Contracts Articles

Expert articles and practical legal guides on contracts for uk businesses.

Lawyer vs Solicitor vs Barrister: What’s the Difference in the UK?

Lawyer vs Solicitor vs Barrister: What’s the Difference in the UK?

If you’re running a small business, “legal help” can feel like one big bucket. You might hear people say “ask your lawyer”, “speak to a solicitor”, or “we need a barrister” -...

29 March 2026
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Sole Trader Legal Requirements In The UK: Staying Compliant

Sole Trader Legal Requirements In The UK: Staying Compliant

Starting as a sole trader is one of the quickest ways to get your business up and running in the UK. There’s less admin than setting up a limited company, you can...

29 March 2026
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Director Selling Shares To Another Director: Key UK Legal Steps And Documents

Director Selling Shares To Another Director: Key UK Legal Steps And Documents

If you run a UK company with more than one director, it’s pretty common for the ownership to shift over time. One director might want to exit, reduce their stake, or tidy...

29 March 2026
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Capacity To Contract In UK Contract Law: Key Rules For Businesses

Capacity To Contract In UK Contract Law: Key Rules For Businesses

If you run a small business, you’re probably signing contracts more often than you realise - onboarding clients, appointing suppliers, hiring staff, partnering with freelancers, or taking on new premises. Most of...

29 March 2026
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Disadvantages Of A Franchise: Legal Risks And Costs For UK Business Owners

Disadvantages Of A Franchise: Legal Risks And Costs For UK Business Owners

Buying a franchise can feel like the “safer” route into business ownership. You’re stepping into an established brand, a tested system and (usually) ongoing support. But the main disadvantages of a franchise...

29 March 2026
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Is A Contract Legally Binding In The UK? Key Legal Requirements

Is A Contract Legally Binding In The UK? Key Legal Requirements

If you’re running a small business or startup, you’re probably signing (or sending) agreements more often than you think - onboarding customers, hiring contractors, ordering stock, partnering with suppliers, or agreeing to...

29 March 2026
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Loan Note Meaning: What Loan Notes Are And How They Work

Loan Note Meaning: What Loan Notes Are And How They Work

If you’re raising money for your startup or SME, you’ll quickly run into a lot of funding jargon. One term that often pops up (especially in early-stage deals) is the “loan note”....

29 March 2026
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How To Start A Carpenter Business In The UK: Legal Steps And Compliance

How To Start A Carpenter Business In The UK: Legal Steps And Compliance

Starting a carpenter business can be a brilliant move if you’ve got strong trade skills and you’re ready to build something of your own (no pun intended). But once you step into...

29 March 2026
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Minority Shareholders: Rights And Protections In The UK

Minority Shareholders: Rights And Protections In The UK

If you run a UK SME, it’s common to bring in co-founders, early investors, family members, or key employees as shareholders. That’s often a smart way to fund growth and keep good...

29 March 2026
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What Makes A Contract Valid? Essential Elements Every Business Owner Should Know

What Makes A Contract Valid? Essential Elements Every Business Owner Should Know

If you run a small business, contracts are part of your everyday life - from onboarding customers and suppliers to hiring staff and partnering with other founders. But here’s the tricky part:...

29 March 2026
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UK Sublease Agreement Template: Key Clauses And Pitfalls For Businesses

UK Sublease Agreement Template: Key Clauses And Pitfalls For Businesses

If you’ve got commercial premises you’re not fully using, subletting can feel like a smart, practical way to reduce overheads and keep your space working for the business. But before you download...

29 March 2026
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Types Of Construction Contracts In The UK: A Practical Guide

Types Of Construction Contracts In The UK: A Practical Guide

If you run a small construction business, take on subcontract work, or manage building projects for clients, your contract is doing a lot of heavy lifting. It sets expectations, controls cashflow, allocates...

28 March 2026
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Best Endeavours: Meaning, Examples, And Use In UK Contracts

Best Endeavours: Meaning, Examples, And Use In UK Contracts

If you run a small business, you’ve probably seen (or been asked to accept) a clause saying you must use “best endeavours” to do something. It sounds sensible - who wouldn’t try...

28 March 2026
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Debt Facility Explained: How It Works And What Businesses Should Watch For

Debt Facility Explained: How It Works And What Businesses Should Watch For

If you’re running a growing business, it’s normal to hit a point where cash flow (not ambition) becomes the limiting factor. Maybe you need to buy stock ahead of a busy season,...

28 March 2026
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Can I Loan My Business Money? Director Loans And Tax Risks In The UK

Can I Loan My Business Money? Director Loans And Tax Risks In The UK

If you run a small limited company, there’s a good chance you’ll hit a point where cash flow feels tight (even if the business is doing well on paper). Maybe you’re waiting...

28 March 2026
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How To Write A Legally Compliant Job Advert In The UK

How To Write A Legally Compliant Job Advert In The UK

Hiring can be one of the biggest “levelling up” moments for a small business - and one of the easiest places to accidentally create legal risk. A well-written job advert doesn’t just...

28 March 2026
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Gifting Shares In The UK: How It Works For SMEs And Startups

Gifting Shares In The UK: How It Works For SMEs And Startups

If you run a UK limited company, there’ll often come a point where you want to bring someone into the cap table without doing a full investment round. Maybe you want to...

28 March 2026
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Can Directors Sell Company Assets Without Shareholder Approval?

Can Directors Sell Company Assets Without Shareholder Approval?

If you run a limited company, there will likely come a time when you need to sell something valuable - a vehicle, specialist equipment, intellectual property, a customer list, a lease, or...

28 March 2026
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Business Purchase Finance: Legal Essentials In The UK

Business Purchase Finance: Legal Essentials In The UK

Buying a business can be one of the fastest ways to grow - you’re acquiring customers, staff, assets, systems, and (hopefully) steady revenue in one move. But if you’re using business purchase...

28 March 2026
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Vested Stock Options: Key UK Rules for Startups and SMEs

Vested Stock Options: Key UK Rules for Startups and SMEs

If you’re building a UK startup or scaling an SME, you’ve probably heard that “equity incentives” can help you hire, retain and motivate great people when cash is tight. But once you...

28 March 2026
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How To Buy An Existing Business In the UK: Legal Checklist

How To Buy An Existing Business In the UK: Legal Checklist

Buying an existing business can be one of the fastest ways to grow - you’re not starting from zero, you’re stepping into an operation with customers, suppliers, systems, and (hopefully) revenue already...

28 March 2026
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Sweet Equity Shares In The UK: A Startup And SME Guide

Sweet Equity Shares In The UK: A Startup And SME Guide

If you’re building a startup or growing an SME, you’ll probably hit the same question sooner rather than later: how do we reward the people who are helping us grow, when cash...

28 March 2026
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Sales Of Goods Act: Key Legal Obligations For UK Businesses

Sales Of Goods Act: Key Legal Obligations For UK Businesses

If your business buys or sells physical products, you’re dealing with “sales of goods” all the time - even if you don’t call it that. It might be a wholesaler supplying stock...

28 March 2026
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Fully Diluted Shares: What UK Startup Founders and Investors Need to Know

Fully Diluted Shares: What UK Startup Founders and Investors Need to Know

If you’re building (or investing in) a UK startup, there’s a good chance you’ve heard someone say, “What does that look like on a fully diluted basis?” It sounds like finance jargon,...

27 March 2026
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