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BOSTON—Womble Bond Dickinson lawyers from both sides of the Atlantic joined forces with Globalization Partners and the UK Consulate in Boston for a March 6 lunch and learn on Doing Business in the UK.
British Consul General in Boston Harriet Cross served as keynote speaker for the event, discussing the current business and economic climate in the UK, and why businesses should expand there.
The lunch and learn also featured an interactive panel discussion featuring Womble Bond Dickinson lawyers Michelle Chance (UK), Todd Harris (US) and Alastair Mitton (UK), as well as Nancy Cremins of Globalization Partners. The panelists discussed such topics as:
- What are some key differences in employment terms in the UK versus in the US? This included options for setting up a UK business (branch, subsidiary, global PEO).
- What are some of the other legal issues surrounding employment in the UK? Such as the difference between US employment at will and UK contractual and statutory employment rights; gender pay gap reporting; disciplinary and grievance procedures; and unfair/wrongful dismissal.
- What are some of the key sectors and latest trends driving business in the UK? And what are the workforce and available talent pool make-up in the UK? Including Brexit, as well as General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) coming into effect in May 2018.
- What about intellectual property created by UK employees for use in the US? Such as the creation, ownership, and control of IP created by foreign employees, as well as branding/trademark issues.
Other Womble Bond Dickinson attendees included Boston Office Managing Partner Sarah Keefe, Charlotte Office Managing Partner (and North Carolina British-American Business Council Chair) Jeff Hay, lawyers Gary Campbell, Keith Mendelson, Liz Riley and Simon Watts, and Client Service Directors Cameron Hunt and Rudy Gaines.
In total, more than 40 leaders from the business, government, and higher education sectors attended the event.
