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Startups Articles
Expert articles and practical legal guides on startups for uk businesses.
Do UK Companies Still Need a Company Seal (Common Seal)?
If you run a small company, you’ve probably come across the phrase “company seal” (sometimes called a “common seal”) at the exact moment you’re trying to sign something important - a lease,...
24 March 2026
UK Shareholder Agreement: What It Is, What To Include, And When You Need One
When you start (or grow) a company with other people, it’s easy to focus on the exciting bits: building the product, winning customers, hiring your first team member, and getting revenue in...
24 March 2026
Conditional Contracts and Agreements: What They Are and How to Use Them
If you’ve ever tried to close a deal while something important is still “up in the air” (funding approval, landlord consent, board sign-off, due diligence results), you’ve already run into the problem...
24 March 2026
Essential Legal Documents UK Startups & SMEs Need To Protect Their Business
When you’re building a startup or small business, it’s easy to focus on the exciting stuff first: finding customers, improving your product, hiring your first team member, and getting your brand out...
24 March 2026
How Many Owners Can a Partnership Have in the UK?
If you’re starting a business with one or more other people, a partnership can feel like the simplest option: you share the workload, combine skills, and grow faster together. But one practical...
24 March 2026
Where To Find A Company’s Articles Of Association (And What To Check)
If you run a small business, you’ll eventually find yourself needing to check another company’s documents before you do something important with them - sign a contract, bring on an investor, appoint...
24 March 2026
What Does It Mean To Incorporate A Business In The UK?
If you’re starting (or scaling) a business in the UK, you’ve probably heard people say things like “just incorporate it” or “you should set up a limited company”. But what does it...
23 March 2026
How To Value A Company: Common Valuation Methods For Startups And SMEs
If you’re running a startup or SME, valuing your business can feel like trying to hit a moving target. Your revenue might be growing, your product might be evolving, and your “real”...
23 March 2026
How To Protect Your Company Name In The UK: Trademarks And Brand Rights
If you’ve put time (and money) into building a name for your business, it’s completely normal to worry about someone else copying it, registering it, or trading off your reputation. A lot...
23 March 2026
Sole Trader Description: What It Is, Why It Matters And Examples
If you’re running a small business (or getting ready to launch one), you’ll probably come across the term “sole trader” pretty quickly. And if you’ve ever been asked to provide a description...
23 March 2026
Equity Lawyers: Shareholders, Vesting And Cap Tables For UK Startups
If you’re building a UK startup or growing an SME, equity can feel like the exciting part of the journey - bringing on co-founders, rewarding early team members, and raising investment. But...
23 March 2026
Free Service Agreement Template (UK): Key Terms And When To Get Legal Help
When you’re running a small business, it’s normal to want to move fast. A new client says “yes”, a supplier is ready to start, or you’ve got a contractor lined up for...
23 March 2026How To Trademark Your Company Name In The UK
When you’re building a new business, your company name is often one of the first (and biggest) investments you make. You put it on your website, your invoices, your packaging, your pitch...
23 March 2026
Mistake In Contract Law: Unilateral Vs Common Mistake And Void Contracts
You’ve negotiated the price, agreed the scope, shaken hands (or at least exchanged emails), and started work - then someone realises something is “wrong”. The wrong company name. The wrong specification. A...
23 March 2026
UK Investor Agreement: Key Terms Founders Need Before Taking Funding
Taking investment can be a huge moment for your business. It can help you hire faster, build product, scale marketing, or simply give you enough runway to stop “bootstrapping by sheer willpower”....
22 March 2026
What Is a Sole Trader in the UK?
If you’re launching a small business, one of the first (and most important) decisions you’ll make is how to structure it legally. It affects your tax, your admin, the contracts you sign,...
22 March 2026How To Register A Trade Name In The UK: Step-By-Step Guide
Picking a name is one of the most exciting parts of starting a business - but it can also be one of the easiest places to get tripped up. That’s because “registering...
22 March 2026
What Is A Convertible Loan Note? Key Terms For UK Startups
If you’re raising money for a UK startup, you’ll quickly run into a familiar funding question: what is a convertible loan, and is it the right way to bring in investment without...
22 March 2026
What Is Crowdcube? Equity Crowdfunding for UK Startups
If you’re building a startup in the UK, there’s a good chance you’ve come across equity crowdfunding as a way to raise capital without relying solely on angel investors or venture capital....
22 March 2026
Restricted Shares in the UK: Startup Share Issuance and Vesting
If you’re building a startup, you’ll probably hit the same question sooner or later: how do you give key people real skin in the game without giving away too much, too early?...
22 March 2026
Share Classes In The UK: A Guide For Startups And SMEs
If you’re building a UK startup or growing an SME, you’ll probably reach a point where issuing only ordinary shares stops being enough. Maybe you’re bringing in an investor who wants some...
22 March 2026How To Value A Private Company In The UK: Methods, Pitfalls And Legal Risks
If you’re a founder, there are plenty of moments where you’ll need to work out how to value a private company - raising investment, offering shares to a co-founder, bringing in a...
22 March 2026
Right Of Pre-Emption In The UK: What It Means For Shareholders And Founders
If you’re building a UK company with co-founders, early investors, or an employee share scheme on the horizon, your cap table can change quickly. That’s exciting - but it can also get...
21 March 2026Legal Considerations For Setting Up Or Expanding A Franchise Company In The UK
Running a franchise company can be an exciting way to grow faster than you could with company-owned sites alone. But franchising isn’t just a business model choice - it’s a legal relationship....
21 March 2026
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