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Harper Mcleod

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Foundation meaning

What does Foundation mean?
In legal practice, foundation describes either a philanthropic organisation or a private wealth vehicle. In England and Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland it is not a defined legal form: a “charitable foundation” will usually be a charity constituted as a trust, a company limited by guarantee, a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO) or a Scottish CIO (SCIO). The word itself has no separate legal effect and is used descriptively across these jurisdictions. By contrast, many UK and Irish practitioners meet statutory foundations in nearby offshore regimes such as Jersey, Guernsey, the Isle of Man and Gibraltar. In those systems, a foundation is a self‑owning legal person with no members or shareholders, separate from its founder, officers and any beneficiaries, and administered by a council or board under a charter and regulations. The founder may reserve limited powers, but assets belong to the foundation. Typical uses include succession planning, asset‑holding, wealth structuring and philanthropy (sometimes termed private foundations). Practically, when a client requests a “foundation”, confirm the governing law and entity type, then consider registration, charity regulation and tax treatment, which differ markedly between domestic charities and offshore foundations.
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View the related Checklists about Foundation

CHECKLISTS
Design licence agreements: drafting and negotiation checklist for licensors and licensees

How to use this Checklist This Checklist flags issues that frequently emerge when negotiating and drafting the following agreement types: Design licence—pro-licensor Design licence—pro-licensee For further reading on design licensing, see these Practice Notes: Introduction to designs UK registered and unregistered designs Licensing intellectual property rights For example character merchandising agreements, consult the Precedents: Character merchandising agreement—pro-licensor and Character merchandising agreement—pro-licensee. For details of the key terms commonly found in a manufacturing agreement and designs licence, see: Manufacturing agreement and design licence—checklist. This Checklist can also, where appropriate, operate as the foundation for a straightforward non-binding heads of terms. For guidance on doing so, see Precedent: Heads of terms—commercial contracts. For support on negotiating an IP licence clause, refer to Practice Note: Negotiation guide—intellectual property licence clause. Checklist schedule for proposed licence of designs Points to consider • Further information • Notes (if any) (A) Key commercial considerations...

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CHECKLISTS
Project lifecycle document checklist: set-up, planning, delivery and closure, including governance, risk, change control, procurement and handover

This checklist outlines the essential documents needed at the principal stages of the project lifecycle: Project set up Project planning Project delivery Project closure It can be used alongside Checklist: Project management: key roles and governance—checklist. Project set up A project is regarded as ‘set up’ when a requirement or change has been identified. Permission to commence is provided via a mandate from a suitable senior figure in the organisation, usually the budget-holder who will finance the project. Project mandate the initial business case/justification for the project the purpose of the project how the outputs will be used the budget timescales for the work At this point a management team is formed, often as a project board or steering group, with a lead executive or sponsor appointed. A project manager and/or project support may also be named to handle day-to-day preparation of project documents. Project planning ...

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NEWS
UK corporate law weekly: Takeover Code cancellation guidance; FCA prospectus and listing reforms; ISSB climate reporting; Court of Appeal on Bluecrest salaried members; J.P. Morgan v Werealize call option

In this issue: Public company takeovers Equity capital markets Corporate governance Partnerships Private equity Members LexTalk®Corporate: a Lexis®Nexis community Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Dates for your diary Trackers Useful information Public company takeovers Takeover Panel publishes note on cancellation of admission to trading The Takeover Panel (Panel) has issued a new note offering advisers guidance on cancelling an admission to trading for companies caught by the Takeover Code (Code). It confirms that companies with registered offices in the UK, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man, whose securities are traded on specified markets, remain within the Code for two years after cancellation, irrespective of where central management and control is located or whether they re-register as private companies. The Panel encourages early engagement with the Panel Executive when a cancellation is contemplated, to ensure shareholders receive suitable disclosure about the Code’s continued effect, and it outlines...

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NEWS
Sustainable finance and ESG: June 2025 UK, EU and international regulatory consultations, disclosure reforms and sustainable bond market standards

UK developments DESNZ consults on implementing voluntary carbon and nature market integrity principles The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) has opened a consultation to gather feedback on how to put into practice the UK Government’s six principles for integrity in voluntary carbon and nature markets (VCNMs), assessing how they fit markets at varying stages of development. The Minister for Climate Change, Kerry McCarthy MP, unveiled these principles at COP29 in November 2024. It further seeks to define expectations for supplier and purchaser participation in VCNMs and to consider embedding such approaches within guidance, policy and possible regulation, underpinned by market frameworks that can institutionalise and scale high‑integrity practices. The call for views closes on 10 July 2025. See: LNB News 17/04/2025 13. Sources: Voluntary carbon and nature markets: raising integrity; UK backs businesses to trade carbon credits and unlock finance. EU developments EBA publishes ESG dashboard for centralised climate risk monitoring in the EU/EEA banking sector The European Banking Authority (EBA) has...

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NEWS
UK Public Law update: Supreme Court on Equality Act ‘sex’ and clinician anonymity; judicial review timing; procurement, FOI and ICO guidance; immigration and SEND funding; state aid and customs updates

In this issue Equality and human rights Constitutional and administrative law Judicial review Public procurement Subsidy control and State aid Post-Brexit transition guidance Information law Other Public Law news Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Dates for your diary Trackers Useful information No Weekly Highlights on 24 April 2025 Equality and human rights Supreme Court rules that the EqA 2010 terms ‘man’, ‘woman’ and ‘sex’ denote biological sex (For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers). In For Women Scotland Ltd v Scottish Ministers [2025] UKSC 16, the UK Supreme Court unanimously concluded that these terms identify biological sex rather than ‘certificated sex’. The court determined that those holding a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) are not included within the EqA 2010 definition of their acquired gender. The ruling confirms that trans people remain safeguarded by the Act’s gender reassignment provisions and may pursue sex discrimination claims where...

