Society's "Starting a Business" video aims to boost solicitor work

A new video for members of the public wanting to start their own business has been launched by the Law Society of Scotland.

"Starting a new business" explains the various issues that may face someone setting up their own company, and encourages people to seek advice from their solicitor.

Eilidh Wiseman, the Society's Vice President, said: “Setting up a new business can be an exciting time but it also involves making some important decisions, and a solicitor can help you to avoid problems further down the line.

“The best way to get advice when starting a new business is to see a local solicitor who can help to protect the business and avoid costly pitfalls. They can provide advice on a range of legal issues from data protection and product liability, to advising what you can say in promotional material, protecting your ideas and applying for licences.”

Scottish "mumpreneurs" Julie Wilson and Amy Livingstone, who launched their first Cheeky Chompers product in February 2013 and featured on the BBC’s Dragons’ Den, said: “We realised that right from the start we would require legal advice to protect our intellectual property. We also knew we would need to create templates for contracts with manufacturers and distributors from around the world.

“Our top tip for anyone looking to start a new business would be that it’s best to leave legal matters to the experts! Don’t spend your time getting caught up in anything you can outsource – focus on the business and let the professionals deal with legal matters.”

The video, along with further information about legal advice, is available at www.lawscot.org.uk/startingabusiness