What Better Christmas Present - Track your Missing Millions!

a million pounds
Originally uploaded by holding.me

Do you have a dormant bank account? That is, an account that has been unused for 15 years?

If so, please read Tracking Down the Missing Millions

You never know, Christmas present could be more lucrative for you than Christmas past!

Wishing everyone a very Happy Christmas!

Know Where you Stand Register your Land

Latimer Hinks, the Darlington-based law firm, is encouraging more people to register their land to help identify and protect what they own, as government figures show that currently only 65% of land in the UK is registered.

Although registration of land is now compulsory when it is sold, this hasn’t always been the case. This means many properties across England & Wales are still unregistered.

Having land registered usually provides the ultimate guarantee of evidence of ownership. It is also the most effective way to bring all documentation up to date and allows easy access to details online.

Benefits of registration

• greater security of title
• better protection against claims of adverse possession
• administration of estate is in good order
• land can be passed on more easily without the title deeds having to be continually examined.
  
  Further information can be found in the full press story Darlington Solicitors Urge Landowners to Register

As the Credit Crunch Continues Business Acquisitions Are Still Being Made

We hear it every day, on the news, in the paper, on the internet.... there is a credit crunch. Businesses are becoming insolvent. Employees are being laid off. Doom and gloom abounds.

So it's refreshing to hear of a business man spending money by purchasing a business and keeping existing staff in employment!

Nick Poole, Partner at Latimer Hinks was recently involved in the purchase of a large domiciliary care business in Redcar for long-standing Client, Glenn Pickersgill.

Glenn, a local entrepreneur re-launched the business as Heritage Healthcare.

Here is the full story: Latimer Hinks Supports Entrepreneur's Return to the Care Business

Photo: Nick Poole, left. Ethel Iveston, centre and Glenn Pickersgill, right

Social Media Risks + Benefits

Web 2 - definition

Web 2 is basically a massive networking utility which enables you to share and take information from all over the world.

Ten years ago you may have been aware of everything that mattered.
Five years ago, you had to be really selective about what you took in.
Today, it's impossible.

Users must be selective about what they "take in". Businesses must be selective about what information is freely available about them.

Social media networks can be abused as Virgin Atlantic recently found via Facebook use. As a result 13 Virgin Atlantic staff were sacked (thanks to Out-law.com)

Virgin Atlantic considered the behaviour "totally inappropriate" and that the posting of the comments broke its staff policies.

Used correctly Facebook and similar sites can be used promote your business effectively - and at no cost (apart from time). A MUST in todays economic climate.

So, how do businesses protect themselves.

In order to combat this behaviour from employees it is time to ensure that staff internet policies are "Facebook ready". Ensure you have correct policies on place to protect your business and your reputation.


You may want to read previous posts by Social Networking Guineapig -
Social Networking Sites + Employment, do they mix?
Blogging - the Risks

Businesses - How to Get Paid Faster

Money Money Money Mucho Money
Originally uploaded by Pyogenes Gruffer.

Following the government’s recent pledge to settle suppliers’ invoices within 10 working days of receipt, Mark Gardner of Latimer Hinks Solicitors provides advice on "how to get paid faster"

You'll also find a useful Debt Recovery Ten Point Plan here.

Great advice for the current economic climate!

Social Media - what it's for and what's next

Following on from my attendance at The Art of Marketing: 08 I came across the following detailed article on a Social Media Presentation from The Online Marketing Blog.

I found it an extremely interesting read - I have already put into practice the "Trifecta" (only I didn't realise that what I had been doing actually had a name!).

I also previously set up a Twitter account but I'm afraid I haven't taken it any further - I think perhaps I may need to revisit this.

The Art of Marketing, Social Media and Social Networking

On Monday I attended a conference entitled Marketing 08: the Art of, it was held at the Sage, Newcastle (fantastic venue!) and hosted by Business Link.

The conference will act as a forum to share knowledge and best practice and hopefully help attendees inject creativity into their marketing plans.

It was a very informative day out. Publicity king Max Clifford was the keynote speaker - very interesting and entertaining. Max considers his job is to "promote and protect" his Clients.

Max has an enviable position - he does not and has not advertised his services, people/businesses come to him! To become a Client of Max's you'll need £20,000 minimum per month (for 6 months!)

Amazing - and all of this on the back of developing the Beatles brand!

The Digital Dialogue session for the day included:
Social Networking (Ian Green of Green Communications)
- an overview of social networking and how it influences media, culture and society globally.

