Heads of terms meaning

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...

This Checklist pinpoints the principal provisions commonly found in a trade mark coexistence agreement. It may serve as a prompt for matters to address when preparing, assessing, or negotiating these arrangements. It can be relied upon as a list of points to review at drafting stage, during review, and throughout negotiations and sign-off process. It may equally be tailored as heads of terms to capture core positions whilst a full trade mark coexistence agreement is finalised. For help on doing so, see Precedent: Heads of terms—commercial contracts. For a model coexistence agreement, see Precedent: Trade mark coexistence agreement. For further detail on factors to weigh when drafting a coexistence agreement, see Practice Notes: Trade mark coexistence agreements and Negotiation guide—trade mark coexistence agreement. Checklist Points to consider Further information Notes (if any) (A) Key commercial considerations ☐ Parties Verify which entities will sign the agreement—specify who owns the trade marks (and related rights) and who is exploiting them. Confirm each party’s legal form and...

How to use this Checklist This Checklist aims to flag common issues that emerge during the negotiation and drafting of a publishing agreement. For a model publishing agreement, see Precedent: Publishing agreement—pro-publisher. For more detail on matters raised in this Checklist, consult Practice Notes: Assigning intellectual property rights; Licensing intellectual property rights. Where appropriate, this Checklist can also act as the basis of a simple, non-binding heads of terms. For guidance on doing so, see Precedent: Heads of terms—commercial contracts. The third column can be used to capture observations or comments as the Checklist is completed. Checklist schedule for proposed publishing agreement Checklist Further information Notes (if any) Parties Verify each party’s legal status and consider whether any third parties (such as group affiliates) will benefit from the proposed agreement. Commencement, duration and termination Confirm the start or effective date. Determine whether the agreement lasts for the full copyright term in the work or for a...

Wilson and another v HB (SWA) Ltd [2025] EWCA Civ 1360 What was the background? The appellants, Mr and Mrs Wilson, were previous leaseholders of two flats in the Celestia development, Cardiff, a residential scheme completed in 2007 with Redrow Homes (South Wales) Ltd acting as the developer. The respondent, HB (SWA) Ltd, has taken over Redrow’s rights and liabilities. The Wilsons issued proceedings against the defendant seeking damages after fire safety shortcomings and other defects were discovered at the building. The causes of action advanced were breach of contract (breach of implied terms in the leases) and/or breach of the duty owed under section 1 of the Defective Premises Act 1972 (DPA 1972). Their Schedule of Loss set out nine heads of loss, seven of which the Technology and Construction Court (TCC) struck out as too remote or purely hypothetical; see News Analysis: Damages under the Defective Premises Act 1972—what’s recoverable? (Wilson v HB(SWA)). The Wilsons appealed. What did the court decide? The Court of...

In this issue: Key developments and materials Air emissions and climate change Energy for environmental lawyers Environmental information ESG and sustainability Hazardous substances and chemicals Marine Nature, biodiversity and habitat conservation Water, flooding and drainage Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Key developments and materials Revised National Planning Policy Framework—analysis of key changes This commentary presents insights from Jennifer Eng on the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). For more, see News Analysis: Revised National Planning Policy Framework—analysis of key changes. It sets out her comments on the latest changes. Defra responds to 2024 OEP report on progress in improving natural environment The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has released its response to the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP)’s January 2024 review of progress in enhancing the natural environment in England. It tackles five core recommendations from the OEP’s 2023 report, including the requirement for...

Introduction In recent months, many commentators have examined the Court of Appeal’s ruling in Pretoria Energy Company (Chittering) Ltd v Blankney Estates Ltd [2023] EWCA Civ 482. Much of that analysis has focussed on whether, on the particular facts, signed Heads of Terms resulted in a binding agreement for the creation or other disposition of an interest in land (here, the grant of a lease) within section 2(1) of the Law of Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1989. This article, however, approaches the decision in terms of its possible ramifications for the procedure to contract out of LTA 1954, Pt II. In particular, remarks by Lord Justice Lewison appear to speak directly to the timing of that process and when the landlord and any guarantor should undertake it. Background facts The discussions between the appellant (Pretoria) and the respondent (Blankney) concerned a proposal under which Pretoria would construct and operate an anaerobic digestion plant (ADP) on unused land owned by Blankney. Pretoria would proceed on the basis of...

