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Board meaning

What does Board mean?
In legal practice, the board is the group of directors who collectively manage and supervise a company’s business and affairs. In the UK and Ireland the term is descriptive rather than statutory: company legislation (Companies Act 2006; Companies Act 2014 (Ireland)) generally refers to “the directors” and does not define “board”. The board is the company’s primary decision‑making body in a unitary governance model and typically includes executive and non‑executive directors. Acting subject to the company’s articles or constitution and directors’ statutory duties, it takes decisions at duly convened board meetings or by written resolutions, and may delegate authority to committees or to a managing director. Core functions include setting strategy and budgets, approving significant transactions, authorising signatories, calling general meetings, appointing and removing officers, oversight of risk, compliance and financial reporting, and ensuring accurate minutes are kept. Procedural requirements—notice, quorum, voting, chair and minutes—are set by the company’s constitutional documents and applicable law, and are broadly consistent across England & Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland. Outside company law, “board” may describe the governing body of other entities (for example, a board of trustees or governors), but unless the context indicates otherwise it refers to a company’s board of directors.
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CHECKLISTS
UK in-house legal risk and operations checklist: people, workflows, matter management, contracts, IP, compliance, litigation, finance, AI, risk registers and board reporting

Legal operations risks This section addresses risks stemming from the operation of the legal department overall...

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CHECKLISTS
Illustrative timetable for a UK public takeover by scheme of arrangement under the City Code and Companies Court process

This is an illustrative timetable for a takeover structured as a scheme of arrangement. It sets out the typical stages of a scheme, spanning the necessary court procedures and the obligations arising under the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers (the Code). In broad terms, it captures each step required in a standard scheme process. For schemes, Rule 31 of the Code, which governs the timing of an offer, does not apply; instead, timing matters are addressed principally in Section 3 of Appendix 7 to the Code. Because the court process must be accommodated, the Takeover Panel (Panel) permits greater flexibility on the scheme timetable than on an offer. Even so, the Code imposes certain constraints on the scheduling of a scheme, including: where the offeror’s firm intention announcement contains a statement from the offeree board that it intends to recommend the scheme, the scheme circular, combining an offer document and the offeree circular, must be posted within 28 days of the firm intention...

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CHECKLISTS
Finance transaction due diligence checklist: UK corporate borrower’s constitution—capacity, authority, board minutes, shareholder resolutions, execution, share security, incorporation documents and Companies House/ECCTA 2023 changes

STOP PRESS: The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA 2023) obtained Royal Assent on 26 October 2023. Part 1 of ECCTA 2023 introduces a substantial suite of measures that strengthen the role of Companies House and promote greater transparency across UK corporate entities. The Act will be brought into effect in phases over an extended timeframe. Numerous provisions will depend on detailed secondary legislation and accompanying guidance, alongside the development and rollout of new technical systems, processes and tools to implement the reforms. For further information, see Practice Notes: The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023—what Banking & Finance lawyers need to know, The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023—tracker, and Corporate transparency reform—changes to company registers. What are a company's constitutional documents?...

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FLOWCHARTS
Intestacy distribution flowchart: spouse/civil partner entitlements and succession with or without issue under the Administration of Estates Act 1925 (England and Wales)

STOP PRESS: This document is currently being revised to take account of the implementation of the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (DUAA 2025), which modifies the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. For further guidance on the compliance impact of DUAA 2025, refer to Practice Note: Data (Use and Access) Act 2025—compliance implications. This Flowchart follows the approach outlined by the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) to assess whether you may carry out an international transfer of personal data relying on standard contractual clauses (SCCs) or binding corporate rules (BCRs). These transfer tools can be used only where the safeguards, enforceable rights and legal redress available to individuals in the destination country are essentially equivalent to those guaranteed by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The ‘essentially equivalent’ benchmark derives from the Facebook Ireland and Schrems ruling (Schrems II), determined under the EU GDPR. The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has issued Guidance on transfer risk assessments, which adopts the phrase ‘sufficiently similar’ for transfers under the...

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FLOWCHARTS
Interim dividend—private company: board authorisation and payment flowchart

View or print a full-size PDF version:...

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FLOWCHARTS
Section 8 HA 1988 possession (England and Wales): flowchart for terminating assured and assured shorthold tenancies—grounds, notice, proceedings, orders, enforcement, and Renters’ Rights Act 2025 changes

Is the risk assessment overseen at the highest level in the company? To demonstrate commitment from the top to anti-bribery controls, a company officer or a member of the Board should be designated to supervise the anti-bribery and risk assessment process. See Practice Note: Anti-bribery and corruption policy. Consider: Do senior management or the Board hold ultimate responsibility for the risk assessment process? Have duties for anti-bribery and corruption been delegated; if so, to whom and on what basis? How is this recorded? Has the company allocated bribery risk assessment to employees (for example, a compliance officer) who report directly to the Board? How has the company ensured the risk assessment is fit for purpose and able to withstand scrutiny?...

