Commercial & Business Law
Running a business involves legal relationships with shareholders, partners, customers, suppliers, employees and contractors. Clear documentation can reduce uncertainty and help prevent disputes.
Clear documentation is what keeps business relationships workable.
Most commercial problems do not start as disputes. They start as things that were never written down clearly — an unclear clause in a supply agreement, an assumption about who decides what, or an arrangement between owners that was agreed verbally and never revisited.
Business succession is usually best considered alongside your broader estate planning, so that business and personal arrangements work together. Tax and accounting advice should be obtained from appropriately qualified advisers.
Commercial Practice
Practical legal support for the agreements and arrangements a business relies on.
Shareholder Agreements
Set out how decisions are made, what happens if a shareholder wants to leave, how shares may be sold and how disputes are dealt with.
Partnership Agreements
Document ownership, responsibilities, profit arrangements, decision-making and exit arrangements.
Commercial Contracts
Drafting and reviewing customer, supplier, service and other business agreements.
Contractor & Subcontractor Agreements
Document the scope of work, payment, confidentiality, intellectual property, termination and other important terms.
Business Purchases & Sales
Legal support when buying or selling a business.
Business Succession
Coordinate business ownership and succession planning with broader estate arrangements.
Planning for a change in ownership
Planning for a change in business ownership takes time. It can involve how ownership passes, who takes over decision-making, and how the change is documented.
Buy-sell agreements, agreed transfer triggers and clear decision-making rules can reduce uncertainty if an owner leaves, becomes unwell or dies.