You may need finance for your business to fund growth projects, maybe to fund the purchase of plant and equipment, diversification, or expansion.  Maybe the need to raise finance is to complete a management buy-out, to acquire a competitor or a complementary business, to purchase a freehold or leasehold commercial property, or to invest in a new corporate project. Whatever the reason you need to consider the finance options open to you and their potential pros and cons.  The devil is in the detail when it comes to commercial finance. Once you have identified your preferred funding provider and cleared…

Could a business angel be the answer to your startup business prayers?  Early-stage businesses are generally in need of funding to bring an idea to market but sometimes funding alone is not enough to help them thrive, especially when expertise is critical to success. A business angel could be a good solution to explore and consider because they can provide both expertise and finance.   What is a business angel?  Probably the most known business angels are those that sit in the BBC’s Dragons Den. A business angel is generally a high-net-worth individual who manages a portfolio of investments made…

Starting any new business comes with a steep learning curve, especially as a founder when you often find yourself wearing all the management hats. This is why it is important to deal with the core legal issues early, so that when the time comes to scale up, your business is ready and in good shape to expand

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

To ensure your interests and your business are protected you need an experienced team advising you so the final terms are both fair and workable in the long term. If you are considering a funding round, congratulations! It’s an incredible achievement to build a business that is worthy of external investment. That said, if this is new territory for you, it’s highly recommended to seek professional support, including lawyers and accountants, to guide you through the process. Thinking about a Funding Round? The type of investor you want to attract will be astute and experienced. To ensure your interests and…

Thinking about these questions and being able to answer them will get you a long way to creating your shareholders agreement:  If you are in need of legal advice for a Shareholders Agreement book a free introductory call. Who has shares and what kind?  Who are or will be the shareholders? Are all the shares the same or are there classes of shares with different rights? Perhaps some shares have votes and some don’t? Who are or will be the directors? The directors run the company and shareholders do not usually have a say in the day-to-day running of the…

We regularly run webinars for startup and scale up businesses. The webinars look considers the legal questions that every startup business should consider. The webinar covers; the legal structure for the business the legal contract and agreements that a startup may need financial promotions related to investment sources of startup finance and the legal considerations of each We are yet to confirm the date of the next webinar but please use the form below to register your interest and we will be in touch as soon as the next date is confirmed.

Setting up a new business is an exciting time, and there are a thousand things to think about, but if you are launching your new venture with one or more other colleagues it is imperative to decide in advance how you are going to structure it legally.

As supporters of innovation and entrepreneurial spirit, JPP Law have produced support packages and material designed to meet the needs of this unique sector. Fixed Fee Legal Documents If your new business is at the stage where you require any kind of new legal document (for example T&Cs, a loan, funding or shareholders agreement, employment contacts, GDPR policy) or a review of existing documents you may be interested to know that JPP offer startup legal packages which can be provided at a very competitive fixed fee. If you would like a quote or if you are not sure what documents…

The most common reason why a director will be required to provide a personal guarantee is because a lender or supplier perceives a level of risk in your business. Perhaps the lender is not confident that your business cash flow is liquid enough to fulfil its obligations. Maybe they feel that, while your business is financially secure, your sector or industry is too volatile, and they need further protection. Perhaps your business has had a history of late payments, defaults, or liquidity issues in the past.