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NEWS
UK and EU energy law: Ofgem RFPR changes, Finch Scope 3 ruling, fusion NPS consultation, EU market reform and Net Zero Industry Act, and EU withdrawal from Energy Charter Treaty

In this issue Electricity and gas market regulation and licensing Renewable energy Nuclear energy Air emissions, efficiency, and climate change International energy LexTalk®Energy: a Lexis®Nexis community Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Dates for your diary Trackers Electricity and gas market regulation and licensing Ofgem has confirmed changes to the Regulatory Financial Performance Reporting (RFPR) template and guidance for RIIO‑2, intended to sharpen and clarify what network licensees must report. The revisions apply from 28 June 2024 and follow Ofgem’s earlier notice proposing amendments to the RFPR template and guidance for RIIO‑2. See: LNB News 01/07/2024 9. Electricity Code Modifications: National Grid ESO’s Modification Tracker now brings together all live changes to the Connection and Use of System Code (CUSC), the Grid Code (GD), the System Owner -Transmission Owner Code (STC) and the Security and Quality Supply Standard (SQSS). The tracker outlines each proposal’s purpose, the stakeholders impacted, Panel views...

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NEWS
DIFC Court confirms law of the seat and autonomy of DIFC-seated arbitration agreement; Abu Dhabi jurisdiction clause yields; interim injunction granted in deadlocked joint venture (Oswin v Otila)

Oswin v Otila; and Ondray Claim No ARB 032/2025 What was the background? This matter arose from a falling-out between Oswin (the Claimant) and Ondray (the Second Defendant) over how to run their joint venture company, Otila (the First Defendant). Oswin owned 49% of the First Defendant’s shares and Ondray 51%. The board could act only by unanimous vote, while shareholder resolutions required a 75% super-majority. When they were unable to agree on management and operations, the company became deadlocked. Their relationship was governed by a Joint Venture Agreement (JVA) dated 12 March 2019, which included an arbitration clause calling for DIFC-seated proceedings under the DIFC-LCIA Rules. The Claimant also operated a medical and hazardous waste facility under an Operations and Management Agreement due to expire on 21 August 2025. On 15 August 2025, the Claimant issued a Dispute Notice under clause 21.2 of the JVA, alleging that the Second Defendant was assuming strategic decision-making without proper authority—covering directions on renewal of the O&M Agreement, instruction of external...

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NEWS
UK corporate law weekly update: ECCTA reforms for LLPs, FCA NSM changes, NSIA review and case, EU board gender targets, High Court rulings and deadlines—9 January 2025

In this issue: Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 Equity capital markets Private M&A (share purchase) Corporate governance—EU Members Company restoration Daily and weekly news alerts Dates for your diary Trackers Useful information New Q&As Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 Companies and Limited Liability Partnerships (Protection and Disclosure of Information and Consequential Amendments) Regulations 2024 SI 2024/1377: These Regulations update LLP company law to reflect recent changes under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 and expand the scenarios in which a person’s residential address can be withheld from the company register, covering former registered office addresses, while maintaining corporate openness and aligning LLP provisions. They commence on 27 January 2025. See: LNB News 07/11/2024 27. Equity capital markets The Financial Conduct Authority has released Policy Statement PS24/19: Enhancing the National Storage Mechanism, setting out the feedback to Consultation Paper CP24/17, its longer-term vision for the NSM, and...

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PRACTICE NOTES
FTSE 350 AGM Season 2018: UK Trends in Board Diversity, Shareholder Dissent, Share Buybacks, Brexit Reporting and Virtual/Hybrid AGMs

ARCHIVED: This content was published in 2018 and is not maintained. This Market Standards Trend Report reviews current market practices and developments arising from the FTSE 350 annual general meeting (AGM) season for 2018...

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PRACTICE NOTES
Ireland: EU GDPR Personal Data Breach Management, Risk Assessment and Notification - Practical Guide Based on DPC and EDPB Guidance

Data security sits at the heart of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (EU GDPR). The sixth data protection principle—integrity and confidentiality—requires you to adopt suitable technical and organisational measures so that personal data is processed with appropriate security, including: protection against unauthorised or unlawful processing accidental loss, destruction, or damage This Practice Note reflects Data Protection Commission (DPC) guidance on personal data breaches under the EU GDPR, and also draws on guidance from the European Data Protection Board (EDPB). Data security requirements Article 32 puts practical detail behind the GDPR’s integrity and confidentiality principle. You must implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to achieve a level of security proportionate to the risk, taking into account: the nature, scope, context, and purpose of processing the risk of varying likelihood and severity for the rights and freedoms of data subjects Where appropriate, your security measures should include: the pseudonymisation and encryption of...

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PRACTICE NOTES
Winding up UK trust-based DC occupational pension schemes: classification, triggers, expenses, data cleansing, securing benefits, disclosures, trustee protections and completion

This Practice Note sets out the principal steps for properly bringing to an end a defined contribution (DC) occupational pension scheme—also described as a money purchase occupational pension arrangement or a trust-based defined contribution plan. Throughout this Practice Note, this type of arrangement is termed a ‘DC scheme’. The guidance applies across a range of DC schemes, including trusts that sit outside the authorised master trust framework and small self-administered pension schemes (SSASs), although the latter may, in certain cases, be excluded from particular statutory obligations or requirements. This Practice Note does not cover the winding-up of any: an ‘authorised master trust’ under the Pension Schemes Act 2017 (PSA 2017)—for further detailed information, please see Practice Note: The authorisation and supervisory regime for master trusts, contract-based DC arrangements (eg group personal pension arrangements)—for further details and guidance, see Practice Note: Winding up of personal pension schemes Statute makes distinct and specific provision for hybrid schemes (combining defined benefit (DB) and DC...

