Corporate & Commercial Law Solicitors in Surrey
Our corporate and commercial lawyers deliver expert advice backed by practical experience involving large scale commercial property cases, employment law and dispute resolution. The result? An approach that is professional, pragmatic and tailored to suit your needs.
Our client base ranges from start-ups through to established private and public companies. In turn, we are experienced in:
- Acquisitions, disposals and mergers
- Management Buy-Outs and Buy-Ins
- Franchising, agency and distribution agreements
- Intellectual property rights
- Contract terms and conditions
- Settlement Agreements
- Shareholder Agreements
- Marketing and the sale of goods
- Partnership
- Employment Law
- Competition law
- Financial services and insolvency – including bankruptcy and voluntary arrangements
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Our Company Law Services
Acquisitions, Disposals and Mergers
Acquisitions, disposals, and mergers involve the buying, selling, and combining of different companies that can help businesses grow rapidly in their sector or enter a new market, reducing competition. A business sale agreement, for example, involves complex negotiations and compliance with financial and regulatory requirements. Company directors have critical responsibilities and duties in these transactions.
Management Buy-Outs and Buy-Ins
Management buy-outs (MBOs) occur when a company’s management team purchases the assets and operations of the business they manage. Management buy-ins (MBIs), on the other hand, involve an external management team purchasing a majority stake in a company and then taking over its operations. Both processes are intricate, requiring careful planning and financial strategy.
Franchising, Agency, and Distribution Agreements
Franchising allows a business to license its know-how, procedures, intellectual property, use of its business model, brand, and rights to sell its branded products and services to a franchisee. In contrast, agency and distribution agreements involve appointing third-party agents or distributors to market and sell products without giving them the rights to the brand.
Intellectual Property Rights
Intellectual property rights are legal protections granted to creators for their creations. These protections include patents for inventions, copyrights for literary and artistic works, trademarks for brand identity, and design rights for aesthetic designs. These rights are critical for preventing unauthorised use or duplication of a company’s assets.
Contract Terms and Conditions
Contract terms and conditions form the backbone of commercial transactions, outlining the rights and duties of all parties involved. These terms are crucial for defining the scope of work, pricing, timelines, quality standards, and penalties for breaches, thus providing a legal framework that mitigates risks and resolves disputes.
Settlement Agreements
Settlement agreements are legally binding contracts that resolve disputes between parties without the need for further legal action. These agreements can be used in various contexts, such as employment disputes, commercial transactions, or other conflicts. They typically outline the terms of the settlement, release of claims, confidentiality clauses, and any financial compensation agreed upon, ensuring a swift and amicable resolution to disputes.
Shareholders’ Agreements
Shareholders’ agreements outline the rights and obligations of a company’s shareholders, ensuring fair treatment and clear guidelines for the company’s operation. These agreements cover aspects such as voting rights, dividend distribution, share transfer rules, and dispute resolution mechanisms. By defining these terms, shareholders’ agreements help prevent conflicts, protect minority shareholders, and facilitate smooth decision-making within the company.
Marketing and the Sale of Goods
This area covers the legal aspects of advertising and selling products, ensuring compliance with advertising standards and consumer rights laws. It involves setting out clear terms of sale, guarantees, and return policies, which are essential for protecting both the business and the consumer.
Partnership
Partnership law governs the relationship between individuals who enter into business partnerships. It includes the creation of partnership agreements that detail the contribution of each partner, the sharing of profits and losses, and the management of the partnership, along with procedures for resolving disputes and handling the dissolution of the partnership.
Employment Law
Employment law regulates the relationship between employers and employees, encompassing recruitment, contracts, working conditions, and employees’ rights. It ensures that workers are treated fairly, while providing frameworks for dealing with issues like redundancy, dismissal, and discrimination.
Competition Law
Competition law, also known as antitrust law, promotes or seeks to maintain market competition by regulating anti-competitive conduct by companies. This includes preventing unfair trade practices like monopolies, cartels and price fixing, which can stifle competition and lead to poor consumer outcomes.
Financial Services and Insolvency
This legal field deals with regulations governing financial institutions and the provision of financial services to consumers, including issues related to insolvency. Insolvency law involves legal procedures for dealing with financial distress situations, such as bankruptcy and voluntary arrangements, where debts are renegotiated or restructured to provide a way out of financial crisis.
For further information or to speak to one of our corporate and commercial team, please call 01276 680000 or submit a contact form.