Ian asked the audience of approx 340 if they used Facebook for personal use - majority of people raised their hands, and for business use - dramatically less raised their hands.
He also enquired as to how many had blogs for business and I was shocked to see around less than a 1/4 raised their hands.

Latimer Hinks use social networking to a great extent and seem to be (going by the number of hands raised/not raised) quite forward thinking. We use LinkedIn, Facebook, Blogger and something Ian didn't mention - social bookmarking, Digg, Reddit, Flickr, FurlIt, Stumble.
All of those mentioned are free resources and in this time of financial unease, something businesses should consider using.

Here is a link to Ian's slides
Here's a couple of blog posts i've already made on the subjects
Social Networking Sites and Employment, do they mix?
Social Bookmarking
Social Media Starfish - available media
Web 2, RSS Feeds and their benefits

The second speaker was E-marketing Design (Ian Gibbons of Mobious)
how this new online medium offers a new landscape for creativity.
Ian spoke in numbers -

• there are 25 million online in the UK with an average of 31.1 hours a month in front of the internet.
• £3.5 billion online media spend.
• £110 per second spent by brands online.
• Ads have 4 seconds to capture a visitors interest.
• Today one edition of the Sunday Times contains more information than a 17th Century man faced in a lifetime.

Ian suggested visiting the IBA website for a creative showcase gallery of online ads.

All in all it was a very informative day and to summarise - embrace RSS feeds, blog, bookmark, network socially and "look outside of the box" - try it, apart from time it's all free!!

Free Presentation for Commercial Landlords & their Advisers

Latimer Hinks will be hosting a FREE presentation for Commercial Landlords and their Advisors (we're even throwing in breakfast!) on Tuesday 25th November at Newcastle United Football Club and Tuesday 2nd December at Leeds Town Hall

New Rules on Distraint, Forfeiture and Rights of Re-entry

Soon the Landlords traditional remedy of distraint will be replaced with Commercial Rent Arrears Recovery (CRAR) and bailiffs will become "enforcement agents".As well as the change in terminology the procedure could become more complicated.

This fundamental change represents the most radical change to the Law of Distraint for over a century.

However the news for Landlords is not all bad. The new procedure gives rise to a number of practical issues for enforcement agents, their Clients and their Lawyers

Latimer Hinks and National Enforcement will be holding the presentations to highlight the changes which affect Commercial Landlords and will compare them with the existing regime through case studies.

Mark Gardner, Latimer Hinks will cover current options available to Landlords with defaulting tenants
§ County Court & Higher Court Remedies.
§ Enforcement Remedies through the Courts
§ Winding up, Bankruptcy
§ Claims in Guarantors
§ Distress & Forfeiture

Andy Coates, National Enforcement will speak about the change in "self -help remedies"

If you would be interested in attending either of the presentations please email me at@latimerhinks.co.uk . For further details click here

Networking Power - Ross & Brand Scandal

The Jonathan Ross and Russell Brand telephone scandal has hit the news big style.

Russell Brand has resigned and the BBC will be discussing whether Jonathan Ross should be sacked.

It all started out with prank calls to Andrew Sachs - Russell and Jonathan stepped over the line.

Initially 67 complaints were received by the BBC, but once the Daily Mail began their campaign to have the pair sacked the complaints rose to 18,000 upwards.

The power of Web 2, social networking and the press! You may not have heard the original radio show at the time, but there are links, sound bites, video and media coverage available for anyone to listen to and read.

They are then passed on through networks, word of mouth etc to a global audience - an audience that has the opportunity to complain - if that is what they wish to do.

I can see the number of complaints rocketing - time will tell.

Full story

Apology 27th October

Web 2: RSS and Readers - their benefits

Too Many Social Networks
Originally uploaded by M. Keefe

Lawyers still consider websites and email newsletters the most appropriate way to stay up to date with current news. Many have embraced Social Networking, Facebook, LinkedIn, Blogging etc - they are trying.

However, RSS feeds and Readers will change the way lawyers use the internet - once they understand what an RSS feed is and how it can be of benefit.

I came across RSS feeds through Common Craft. They produce very straight forward videos - in plain english (which is what many lawyers are accused on NOT doing). The videos have obviously been produced with a target audience in mind - "technophobes"!

For a basic, no frills video check out RSS In Plain English and Google Reader In Plain English

I must admit, once I discovered RSS and Google Reader there was no going back! Everything I want to read is on my desktop, it saves SOOO much time. If you like an item, it can be highlighted or "starred". You can even forward the information via email, add notes etc etc.

When redesigning the Latimer Hinks website I made sure that part of the site was available to download as an RSS feed, along with our blogs of course.