Voluntary associations: time to reform the club?

The news at the end of last week was full of reaction to the legislative programme announced in the Queen’s Speech. Most commentators seemed underwhelmed. We’re still trying to work out how many mixed metaphors are contained in Polly Toynbee’s “This limp array of damp bills has been drained of any potential life” (which put us in mind of nothing so much as Roy's wonderful “damp squid” ). However, on Thursday, Michael Moore told the House of Commons that, in addition to the proposed bills outlined, the UK coalition “will seek to support the Scottish Law Commission in bringing forward measures to reform the law in relation to Scottish Partnerships and Unincorporated Associations”. Scarcely the kind of thing to get the heart racing, no doubt. And yet, it is by the work of the unincorporated association that much of the stuff of everyday civic life is delivered and the proposals should be of interest to anyone who has any dealings with a broad range of bodies from sports associations and childcare groups to branches of political parties, charities and religious organizations.

Watch your name and protect your brand

Research conducted in 2010 showed that American technology giants were responsible for a quarter of all applications to The Company Names Tribunal. A couple of years on, the Intel Corporation in particular has had a run of orders in its favour. However, a recent decision that went against it gave very useful guidance on the matters that might sway a CNT adjudicator. Consideration of the emerging body of decisions highlights the importance to brand protection of a combination of a company name watch service and a readiness to deal with any abusive registration by a speedy, and appropriate, application for an order.

Law Awards of Scotland 2012

We've been contacted by the organisers of the Law Awards of Scotland 2012 and asked to enter this year's awards. The invitation was made after they'd carried out extensive research, speaking to clients and other lawyers, so as to identify the highest rated Scottish law firms and invite them to submit an entry for consideration by the judges. The organisers explain:

"Not just any law firm or individual can enter the awards, only those who are ‘recommended’ by their clients and peers are invited to take part....we get in touch with client companies from all over Scotland and ask them to rate the law firms that they use. Once we have this information from clients, we then invite the law firms which have been rated highly by clients to enter the awards. We also ask the law sector to rate their peers and tell us who they feel are the best in their industry. Those who rate highly are also invited to enter the Law Awards of Scotland."

This is the second year running that we've been rated highly enough to be approached and asked to enter, which of course is great. Who knows. One of these days we might actually win.