achieve this standard is fundamental to Auditel’s environmental strategy. Demonstrating to our clients, suppliers and partners that we are committed to decarbonisation by practising what we preach. Showing them
how they too can reduce their emissions and be able to make a meaningful difference. Time for action is now and we all have to reduce the impact we are having on our planet before it’s too late.”
had all the documentation ready and issued before the pre-verification date, including the GHG report, GHG inventory and most importantly, the GHG source documents (i.e. invoices, contractor details, etc).
Amber Dixon, Sustainability Assurance Manager for NQA, said: “It is a fantastic achievement and a significant step in taking accountability and action on their carbon footprint. It continues to be a pleasure working with Auditel as part of NQA’s Associate Partner Programme, seeing how they have initiated the same journey for themselves that they are supporting their clients with.”
“They explained clearly and precisely how they had completed the calculation and estimations, which led to a smooth and thorough verification process with no idle time. Auditel were highly prepared and therefore allowed me to prepare in advance, making the verification experience with Auditel a pleasure to deal with.
NQA Lead Verifier for the verification, Clare Braham, added: “I conducted the preverification and the verification for Auditel’s GHG Inventory. Auditel’s specialist team
“Alongside their ISO 14064-1 verification, Auditel will continue next with PAS 2060 verification to solidify their responsible position further. We look forward to continuing working with Auditel in the future.”
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