agentlaw seminar: the key issues for 2025 for agents and distributors and principals and suppliers

On Tuesday 25 November 2025, we hosted our annual agentlaw seminar, which centred on the key issues for 2025 for agents and distributors and principals and suppliers.

At our seminar, our speakers addressed the following topics:

• When it comes to obtaining orders, secret commission is to an agent as a back hander is to an employee – partners, Evie Meleagros and David Williams, discussed the issue of unauthorised remuneration of agents and employees and the problems which arise for both payer, payee, and principal and employer following recent legislative changes.
• Calculating an agent’s indemnity entitlement on termination of the agency agreement under the Commercial Agents Regulations – Steve Sidkin dispelled some urban myths and considered whether indemnity can ever be better than compensation for terminated agents.
• Beware the terms on which you trade – for suppliers and distributors alike, the question needs to be answered, “are your terms of trade fit for purpose?” following a spate of cyber hacking incidents over the last 12 months. Associate, Guy Haslewood, provided his thoughts.
• Authorising agents to act –  recent judgments highlight the need to ensure that your agents / representatives / brokers are properly authorised. Associate, Ashkon Camyab, discussed the cases and the consequences if they are not.

The seminar was chaired by Steve Sidkin, partner and chair of the agentlaw team at Fox Williams.