Course Details

Accountants advising private companies will benefit from this review of the Duomatic Principle – the principle in the Duomatic case that says members of a company who would have been entitled to vote on a decision at a shareholders’ general meeting can informally, unanimously agree that decision, and that’s as valid as if it had been made at a meeting. But the Duomatic Principle isn’t as simple as it sounds – there are conditions and exceptions, and the principle has evolved in some surprising ways in recent cases, that can catch clients – and their advisers – out. This session will help practitioners advise their clients when the Duomatic Principle can rescue them from the consequences of a failure to hold a shareholders’ meeting or to observe company law formalities – and when it can’t.


In this session David Impey will cover the following topics:

  • Overview of what the Duomatic Principle says
  • What the Duomatic case actually decided – the full picture
  • Common situations where the Principle rescues clients from disputes over shareholder decisions
  • Exceptions when the Duomatic Principle can’t help clients
  • Conditions to satisfy before Duomatic consent to be effective
  • How the Principle is evolving -and some surprising case law


By attending this session, you will learn about when and whether the application – or otherwise – of the Duomatic Principle, can help clients avoid disputes about whether shareholder decisions have actually been made and are lawfully valid.


This session will be of most interest to accountant’s in private practice and in-house who advise private limited companies; company directors and owners.


Course level: Foundation / Intermediate / Advanced

CPD Course Speaker

Company Law Solicitor

David Impey

David Impey is a company law solicitor, professional services marketer, writer, and lecturer. His specialities include company law, professional services marketing, strategic planning and implementation, and interactive e-marketing.

As well as specialising in company law, David also works with law firms and other law businesses, helping them with strategy, and marketing, and majoring particularly on overcoming barriers to implementation of strategic and marketing plans and tactics

From 2008 to 2014, he led and worked on a major project for the UK Intellectual Property Office, through Atom Content Marketing (formerly BHP), building and developing an online IP HealthCheck resource that helps small and medium-sized businesses to identify, protect and commercially exploit their intellectual property.

He also worked in-house for 14 fun and profitable years for leading services provider Jordans, becoming Marketing Director responsible for developing, managing and marketing its service and product range. Particularly, he led significant projects to commoditise UK and overseas ‘factory’ professional services and promote them into the UK and other legal markets.

David lectures in the UK and overseas on both UK company law and professional services firm strategy and marketing.