Singletons is one of the best known specialist leading commercial, competition and IP/IT solicitors firms in the UK. Experts in commercial litigation and Corporate disputes/Business Sales. Email susan@singlelaw.com or tel 020 8866 1934 for legal advice or training now. Best value high quality advice. Prompt response times. Practical advice. Based on 20 years of City and business experience. Advice given to companies in the UK and abroad from leading UK FTSE 100 plcs to small start ups. Nearly 700 satisfied clients since 1994. We will advise you on:- Company/Commercial law, buying and selling businesses, joint venture and partnership agreements (see video on "Singletons" page of site and youtube, standard terms of sale, contracts, contract and other commercial disputes and litigation Commercial Litigation and Disputes EC and UK competition law - abuse of dominant position, pricing issues, parallel importation, price fixing, compliance and training, competition law damages litigation, EU and UK investigations, mergers and merger notifications, Bribery Act 2010 and compliance Intellectual property law - copyright, patents, trade marks, designs Computer, ecommerce, internet data protection/privacy and IT law EU law including commercial agency regulations Contact us now for urgent commercial litigation advice. Some competition and director/corporate disputes can be undertaken on a no win/no fee (conditional fee) basis where that is in your interests. Singletons' charges are an average 50% per hour less than our London competitors on the other side in most commercial litigation/competition-OFT matters/IP and similar matters but with faster guaranteed response times and more personal attention and usually greater experience. Testimonials: " Working with you and Xxxx on this deal has been a revelation to me; we had two solicitors who were dealmakers and with no agenda other that get to completion. Neither of you had any interest in scoring Brownie points off each other or blinding the other with legal acumen. At no time was there any rancor or anger and you are both to be sincerely congratulated." (Unsolicited comment when acting on an acquisition of a business) "Having such a good team makes the lives of individual members of the team, and particularly mine, so much easier" (Leading Counsel in commercial high court litigation) "Susan Singleton of Singletons is renowned for "acting for the people who matter", and was said by one peer to be "as good as Millard on data protection"".(Chambers and Partners Guide to the UK Legal Profession, when ranked in top 32 IT solicitors in London and Chambers· World·s Leading Lawyers). "The "terrific" Susan Singleton at Singletons "knows more about data protection than just about anyone in the country", according to clients" (Chambers Guide) "Susan Singleton continues to develop a thriving IT and competition practice"... "Susan Singleton of Singletons is said to be "level-headed" and "always on the ball"" .. "Singletons· phenomenal Susan Singleton is eminently sensible and knows her stuff"...."With a high profile in lecturing, publishing and advisory work .Susan Singleton is noted for her extraordinary energy.." (Chambers) ) "Information Technology Recommended Expert", (Legal Business, Legal Experts) Teams of people can be put together for bigger matters where necessary from our extensive collaborative partners. TWITTER Follow Susan Singleton's legal tweets and stay up to date on legal changes on twitter.com - legal news as it happens (singlelaw) which are also posted on her page on Linkedin PODCAST INTERVIEW with Susan Singleton link REPORTED CASES: Martin Pointing v. Customs and Excise Commissioners [1999] F.S.R. 394. Yeheskel Arkin v Borchard Lines Ltd & Others [2000] UKCLR 495 LAW BOOKS Details of Susan Singleton's 30 books are on her Amazon Author page at link LATEST LEGAL NEWS - Supreme Court decision on privacy and confidentiality (in a divorce context). ALthough holding that documents obtained through possibly unlawful means should not be usd, the other party's lawyer here has been ordered to hold them and check his client's disclosure is consistent with what is discovered which would appear to be a practical victory for the brothers Tchenguiz. See Tchenguiz [2010] EWCA Civ 908 link See "Our services" page of this web site for our press releases on the case 8 July 2010 EU decision on "adwords" and EU trade mark law. See curia.europa.eu under case ref C-558/08 Portakabin for the adwords decision. Is anyone confused by a clearly marked sponsored link? link See Our Services page of our web site for our August 2010 press release on the case. 1 June 2010 EU adopts new block exemption regulation 330/2010 for vertical agreements - covering distribution and franchise agreements - applies 1 June 2010 for new agreements and changes rules on internet selling under competition law in the EU. The regulation will be covered at my half day course on 5 October and my other competition and commercial law courses listed below. The regulation and guidelines and FAQs are at link Reg 330/2010 itself is link and Guidelines link 27th May 2010 EU Commission issues new block exemption for motor vehicle distribution link Motor vehicle reg is Commission Regulation (EU) 461/2010 and regulation at link 21 May 2010 High Court forced to follow Court of Justice ruling that product comparison lists breach trade mark law JOHANNA KASCHKE v DAVID OSLER [2010] EWHC 1075 (QB) link 11th May 2010 OFT clarify position on collapsed BA criminal competition law trial link and see link 6th May 2010 High Court decision holding exclusion clauses void in IT contract - Kingsway Hall Hotel v Red Sky - interesting software exclusion clause case link 5th May 2010 - EU consults on new block exemption regulations for R&D and specialisation agreements and Guidelines on Horizontal Co-operationlink 23rd April 2010 High Court decision - Rare database right case FA v Brittens & Ors link ECJ overturns AG in holding that it is lawful for state bodies such as the NHS to provide financial incentives to doctors to prescribe generic equivalents of off-patent drugs see press release at link and FT article at link Volanic Ash and the Law: Under EU regulation 261/2004 article 9 airlines have an obligation to provide accommodation and food for those stranded subject to jurisdictional limits. Article 9 is not negated by "exceptional circumstances". However article 7 (cash compensation) is negated by such circumstances. Those not looked afteras they should have been who have receipts (where the regulation