Startups Articles

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

Preferred Equity For UK Startups: How It Works And Key Legal Terms

Preferred Equity For UK Startups: How It Works And Key Legal Terms

If you’re raising money for your startup or growing SME, you’ve probably heard investors talk about preferred equity (sometimes called “preferred shares” or “preferred stock”). It can sound like a technical finance...

26 January 2026
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Hiring a Corporate or Commercial Solicitor for UK SMEs and Startups

Hiring a Corporate or Commercial Solicitor for UK SMEs and Startups

When you’re building a business, it’s easy to focus on the exciting stuff: product, sales, funding, and growth. But sooner or later, most founders hit legal questions that aren’t “nice to have”...

26 January 2026
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Do You Need A Venture Capital Lawyer To Raise VC Funding In the UK?

Do You Need A Venture Capital Lawyer To Raise VC Funding In the UK?

Raising venture capital can feel like a big milestone - and it usually is. You’ve built something worth backing, you’re talking to investors, and suddenly your calendar is full of term sheets,...

26 January 2026
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How To Search UK IPO Trade Marks Before Registering Your Brand

How To Search UK IPO Trade Marks Before Registering Your Brand

You’ve got a brand name you love. Maybe you’ve already built a logo, bought a domain, and started posting on social media. Before you pour more time (and money) into it, there’s...

25 January 2026
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How To Find Business Investors: Legal Steps Before You Pitch

How To Find Business Investors: Legal Steps Before You Pitch

Looking for business investors can feel like you’re juggling two jobs at once: building a product (or service) people actually want, and learning a whole new language of fundraising, term sheets, and...

25 January 2026
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Start-Up Loans in the UK: Key Legal Essentials Before You Borrow

Start-Up Loans in the UK: Key Legal Essentials Before You Borrow

Getting access to funding can be the difference between a great idea staying on paper and a business that actually launches, hires, sells and grows. But start-up loans for small businesses come...

25 January 2026
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Shareholders Agreement Solicitors: When UK Startups and SMEs Need Help

Shareholders Agreement Solicitors: When UK Startups and SMEs Need Help

If you’re building a UK startup or growing an SME with more than one shareholder, you’re probably spending most of your time on the fun (and urgent) parts - product, customers, hiring,...

25 January 2026
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Promissory Notes In The UK: Key Considerations For Founders

Promissory Notes In The UK: Key Considerations For Founders

If you’re running a startup or growing an SME, cash flow can be a constant balancing act. Sometimes you need to bridge a short-term funding gap, formalise a loan from a director,...

25 January 2026
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What Does Subsidiary Mean In The UK? How Subsidiary Companies Work

What Does Subsidiary Mean In The UK? How Subsidiary Companies Work

If you’re growing a small business, you’ll hear the word “subsidiary” come up sooner or later - usually when you start thinking about expansion, investors, risk, or setting up a new venture...

25 January 2026
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How To Choose The Right Business Law Firm For Your Startup Or Small Business

How To Choose The Right Business Law Firm For Your Startup Or Small Business

Choosing a business law firm can feel like one of those “adult” decisions you didn’t realise would come so early in your startup journey. You might be thinking: “We’re still small -...

25 January 2026
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Small Business Plan: Legal Essentials Every UK Founder Should Include

Small Business Plan: Legal Essentials Every UK Founder Should Include

If you’re putting together a small business plan, it’s easy to focus on the exciting stuff first - your product, pricing, marketing, and the big vision. But in the UK, one of...

24 January 2026
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Starting a Business in the UK: Legal Checklist for New Founders

Starting a Business in the UK: Legal Checklist for New Founders

Starting up a business is exciting - but it can also feel like there are a hundred moving parts to get right, all at once. The tricky bit is that the legal...

24 January 2026
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Employee Share Schemes In the UK: A Guide For Growing Businesses

Employee Share Schemes In the UK: A Guide For Growing Businesses

If you’re building a growing business, you’ve probably felt the “talent squeeze” at some point. You need great people to scale, but hiring competitively can be expensive. And even if you can...

24 January 2026
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Companies House Fees: Filing Costs And Staying Compliant In The UK

Companies House Fees: Filing Costs And Staying Compliant In The UK

If you’re running a limited company in the UK (or you’re about to set one up), Companies House filings are one of those “non-negotiables” you’ll deal with every year. And while the...

24 January 2026
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UK Contract Templates: What To Use, Avoid, And When To Get Legal Advice

UK Contract Templates: What To Use, Avoid, And When To Get Legal Advice

If you’re running a small business, it’s completely normal to want to move fast. A new customer is ready to buy, a freelancer wants to start on Monday, or a supplier needs...

24 January 2026
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AI Business Name Generator: Legal Checks Before Registering Your UK Business Name

AI Business Name Generator: Legal Checks Before Registering Your UK Business Name

Coming up with a business name is one of the most exciting parts of starting a new venture. It’s also one of the easiest places to accidentally step into legal trouble. With...

24 January 2026
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Pre-Emption Rights: When They Apply and Impact on Shareholders in the UK

Pre-Emption Rights: When They Apply and Impact on Shareholders in the UK

If you run a UK company with more than one shareholder, “pre-emption” is one of those legal concepts that can quietly shape everything from investment rounds to founder exits. Pre-emption rights (sometimes...

23 January 2026
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What Does LLP Mean?

What Does LLP Mean?

If you’re choosing a business structure in the UK, you’ve probably come across the acronym “LLP” and wondered what LLP means - and whether it’s the right fit for your business. It’s...

23 January 2026
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How To Choose The Right IP Law Firm In The UK

How To Choose The Right IP Law Firm In The UK

If you’re building a startup or growing an SME, your intellectual property (IP) is often one of your biggest assets. It might be your brand name, your logo, your software, your product...

23 January 2026
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ChatGPT For Business: UK Legal Risks, Data Protection And IP Issues

ChatGPT For Business: UK Legal Risks, Data Protection And IP Issues

Using AI tools to draft emails, summarise meetings, write marketing copy, analyse data, and speed up admin can feel like a cheat code for running a lean business. But if you’re adopting...

23 January 2026
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LDC Private Equity Funding: Terms, Due Diligence And Key Documents

LDC Private Equity Funding: Terms, Due Diligence And Key Documents

If you’re scaling a UK business and thinking about private equity, it’s normal to feel pulled in two directions at once: you want growth capital (and strategic support), but you don’t want...

23 January 2026
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Sole Proprietorship In The UK: Pros, Cons And Key Legal Considerations

Sole Proprietorship In The UK: Pros, Cons And Key Legal Considerations

Starting a business can feel like a big leap - especially when you’re trying to choose the “right” structure before you’ve even made your first sale. If you’re looking for something simple...

23 January 2026
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Non-Disclosure Agreement Template: What To Include And Mistakes To Avoid

Non-Disclosure Agreement Template: What To Include And Mistakes To Avoid

If you’re running a small business, it’s normal to want to move fast - new supplier chats, early-stage product demos, investor conversations, contractor onboarding, and the “quick call” that suddenly turns into...

23 January 2026
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Business Buyouts: What SMEs and Startups Should Know Before Signing

Business Buyouts: What SMEs and Startups Should Know Before Signing

A business buyout can be one of the biggest growth moves you’ll ever make as an SME founder - or one of the easiest ways to accidentally take on someone else’s problems....

23 January 2026
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