Insights: Litigation-informed, plain English

Views from the frontline

Practical, current legal advice for founders, owner-managers and homebuyers, drawn from what we see when commercial and property matters are tested.

63 guides

Directors & Liability08Personal exposure, wrongful trading and HMRC enforcement for company directors.

4 min read

What Directors Can Be Personally Liable For in the UK

Seven scenarios where UK directors face personal liability: unpaid tax, wrongful trading, breach of duty and more. Bonsai Law explains what is at stake.

4 min read

Can a CEO Be Held Personally Liable? UK Law Explained

When directors and CEOs can be personally sued for company decisions, debts or negligence under UK law. Plain-English guide from Bonsai Law.

3 min read

How Long Are Directors Liable After Leaving a Company?

Director liability does not end when you resign. UK time limits for personal claims after leaving a company, and how to protect yourself. Bonsai Law.

4 min read

Can Directors Lose Their Home if Their Company Goes Bust?

When personal assets like your home, car or savings can be at risk if a limited company fails. UK directors' asset protection explained by Bonsai Law.

4 min read

How to Protect Yourself as a Director: 5 Legal Steps

Practical steps UK directors and CEOs take to limit personal liability: monitor accounts, seek early advice, minute decisions, review guarantees, clean DLA. Bonsai Law guide.

4 min read

Wrongful Trading Explained: What Directors Need to Know Before It's Too Late

Wrongful trading is one of the most common routes to personal liability for UK directors. This guide explains what it is, how liquidators identify it, and what directors can do to protect themselves.

3 min read

HMRC Personal Liability Notices: What Directors Need to Know in 2026

HMRC can bypass limited liability to make directors personally responsible for company tax debts. This guide explains Personal Liability Notices, Joint and Several Liability Notices, and what directors must do in 2026.

Views from the frontline

What Directors Can Be Personally Liable For in the UK

Can a CEO Be Held Personally Liable? UK Law Explained

How Long Are Directors Liable After Leaving a Company?

Can Directors Lose Their Home if Their Company Goes Bust?

How to Protect Yourself as a Director: 5 Legal Steps

Wrongful Trading Explained: What Directors Need to Know Before It's Too Late

HMRC Personal Liability Notices: What Directors Need to Know in 2026

Director Disqualification: What Triggers It and How to Avoid It (2026)

Shareholder Agreements: What Every Founder Needs Before It Goes Wrong

Business Property Relief in 2026: What the New Rules Mean for Your Estate

The Contract Clauses SMEs Forget: And Why They're the Most Expensive Ones

Selling Your Business: What the Legal Process Actually Looks Like

Most Lawyers See Problems. We See Systems: Why SMEs Need Joined-Up Commercial, Corporate, Disputes & IP Advice

How to Review a Commercial Contract Before You Sign

What to Look Out for in a Supplier Agreement

How to Protect Your Business in a Joint Venture

What to Look Out for When Selling Your Business

How to Use an NDA Properly (and When Not To)

Standard Terms and Conditions: Why Your Trading Terms Are Your First Line of Defence

The Track That Decides Everything: Small Claims, Fast Track, and What Comes Next

What "Without Prejudice" Actually Means (and What It Doesn't)

Why the Pre-Action Protocol Matters More Than You Think

You Won. Now What? Enforcing a Judgment in Practice

Mediation vs Litigation: A Realistic Comparison

Founder Fallouts: Why You Need a Global Strategy When Everyone Wears Every Hat

What to Check Before Signing a Commercial Lease: A Guide for SMEs

Security of Tenure: What the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 Means for Your Business

Break Clauses in Commercial Leases: Why Tenants Get Them Wrong

How to Negotiate a Commercial Lease

What to Look Out for Before Signing a Commercial Lease

How to Buy Commercial Property as an SME

What to Look Out for in a Commercial Lease Break Clause

How to Handle a Dispute With Your Commercial Landlord

Buying Property in the UK: Your Legal Checklist for 2026

Leasehold Property in the UK: What Buyers Need to Know Before They Commit

Stamp Duty in 2026: What's Changed and What First-Time Buyers Actually Pay

A First-Time Buyer's Roadmap: From Offer to Keys

Freehold vs Leasehold: What You're Really Buying

Searches Explained: Why Your Solicitor Orders Them and What They Reveal

Selling Your Home: How to Avoid the Common Delays

Joint Ownership: Joint Tenants vs Tenants in Common (and Why It Matters)

Remortgaging Your Home: The Legal Process Explained

New Builds and Shared Ownership: What the Conveyancing Really Involves

Boundaries and Rights of Way: Where You Really Stand

Islamic Mortgages: How Sharia-Compliant Home Finance Works

Buying and Selling High-Rise Flats: Cladding, EWS1 and the Building Safety Act

Buying and Selling a Park Home: What the Law Actually Says

Buying Property at Auction: The Legal Pack and the Fall of the Hammer

Trade Marks for SMEs: Why Your Brand Needs Legal Protection

Why You Need a Trade Mark Clearance Search Before Launching a Brand

IP Due Diligence: What Investors and Buyers Look For

How to Register a Trade Mark in the UK

What to Look Out for When Choosing a Brand Name

How to Protect Your IP When Working With Freelancers

What to Look Out for in an IP Licence Agreement

How to Defend Your Trade Mark Against Infringement

LPA vs Advance Decision: The Difference Nobody Explains

The Business Owner LPA: The Succession Document Your Accountant Forgot

Five Reasons the OPG Rejects LPAs, and How to Avoid Every One

The LPA Self-Audit: Is Yours Still Fit for Purpose?

You've Just Bought a House. Now Make Your Will.

Your Will, Your Shareholders' Agreement and Your Cross-Option: The Three-Legged Stool

Blended Families and the Life Interest Trust: Protecting Your Partner and Your Children