applies) may have claims and as a PR exercise some airlines may choose as a concession to compensate for more than legally they need to although to avoid setting a precedent they would be wise to choose their words carefully in any press release. Airlines which did offer accommodation and food may have satisfied article 9 and be in a good position to refuse some applications. I do a lot of work often against regulatory authorities over EU regulations as an EU lawyer. Article 4(3): "If boarding is denied to passengers against their will, the operating air carrier shall immediately compensate them in accordance with Article 7[ but not if exceptional circumstances, as here] and assist them in accordance with Articles 8 and 9." See also youtube video on this on Singletons page of this website and the regulation can be viewed at: link 23rd April 2010 EU proposes major changes to public procurement laws - link 23rd April 2010 EU proposes changes to data protection law in 69 page Stockholm Report - link 16th April 2010 OFT fines tobacco companies £225m for vertical price collusion. Companies really do need to drum into salesmen and others not to talk about, discuss or collude over prices with anyone and if in doubt take advice. It is much cheaper.link The full decision will be out later but in the meantime contact Singletons for advice on pricing practices. 6 April 2010 - New Data Protection Act maximum fines £500,000 - New ICO Guidance link and email susan@singlelaw.com for advice on data protection compliance now 8 April 2010 Bribery Act 2010 received royal assent. Full Act at link . Contact us for (a) legal advice (b) in-house training on the Act and compliance (c) details of our 5th October training course which includes training on the Act. Our brief Youtube video on the Act is on the Singletons page of the website. 8 April 2010 Digital Economy Act 2010 received royal assent and was published in full on 14th April at link. Contact us for details of liability on-line and related issues. Every week we act for new clients who want materials taken down on-line which infringe their rights, a core part of the work of Singletons. 8 April 2010 Equality Act 2010 received royal assent and was published in full on 14th April at link. You may need to alter your employment contracts. Contact us for advice. April 2010 - Interesting internet libel case on a common issue Budu v BBC link and contact us for advice on all areas of internet law April 2010: Breach of confidence Vercoe v Rutland: if no IPis licensed, no account of profits payable but damages can still be recovered based on what would have been paid to keep someone out of the market (a much lesser sum in this case) link - we have seen a rise in instructions relating to ex employees and breach of confidence litigation - contact us for practical and effective legal advice whether you are the employer or employee on 020 8866 1934 or susan@singlelaw.com NEWS - December 2009: Singletons ensures merger not referred to Competition Commission by OFT see HOT LEGAL NEWS - Articles 81 and 82 on competition law in the EC Treaty become Articles 101 and 102 TFEU now that the Treaty of Lisbon is in force - 1 December 2009 Supreme Court holds that OFT may not challenge overdraft charges under the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999. This is not surprising as the regulations say the price clause can never be challenged under these regulations. The assessment of fairness of a term shall not relate... (b) to the adequacy of the price or remuneration"... Charges are price. The Provision of Services Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2999) come into force in December. Contact us for advice on their implications. The Public Contracts (Amendment) Regulations 2009 and The Utilities Contracts (Amendment) Regulations 2009 came into force on 20 December 2009 implementing the EU remedies directive - contact us for advice on EU and procurement law Choice of Law - the Rome I regulation (593/2008) comes into force on 17 December 2009. Contact us for commercial litigation relating to your international contracts and for drafting and advice on international commercial agreements. See the Law Applicable to Contractual Obligations (England and Wales and Northern Ireland) Regulations 2009. Recent press Letter in Law Society Gazette 15 July 2010 http://www.lawgazette.co.uk/opinion/letters/sexism-no-joke Letter in Financial Times 28th May 2010 link Chartered Secretary (Journal of ICSA) Susan Singleton's article on the Bribery Act 2010 appears (May 2010 issue)link Chartered Secretary - then Bribery "Bill" (April 2010 issue) quotes Susan Singleton link Law Society's Gazette 18 February 2010 - some quotes from Susan Singleton about legal practices - link Solicitors Journal IT and IP Update on recent developments in those fieldslink Marketing Direct - Changes to German data protection law - "Opt in" - link Letter in the Times - Legal careers link Women and careers - Chartered Secretary Magazine July 2009 link Being a trainee lawyer 1983 compared to today (my daughters) Solicitors Journal on -line 9 June 2009 link Phorm Legal issues - Q&A: Marketing Direct, 20th May 2009 link Supply Management article on the Bribery Bill for CIPS, 2nd April 2009 link Licensing Executives Society Journal, March 2009 "news exchange" article on EU developments including new Article 82 Guidelines link Forthcoming events presented by Susan Singleton: Coursese are now shown on the Training Page on the web site However do note the following: 5 October 2010 Ultimate Commercial Legal Update 2010 - Singlelaw Conferences, London half day morning course on all recent commercial legal developments including Provision of Services Regulations, Rome Regulation, new Vertical Agreements Block exemption regulations and the Bribery Act 2010 £250 plus VAT per delegate but also 10% off for second delegates. For new clients all delegates receive a voucher for 30 minutes of free legal advice from Singletons Solicitors. Contact susan@singlelaw.com for further details Making Links and CopyrightYou are welcome to link your site to ours. The information on this site is protected by copyright. A major area of our practice is advising on internet and related areas of law. Contact for further information - Susan Singleton - susan@singlelaw.com, tel 020 8866 1934.Member of the Law Society of England and Wales. Regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority Firm's SRA Number 78030 and subject to its Code of Conduct - www.rules.sra.org.uk/VAT No. GB 649974958.