Meet Eaton Smith's Commercial Property Team
For businesses, developers, investors, landlords and organisations across Yorkshire, property transactions are often among the most significant commercial decisions they will make. Whether acquiring development land, expanding a property portfolio, negotiating commercial leases or managing investment assets, having... Read More →
5 Commercial Property Deal Breakers to Identify at Heads of Terms
Commercial property transactions can become difficult, expensive or impossible to complete when problems are discovered during legal due diligence.
By that stage, the parties may already have paid for valuations, surveys and professional advice. Funding applications may have been submitted, completion dates... Read More →
Eaton Smith Appoints Gloria Benstead to Lead Marketing Function
Eaton Smith is delighted to welcome Gloria Benstead as the firm's new head of marketing, bringing with her a wealth of experience, international business expertise, and a passion for driving growth through strategic marketing.
Gloria joins the firm following a varied and successful career spanning both the... Read More →
The Rise of the Evidence Employer: Why Summer Is Becoming a Compliance Stress Test
Employers are facing a new kind of summer pressure.
For years, managing annual leave, school holidays and major sporting events was seen as the primary seasonal challenge for HR teams and business leaders.
Today, however, summer is becoming a far broader compliance test.
Alongside workforce... Read More →
AI Meeting Notetakers: Legal Risks, GDPR and Best Practice for Businesses
AI meeting notetakers are rapidly becoming part of everyday business life. Whether built into platforms such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom or provided through specialist AI assistants, these tools can automatically record meetings, generate transcripts and produce meeting summaries in seconds.
The productivity... Read More →
The Hidden Property Reform in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026
Why commercial landlords should be paying attention to a devolution law
When the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026 received Royal Assent on 29 April 2026, most headlines focused on mayoral powers, community ownership rights and local government reform. Less publicised was a provision... Read More →
National Security and Investment Act (NSI Act): Why One Missed Filing Could Cost Millions
The National Security and Investment Act 2021 (NSI Act) is one of the most significant regulatory developments affecting UK mergers and acquisitions, foreign direct investment and corporate transactions. Under certain circumstances, a failure to comply with the regime can render an acquisition legally void and... Read More →
Earn-Out Provisions in Company Acquisitions: Advantages, Disadvantages and Common Disputes
A disagreement over valuation is one of the most common reasons company acquisitions fail. Sellers may be confident that future growth will justify a higher valuation, while buyers are often reluctant to pay today for performance that has not yet materialised.
An earn-out can provide a practical solution. By... Read More →
Eaton Smith Announces Promotion of Family Law Specialist Zahra Nawaz to Partner
Eaton Smith Solicitors is delighted to announce the promotion of Zahra Nawaz to Partner, recognising her exceptional contribution to the firm, her outstanding reputation in family law, and her commitment to delivering excellent outcomes for clients.
With more than 20 years of experience in family law,... Read More →
PRS v Valve Corporation - Music Rights, Games Distribution and Platform Liability: Initial Observations
On 9 March 2026, PRS for Music announced that it had commenced legal proceedings in the UK against Valve Corporation, the operator of the Steam platform, alleging, according to PRS, that Valve had made use of PRS members’ musical works on Steam without the necessary permission. PRS said it issued proceedings on 4... Read More →
The UK Government’s 2026 Late Payment Reforms - horizon-scanning for business owners
On 24 March 2026, the UK Government published its official response to the 2025 late payments consultation. It promises the most significant overhaul of late‑payment law in over 25 years, with a particular focus on protecting smaller suppliers and strengthening enforcement.
According to the Government... Read More →
R v Lakeman - what game developers need to know now that virtual currency can be classed as “property”
The Court of Appeal’s judgment in R v Lakeman [2026] EWCA Crim 4 marks a significant point in the UK’s treatment of digital assets, particularly for in‑game currencies used within online games. The court held that gold pieces in Old School RuneScape... Read More →