Posted: Mon, December 1, 2003
 Who can help me?
It is essential for businesses to seek good advice at an early stage. This section includes some starting points, although advice on many aspects of running a business can be provided by solicitors,
accountants and banks.
Need free legal advice?  Check our page of links.
Need free legal forms and documents?
Check our page of links.
www.solicitors-online.com 
Definitive and up-to-date - information direct from Law Society records, updated daily. Search by locality or choose from 52 topics on which solicitors can help. "The best way to find a solicitor
on the Internet"
LawyerLocator.co.uk
Find a solicitor using this free online tool which allows you to search according to the areas of expertise and firm, town or postcode. The database lists over 65,000 solicitors and law firms and also
contains features such as tips on choosing a lawyer, common legal terms and a guide to using the small claims court.
Interactive-Law.co.uk
An online, legal service offering free legal information and a nation-wide network of local solicitors with specialist knowledge in their chosen fields.
Free publications
The DTI publish a very useful chart for small firms: A guide to regulatory requirements. It covers business structure, financial issues, health & environment, premises and licenses, and gives
details of how to obtain all the free publications mentioned. From: DTI Publications Orderline, ADMAIL 528, LONDON, SW1W 8YT. Tel: 0870 1502 500.
E-mail: dtipubs@echristian.co.uk
Burdens Barometer 2001
If you want to find out how much all this regulation is costing you, have a look at the Burdens Barometer from the British Chambers of Commerce, which shows the impact of red tape on SMEs.
According to their figures, the cost of regulations on business is over 15 billion pounds. The list is awesome, but a very good guide to recent and impending legislation.
Red Tape Survey
The Institute of Directors (IoD) recently published the results of its survey into red tape and the damaging effects it has on economic growth. The 24 page 'Red Tape Menace' survey can be
downloaded from: http://www.iod.co.uk - look under Policy, Information and Advice.
Portal to Free Legal Information for Companies
This really is an excellent site from Delia Venables, and gives you access to a huge range of free information and links provided by solicitors. Many legal firms include information sheets, briefing
notes, newsletters on their websites - this site will point you to them. A definite must to visit!
Government Gateway
The new Government Gateway at will enable you to sign up for any of the UK Government's services that are available over the Internet. It is hoped that ultimately businesses will be able to use the
Internet to submit all the paperwork they need to send to the government via a single point of entry.
Digging Deeper? Check our legal pages for more in-depth help.
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