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PRECEDENTS
Annual board report template: competition law compliance systems, controls, risk assessment, reporting, training and recommendations

1 General information Report date: [ Enter date ] Previous report date: [ Enter date ] Report submitted by: [ Enter name ] 2 Action points arising from last report Action item: [ Enter action point ], Responsible person: [ Identify person responsible for this action point ], Status: [ Enter status ] Action item: [ Enter action point ], Responsible person: [ Identify person responsible for this action point ], Status: [ Enter status ] Action item: [ Enter action point ], Responsible person: [ Identify person responsible for this action point ], Status: [ Enter status ] Action item: [ Enter action point ], Responsible person: [ Identify person responsible for this action point ], Status: [ Enter status ] 3 Executive summary This report covers the following items: 3.1 overview of business operations; 3.2 account of the operation of competition law compliance systems and controls;...

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PRECEDENTS
Precedent: Reference of a Dispute to the DAAB under FIDIC 2017 Red/Yellow/Silver Books (Clause 21.4)

[ NAME OF PROJECT ]: REFERENCE OF A DISPUTE TO THE DAAB UNDER CLAUSE 21.4 DAAB Reference No. DAAB Reference No. [ Number of reference ] | [ Date ] Referring Party [ Name of Party 1 ] [ Address ] [ Telephone/Fax No. ] [ Email address ] [ ON THE HEADED NOTEPAPER OF THE REFERRING PARTY ] Responding Party [ Name of Party 2 ] [ Address ] [ Telephone/Fax No. ] [ Email address ] The DAAB [ Name of DAAB Chairperson ] — [ Address ] — [ Telephone/Fax No. ] — [ Email address ] [ Name of DAAB Member 2 ] — [ Address ] — [ Telephone/Fax No. ] — [ Email address ] [ Name of DAAB Member 3 ] — [ Address ] — [ Telephone/Fax No. ] — [ Email address ] ...

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PRECEDENTS
Danish supervisory authority SCCs for EU GDPR Article 28(3) controller–processor contracts, not for international transfers

Danish SCCs A set of Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) designed to meet Article 28(3) of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation, Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (EU GDPR), specifically addresses contractual arrangements between controllers and processors and was formally issued by the Danish data protection supervisory authority (the Danish SCCs). Their release followed an opinion from the European Data Protection Board (EDPB). The Danish SCCs are distinct from SCCs that concern cross-border international personal data transfers under Chapter V of the EU GDPR...

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Q&As
IEB after entire governing body resignation: LA EIA 2006 Part 4 warning notice and any emergency powers beyond s 64

Neither the legislation—Part 4, Schedule 6 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 (EIA 2006)—nor the guidance—Governance handbook and Schools causing concern—Statutory guidance for local authorities—addresses whether a duty to consult persists where a local authority intends to exercise its EIA 2006, s 65 powers to appoint an Interim Executive Board (IEB) after the entire governing body has stepped down. Warning notice As stated at page 14 of the guidance, a warning notice under Part 4 of the EIA 2006 must be provided in writing to the school’s governing body and must include: the matters on which the local authority’s concerns are based...

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Q&As
Section 117 MHA 1983 aftercare: governing rules E&W to Scotland

Ordinary residence Section 39(4) of the Care Act 2014 (CA 2014) states that a person provided with accommodation under section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983 (MeHA 1983) is, for the purposes of the Act, to be treated as ordinarily resident in England or Wales, and the local authority accordingly has a duty to arrange the services required by MeHA 1983, s 117. That responsibility continues until the integrated care board or Local Health Board and the local social services authority are satisfied that the individual no longer needs aftercare... Although CA 2014 does not set out a definition of ordinary residence, the phrase bears its everyday meaning. In this context, ordinarily resident refers to a person’s home in a specific place or country which they have chosen voluntarily, and it involves matters of both fact and degree...

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Q&As
Virtual arbitration hearings in COVID-19: logistics, pros/cons

Clare Ambrose, Twenty Essex The clear benefit is that the hearing can proceed and the dispute be determined, which is the tribunal’s fundamental objective. The tribunal’s obligation to be fair to both sides does not compel an in-person hearing; if suitable arrangements permit the hearing to happen, that will be a weighty factor in favour. There is also a possible gain in cost efficiency: although premium technology may incur expense, savings on hearing venues and travel and hotel accommodation could be substantial. Virtual hearings remain relatively novel, so practice is evolving to manage practicalities and logistics across the board. The range of technological solutions is broad and warrants careful review and thorough investigation by the parties involved. For the hearing to run smoothly, every participant in the arbitration should trial their equipment in the precise location from which their virtual hearing will (for each of them) be conducted...

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