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The Commercial Team at JPP Law outline the reasons why every company should have a shareholders agreement.

While some business transactions are quick and simple, many involve protracted negotiations as you shop around for the best provider of goods or services and negotiate hard to get the best terms and conditions. Some businesses in your supply chain may have a formal process for purchase orders and contract execution, while things may be more relaxed with smaller companies or ones where you have a longstanding relationship. Perhaps some of your supply chain have introduced electronic signatures and you…

As a business owner preparing for a joint venture, you and your potential partner will need to decide how best to structure the business arrangement so that it provides the best platform for your mutual objectives. Several factors will influence your choice of legal structure for the deal, including the scope of the project, its likely duration, the level of risk, taxation and funding, as well as your respective negotiating positions. The decision whether or not to incorporate should be…

In the UK, convertible loan notes have become a popular option for startups and early stage companies looking to raise finance. These are financial instruments that allow investors to lend money to a company in return for the option to convert that loan into equity at a later date.  When an investor buys a convertible loan note, they are, in essence, lending money to the business, but when certain conditions are met, that money can then be converted to equity…

It’s not uncommon for a firm’s management or ownership to change during its life as a natural part of the company’s growth and development. Two of the ways this can happen is through a management buy-in (MBI) or a management buyout (MBO). A management buy-in, or MBI, refers to the process in which an external party purchases a significant share or the entire company from its current owners. In many cases, this will mean replacing the existing management team with…

Selling a business, no matter what size, is a big undertaking requiring plenty of consideration and planning. As an owner or partner, you’ll be looking to get the best possible deal and achieving that means having everything in place from a legal point of view. So your first port of call should be with a team of commercial solicitors with a successful track record in business sales and JPP Law offer a free introductory call which can be utilised before…

Indemnities and limited liability clauses are often the most negotiated provisions in business contracts. It is a fine balance between agreeing appropriate risk and allocating protections, while at the same time remaining reasonable in order to conclude the deal. The two legal provisions have different purposes and sit on opposite sides of the contract. For example, it is easier to think of indemnities being useful for the customer or client in a contract: their prime purpose being protection. On the…

JPP’s Litigation Lawyer Jodi Tierney is very used to dealing with high value litigation but rarely do the cases spark interest from the national press. However, when the matter involves a renown Mexican artist and missing artwork, a case gains public interest.   Jodi successfully represented Principal Art S.L when a painting on loan was not returned. A summary of the case is as follows.   “In a London court, an art dealer, Esperanza Koren, has been ordered to pay…

Crowdfunding has become an increasingly popular form of funding for entrepreneurs with a good business plan, or early stage companies looking to take their business to the next stage of its development. In the UK, crowdfunding is well established and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). In this article, we will explore the landscape, and look at the pros and cons of using crowdfunding as a financial tool for a business starting out, or growing. What is crowdfunding? Crowdfunding…

If you are planning to sell your business, one option might be a management buyout (MBO) if you think the current management team could be interested in buying you out. Planning well ahead will help to ensure that the MBO team is right for the deal, that your business is presented in the best possible shape so that the buyers and their funders can see value and future potential in the proposed acquisition – and that you will receive your…