Startups Articles
Expert articles and practical legal guides on startups for uk businesses.
What Is a Non-Compete Clause in the UK? Employer Guide
If you’re hiring your first employees (or scaling fast), you’ll probably hear the question sooner or later: what is a non-compete clause, and do you need one in your contracts? A non-compete...
15 April 2026
How To Draft A Legal Document For Your UK Business
If you run a small business, you’ll end up needing to draft legal document after legal document - from customer terms and supplier agreements to NDAs, payment plans, and internal policies. The...
15 April 2026
Patent Rights In The UK: A Practical Guide For Startups And SMEs
If you’re building a new product, a clever piece of tech, or a unique manufacturing process, it’s normal to wonder: do we actually have patent rights in the UK, and what do...
15 April 2026
UK Licence Agreements: Key Terms To Include And Pitfalls To Avoid
If your business is letting someone use your software, brand, content, designs, premises, or other valuable assets, you’re probably dealing with a licensing situation - whether you call it that or not....
15 April 2026
Who Are a Company’s Directors? How to Find Out and Why It Matters (UK)
If you’re about to sign a contract, extend credit, enter a joint venture, or even just start a long-term supplier relationship, it’s normal to want to know one simple thing: Who are...
14 April 2026
UK Trademark Register: Search, Register And Protect Your Name And Logo
If you’ve put time (and money) into building a brand, it’s completely normal to worry about someone else copying it - especially once you start showing up on Google, social media, marketplaces...
14 April 2026
Exit Strategy Business Plan Example: UK Template For Startups And SMEs
When you’re busy building a product, winning customers and hiring your first team members, an “exit” can feel like something for a much later version of you. But in practice, an exit...
14 April 2026
How To Appoint A New Company Director In The UK
Appointing a new director can be a big (and exciting) step for a growing business. Maybe you’re bringing in a co-founder, hiring an experienced operator to help you scale, or adding someone...
14 April 2026
When Does A Contract Become Legally Binding In The UK? Key Elements
If you run a small business, contracts are part of everyday life. You might be signing up new customers, appointing suppliers, hiring contractors, or agreeing payment terms with partners. But the tricky...
14 April 2026
Force Majeure Examples: Key Events And How Contract Clauses Work In the UK
When you’re running a small business, you’re usually planning for the things you can control - pricing, staffing, suppliers, customer demand, and cash flow. But every now and then, something happens that’s...
14 April 2026
What Does It Mean To Dilute Shares?
If you’re building a UK startup and thinking about raising investment, bringing in co-founders, or setting up an employee option pool, you’ll almost certainly come across the idea of “dilution”. It can...
14 April 2026
One-Way NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) in the UK: Uses and Key Clauses
If you run a small business, there’s a good chance you’ll need to share confidential information at some point - with a freelancer, a developer, a marketing agency, a potential buyer, or...
14 April 2026
De Jure Directors In The UK: Duties And Risks For SMEs And Startups
If you run an SME or a startup, you’ll probably hear the word “director” used in a few different ways. Sometimes it means a formal Companies House appointment. Sometimes it’s just someone’s...
14 April 2026Second Lien Loans For UK SMEs: What To Know Before Borrowing
If you’re growing a business, cash flow can feel like it’s always one step behind your ambition. Maybe you’re scaling operations, hiring, buying stock, funding R&D, or bridging a gap to profitability....
13 April 2026
What Is a Business Trust? UK Legal Basics
If you’re building a business in the UK, you’ve probably been told (more than once) to “choose the right structure” early on. Usually that means picking between a limited company, a partnership,...
13 April 2026
Company Members: Roles, Rights And Responsibilities In The UK
If you run a UK limited company (or you’re about to set one up), you’ll hear the term company members a lot. It sounds straightforward, but in company law a “member” has...
13 April 2026How To Appoint Directors in the UK: Step-by-Step Guide
If you’re running a UK company (or you’re about to incorporate one), appointing directors is one of those “foundations” tasks you don’t want to get wrong. Directors aren’t just names on Companies...
13 April 2026
Do You Need A Company Seal In The UK?
If you run a small business, you’ve probably seen a company document that ends with a neat little circular stamp impression and wondered if you’re missing something important. Company seals can look...
13 April 2026
How Startup Culture Accidentally Creates Legal Risk
Think startup culture keeps things lean and smart? It can also quietly create serious legal risk when speed and informality replace structure.
13 April 2026Term Financing Explained: What Startups And SMEs Should Know Before A Term Loan
When you’re running a startup or SME, cashflow can feel like the main character in your business story. Maybe you’re trying to buy stock in bulk, hire key staff, fit out a...
13 April 2026
9 Legal Questions Every Founder Should Ask Before Launching in the UK
Launching soon? Ask these 9 legal questions now to avoid costly mistakes and build stronger foundations for your UK business.
13 April 2026
Can A Shareholder Sell Shares To Anyone? UK Rules On Share Transfers
If you run a UK limited company, it’s normal to assume shares work a bit like property: if you own them, you can sell them to whoever you want. In practice, whether...
12 April 2026
How To Give Proper Notice Of A Board Meeting In The UK
If you run a UK company, board meetings are one of the simplest ways to keep decisions moving and directors aligned. But there’s a catch: if you don’t give proper notice of...
12 April 2026Franchise Licence vs Business Licence: Key Legal Differences In The UK
If you’re starting (or scaling) a business, it’s easy to assume a “licence” is just a piece of paperwork you need before you can trade. But in the UK, the word “licence”...
12 April 2026
Need help with your business legals?
Speak with Sprintlaw to get practical legal support and fixed-fee options tailored to your business.