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View the related Practice Notes about Foundation

PRACTICE NOTES
UK inheritance tax: APR and BPR changes from 6 April 2026—practitioner training, trust clauses, spousal transferability, anti‑fragmentation, case study, administration checklist and pitfalls

Follow the link below to download the presentation. Contents Updates to APR/BPR Transfer between spouses Reasons asset targeting falls short APR/BPR trust clause Funding the trust Case study Case study solution Anti‑fragmentation Administration checklist Client communications Pitfalls and risks Summary These PowerPoint slides are designed as a foundation for a training session on Agricultural and Business Property Relief for the relevant fee earners. The presenter can tailor them—by trimming or expanding the points—to match the audience. How to use these slides Allow around two minutes per slide, and use the case study for a 20‑minute breakout. If more depth is required, the content can be delivered over two or three separate training sessions. Further reading Autumn Budget 2024—Private Client analysis Hot topic—the reform of business property relief and agricultural property relief Change in the approach to IHT planning for farmers Tax—Finance Act 2026...

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PRACTICE NOTES
UK corporate governance and share schemes: Code framework, investor guidelines, Wates Principles, comply or explain reporting, AIM requirements and financial services remuneration

This Practice Note covers: the meaning of corporate governance governance considerations for private companies the UK stance on corporate governance in relation to share schemes, including: the regulatory position on share schemes institutional investor guidance how companies assess and monitor their compliance with the UK Corporate Governance Code (the Code) corporate governance for financial services firms as contrasted with other businesses This Practice Note sets out the core ideas of corporate governance and directs readers to fuller, more detailed Practice Notes on each regulatory and legislative strand of the UK framework, as well as the institutional investor guidelines. What is corporate governance? In broad terms, corporate governance concerns how companies are directed and controlled at the highest level. The governance framework aims to establish arrangements that ensure fair treatment across a company’s various stakeholders. The Cadbury Report of 1992 is widely seen as the original foundation of...

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PRACTICE NOTES
Share Purchase Agreement (SPA) Negotiation and Drafting: PowerPoint Training Slides with Speaker Notes covering Parties, Conditional Completion, Termination, Warranties, Indemnities, Restrictive Covenants, Guarantors, Boilerplate and Schedules

Training materials These training materials are made up of template PowerPoint slides that can serve as the foundation for one or more training seminars concerned with negotiating a share purchase agreement (SPA). They are intended to assist junior lawyers, company secretaries and directors in developing an understanding of the principal points of negotiation and drafting, and they also signpost other useful materials and guidance. It is expected that those delivering training will use these slides as a practical starting point for their presentations, and then adapt them as necessary to reflect their particular circumstances...

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View the related Precedents about Foundation

PRECEDENTS
Offshore IT Outsourcing: Customisable Seminar Slides for Lawyers on Managing Legal and Commercial Risk, Due Diligence, Data Protection, Contract Governance and Key Outsourcing Agreement Terms

Training materials These resources comprise template PowerPoint slides that may form the foundation of single or multiple training sessions covering key aspects of handling commercial and legal risk associated with offshore IT outsourcing initiatives. Trainers are expected to adopt these slides as a useful launchpad for their talks, then tailor them as needed to suit their specific context. The materials can be customised. Click the link below to obtain the presentation. They offer a helpful starting point for preparing presentations...

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PRECEDENTS
Social media law and compliance: customisable training slides for in-house and law firm legal teams covering marketing, data protection, defamation, IP, privacy, HR policies and crisis management

These social media training materials comprise template PowerPoint slides that may act as the foundation for one or more training seminars addressing issues that arise in connection with social media. It is expected that those delivering training will use these slides as a practical starting point for their presentations, and then tailor them as appropriate to reflect their specific circumstances. The training resources are customisable. Click the link below to download the training presentation...

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PRECEDENTS
Precedent Non-Binding Heads of Terms with Binding Confidentiality, Exclusivity and Boilerplate for Commercial Contracts; Subject to Contract (England and Wales)

This Agreement is hereby entered into on [ date ] Parties 1 [ Insert name of party ] [ of OR a company incorporated in [ England and Wales ] with number [ insert registered number ], whose registered office is at ] [ insert address ] ( Party A ); and 2 [ Insert name of party ] [ of OR a company incorporated in [ England and Wales ] with number [ insert registered number ], whose registered office is at ] [ insert address ] ( Party B ), each of Party A and Party B being a party and, together, Party A and Party B are the parties. BACKGROUND Party A carries on the business of [ insert description ]. Party B carries on the business of [ insert description ]. The parties seek to set out certain non-legally binding Heads of Terms in relation to the Project, which they intend shall provide...

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Q&As
Apprentice NMW in year one of a second apprenticeship contract

An apprentice qualifies for the lower apprentice rate of the national minimum wage (NMW) (currently £3.50 per hour) This entitlement applies where the individual is a worker who either: Is employed under: A contract of apprenticeship An apprenticeship agreement (as defined by section 32 of the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 (ASCLA 2009), since repealed but subject to transitional and saving provisions) An approved English apprenticeship agreement (as described in ASCLA 2009, s A1(3)) Or is regarded as employed under a contract of apprenticeship by virtue of taking part in one of these government schemes: England: Apprenticeships, Advanced Apprenticeships, Intermediate Level Apprenticeships, Advanced Level Apprenticeships, or Trailblazer Apprenticeships Scotland: Modern Apprenticeships Northern Ireland: Apprenticeships NI Wales: Foundation Apprenticeships, Apprenticeships, or Higher Apprenticeships Where any of the above apply, the worker meets the conditions for the...

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