This Practice Note forms part of the Lexis+® UK Corporate private equity buyout transaction toolkit. Timing Due diligence is typically undertaken after heads of terms are signed and confidentiality arrangements are in place. It then proceeds in parallel with negotiation of the main sale documents (share purchase agreement and associated ancillary papers) and the equity documents (investment agreement, senior debt (loan facility) agreement and, if required, loan note instruments). Most diligence is carried out early in the deal to enable the parties to agree suitable warranty and/or indemnity protection in the formal papers, and to support the seller’s and target management’s disclosures against their respective warranties. Disclosure letters are drafted and negotiated alongside the share purchase agreement and the investment agreement, and executed at the same time as those instruments. A first draft disclosure letter is usually produced only once diligence is well progressed and initial drafts of the relevant documents have already been circulated. What happens during this phase? Due diligence The private...

This Practice Note forms part of the Lexis+® UK Corporate private equity buyout transaction toolkit. Beyond choosing between a share sale and an asset sale structure, a range of matters should be weighed at the outset of a private equity buyout (MBO), before due diligence begins and the principal transaction documents are negotiated. These matters can influence the core commercial and legal terms, so each side is well advised to address them before settling any headline terms (and before executing heads of terms for both the acquisition and equity elements) and before fixing the transaction timetable. The topics outlined below (and in the Practice Notes referenced in this sub‑phase) may remain relevant throughout the deal, particularly during negotiation of the formal documentation, but they are highlighted early because lawyers for all interested parties ought to consider them and brief their clients as soon as possible. Corporate issues to consider Selected corporate law points are outlined below; applicability will vary with the nature of the deal and the parties...

Heads of terms A business purchase (the target business) typically starts with settling the key commercial points—price, structure of the deal, due diligence steps, exclusivity provisions and timetable. These points are commonly negotiated by the parties themselves, or alongside their accountants and other professional advisers, and then set out in heads of terms, sometimes called a ‘letter of intent’ or ‘memorandum of understanding’. See Practice Note: Heads of terms—share and asset purchases. Where environmental risks are known or suspected, the heads of terms might cover: providing the buyer with any existing environmental report(s) a requirement for a reliance agreement or collateral warranty, giving the buyer the benefit of those report(s) a process allowing the buyer to undertake a phase 1 environmental audit or phase 2 ground investigations headline terms for an environmental indemnity or environmental insurance What happens during the preliminary phase?...

[ On letterhead of the Investor ] Strictly private and confidential [ insert Company name ][ insert Company address ]Date: [ insert date ] SUBJECT TO CONTRACT Dear Directors, Proposed investment of Loan Notes in [ insert name and registered number of company ] (Company) 1 Introduction 1.1 Following our recent conversations, this letter outlines the key terms and conditions on which we have agreed to proceed with an investment by way of loan notes to be issued by the Company (the Proposed Investment). 1.2 The provisions in this letter are not comprehensive and, save for this paragraph 1.2 and paragraphs 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, are subject to contract and are not intended to be legally binding on the parties. No party shall be legally obliged to proceed with the Proposed Investment unless and until a formal written loan note instrument has been entered into. 2 Loan notes 2.1 The Company shall...

This Agreement is dated [ insert day and month ] 20[ insert year ] Parties The Consenting Lenders (as set out in Schedule 1); [ The Consenting Bondholders (as set out in Schedule 2); ] [ insert name of debtor company ], a company registered in [ insert country eg England and Wales ] with company number [ insert registered number ], whose registered office is at [ insert address ]; [ The Material Companies (as set out in Schedule 3); ] Recitals On [ insert date ], the directors of the Company announced a proposal to restructure the claims of certain creditors of the [ Company OR Group ] following a period of financial distress. On [ insert date ], the Company and certain creditors entered into a Standstill Agreement in connection with the proposed restructuring. [ On [ insert date ], the Company and certain creditors agreed non-binding heads of terms for the...

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...