Business Law

When you set up and run a business, you will need all the documentation in place as soon as possible. This protects the owners and assets of your business as well as your customers.

Whether you need a complex partnership or shareholders agreements or merely simple standard terms of business, we will give you practical advice that takes in to account all matters of business law, in a personal manner.

Whether you are starting out, expanding or selling, we will achieve the best result for you and your business. We specialise in advising smaller businesses and we continue to advise many that we helped to establish.

Business Law to Help Start a Business

When you start your business, we will give you advice over whether or not you should set up as a sole trader, partnership or a limited liability partnership or incorporating as a limited liability company.

This will affect your tax position and personal liability. Set-up costs, ongoing administration, publicity and perception are also likely to be important.

Buying and Selling a Business

If you want to buy a company or a business, you first need to know what you are buying. You will also want the right to claim against the seller if you get something you hadn’t bargained for.

Conversely, if you are selling, you want as little residual liability as possible so that you can use the sale proceeds for other projects without having to worry about claims by the buyer.

We will guide you through and advise you on all aspects of the acquisition or disposal of a company or a business, including:

• Any pre-sale or pre-acquisition reorganisations or hive-downs that are necessary
• Any financing and security issues
• Preparing heads of terms, exclusivity agreements and confidentiality agreements
• Assisting in the information-gathering and due diligence process
• Drafting and negotiating the sale and purchase agreement and ancillary documents
• Earn-outs, management buy-outs and private equity/venture capital investment

Cash flow is important to all businesses. If another business or individual owes you money you may need legal help to assist you in the recovery of that money.

We provide a fast, efficient and effective service for the collection of your debts. Where appropriate we will consider acting on a “no win no fee” basis.

We believe that once you involve us in pursuing an outstanding debt, the debtor pays speedier. This also sends out the message to your debtors that your business will not tolerate late or non-payment.

We charge your debtor interest under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts Act at 8% above base-rate.

In order to maximise your chances of recovery, we constantly review the collection process. We attempt to source updated information on your debtor as well as resolving any queries against his legal status. Our aim is to prevent you from throwing good money after bad.

We will also advise you of your prospects of success should you wish to litigate the matter through the court process.

The effectiveness of our service will ensure you an increased cash flow. The speedy recovery of your debts will also provide you with more time to chase your current debtors.

We act for both companies and individuals. We advise on complex insolvency issues or straight-forward bankruptcy or winding-up proceedings.

We advise on liquidations, voluntary arrangements, receivership and administration. We can act in relation to all the formalities necessary to deal with the Court, government departments and the Insolvency Service. We can attend creditors meetings on your behalf and assist in recovery of debts due.

We also advise debtors when difficulty arises and there is nowhere else to turn.

We offer advice on corporate insolvency, sales of assets, creditors meetings, liquidations, administrations & receivership, fixed and floating charges, debt reconstruction & consolidation, fraudulent & wrongful trading and directors disqualification.

We will consider acting on a “no win no fee” basis where appropriate.

We aim to offer practical advice to a range of problems involving company and partnership disputes. We see litigation as a last resort and hope to achieve the best result for you with our strong negotiating tactics. At the outset, we will agree on an action plan and keep you fully informed on all aspects of your case.