Corporate or Commercial

The "best" structure depends on your **liability risk**, **tax goals**, and **long-term growth plans**. A **Limited Company** offers protection for personal assets but requires more compliance. A **Sole Trader** is simpler but exposes you to full personal liability. We advise on the optimal structure during consultation.

The most critical document is a **Shareholders' Agreement** (or Partnership Agreement). This governs the internal relationship, covering crucial issues like decision-making powers, exit strategies for founders, intellectual property ownership, and how disputes will be resolved, preventing costly litigation later.

Online templates are generic and may not comply with your jurisdiction's laws or adequately protect your unique business model. A solicitor ensures your contracts contain tailored clauses covering liability limits, specific termination rights, and IP protection relevant to your industry.

The process involves understanding your business objectives, identifying key risks, drafting clear terms of engagement, defining payment and termination clauses, and negotiating the terms with the other party. Our goal is a robust, enforceable contract that supports your commercial aims.

You should engage us **before any serious negotiations begin**. We manage the crucial **due diligence** process, identify hidden liabilities in the target company, structure the transaction (share vs. asset sale), and draft the complex purchase agreements.

Due diligence is a thorough investigation of the target company’s financial records, material contracts, intellectual property, employee contracts, and litigation history. This process verifies the company's value and uncovers any potential risks before you commit to the purchase.

In a **Share Purchase**, you buy the entire company, including all its assets and liabilities. In an **Asset Purchase**, you selectively buy only specific assets (e.g., equipment, client lists) and often exclude undesirable liabilities. The choice has major tax and risk implications.

IP protection involves registering trademarks, patents, and designs, ensuring copyrights are secured, and crucially, using robust **Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs)** and employment contracts that properly assign all work-product IP rights to the company.

International expansion requires navigating foreign tax regimes, local employment laws, complex import/export regulations, and establishing compliant entity structures (subsidiaries or branches). We work with global partners to manage these compliance risks seamlessly.

Corporate governance is the framework of rules, relationships, systems, and processes by which authority is exercised and controlled within a company. It's vital for small companies to define board roles, meeting protocols, and financial reporting early to maintain investor confidence and ensure compliance.

We assist in structuring the financing agreement (e.g., equity investments, debt financing, venture capital), performing due diligence on investors, negotiating the terms of the loan/investment, and ensuring all security and compliance documents are properly executed.

Common pitfalls include failing to define clear exit strategies, unclear allocation of intellectual property rights developed during the JV, ambiguous financial contribution requirements, and a lack of specific dispute resolution mechanisms. A strong contract anticipates and mitigates these issues.

**Do not respond directly to the sender.** Contact us immediately. A Cease and Desist letter is a pre-litigation warning, usually over IP infringement or breach of contract. We will analyze the claims, assess your legal position, and formulate a formal, legally sound response to protect your business.

We provide strategy and representation for contract breaches, partnership disputes, intellectual property litigation, and shareholder disagreements. We prioritize negotiation and mediation to achieve an efficient resolution, but are fully prepared to represent you in court if necessary.

The first step is to **schedule a confidential consultation** where we discuss your business goals, current legal challenges, and existing documentation. We will then provide a clear scope of work and a transparent fee proposal tailored to your commercial needs.