corporate & commercial Law

Our team of specialist Corporate and Commercial lawyers are experienced leaders in all matters relating to this complex and diverse area of the law. Whether you are buying, selling, starting up or investing in a business, you need legal advice that focuses on your particular circumstances. We take pride in getting to know our clients on a personal level, whilst being able to expertly guide them through all stages of their business requirements.

Our team work closely with business owners and would-be business owners to deliver practical solutions and successful outcomes for all types of corporate transactions. Whatever your business size or complexity, from a single incorporation to the most complex management buy-out and refinancing. We are here to help. 

Speak to our experienced team today about your commercial and corporate needs by calling us on on 01484 821 500 or fill out our online enquiry form and we will be in touch at a convenient time for you.

Our services

Our legal team have particular expertise in helping out clients with:

Acquisitions & disposals

Ramsdens Corporate and Commercial team can advise and guide you on all aspects of a potential acquisition or disposal, including preparing confidentiality agreements, heads of terms, or providing guidance on legal due diligence and warranties, indemnities, whilst negotiating with a buyer’s or seller’s solicitors.

We consider the wider implications of transactions and work closely with banks and accountants and also our own estate planning, property and employment teams to ensure that every aspect of your business is protected before, during and after your transaction.

For more information on how we can help you - please visit our Acquisitions & Disposals page.

Corporate governance

Our team are able to ensure that business owners, managers and directors duties and obligations are not overlooked when dealing with the day to day running of your business.

We are also able to assist with company formation, reviewing or preparing a company’s articles of association and shareholder agreements, updating statutory registers and share certificates, whilst advising on the commercial benefit of corporate borrowing, all of which can assist with the long term compliance and success of your business.

For more information on how we can help you - please visit our Corporate Governance page.

Employee Ownership Trusts

The UK has seen a growing trend in businesses moving towards a shared ownership model, in order to increase employee participation. EOTs, introduced by the Finance Act 2014, are a mechanism for collective ownership of a business by its employees.

Within the EOT, shares in the business are held by the trustee for the benefit of the employees as a whole (creating employee ownership), but the business remains managed by its board of directors usually without interference on the part of the trustee in day-to-day matters.

An EOT therefore gives employees a financial interest in their future and increases their opportunities to engage with the business. At Ramsdens, we can advise you on how this process works, and help you deliver maximum value for all stakeholders.

For more information on how we can help you - please visit our Employee Ownership Trusts page.

Joint ventures

Joint ventures have become increasingly important as a medium through which business activities and projects are undertaken together.

A major factor has been the escalating size of transactions and projects, which frequently require commitments on a scale beyond the resources of individual companies. Equally important, particularly in the cross-border context, are changing business conditions and markets (largely as a result of changes in political and economic conditions, deregulation and technological developments) which provide opportunities for companies to enter into joint ventures as part of their strategic planning in relation to particular industries or markets.

The rationale and perceived advantages of a joint venture inevitably involve a sacrifice of the control and flexibility which might otherwise have been enjoyed had a company undertaken a business or project independently.

For more information on how we can help you - please visit our Joint Ventures page.

Partnerships and LLPs

Our team are able to advise on forming a partnership, or LLP, incorporating them into a company, or the merger of partnerships or LLPs.

We are also to assist with providing a comprehensive partnership or LLP agreement to ensure that all aspects of the business are considered including, partnership property, capital and profit shares, drawings restrictive covenants and exiting a partnership or LLP.

For more information on how we can help you - please visit our Partnerships and LLPs page.

Private equity

With more limited finance available over the last few years, demand for private equity has grown.

• start-up capital raising
• development capital
• venture capital
• value realisation

Our Corporate team have extensive experience in private equity and advise investors and companies to undertake due diligence as swiftly and cost-effectively as possible, and draft robust investment agreements based on our extensive knowledge and experience in this field.

For more information on how we can help you - please visit our Private Equity page.

Reorganisation and restructuring

If you are thinking about restructuring your business, it can be difficult to know where to begin. However, our company restructuring solicitors have decades of experience in helping companies throughout this process, and we are well placed to provide guidance to you.

This process can be both disruptive and challenging, which is why our experienced solicitors will work tirelessly to ensure that it runs smoothly and is compliant with the law. Seeking legal advice from a solicitor as early as possible is essential for helping you to stay on the right track. 

For more information on how we can help you - please visit our Reorganisation and Restructuring page.

Share schemes and employee benefits

The main reason for using employee share incentive plans is to recruit, retain and motivate employees.

They are also used to help align the interests of employees, particularly senior executives, with those of shareholders.

The aim of this alignment is to encourage senior executives to consider the best interests of shareholders in their management of the business.

Employee share incentives can also reduce employment costs and successive governments have taken the view that encouraging equity incentives can improve the general economy.

For more information on how we can help you - please visit our Share Schemes and Employee Benefits page.

Strategic planning and exit strategies

When you’re running a business, strategic planning and an exit strategy could be the most important pieces of planning that you ever do.

It involves reviewing every aspect of your business and the associated paperwork to make sure it is robust and compliant, whether or not you are contemplating a sale or merger.

Some areas will already be well presented, but by getting started well in advance, you can make sure that if a buyer’s advisors turn up to check everything over, your business will be compliant and ready for sale.

For more information on how we can help you - please visit our Strategic Planning and Exit Strategies page.

SHAREHOLDERs, PARTNERSHIP & LLP AGREEMENTS

A shareholders agreement is a written agreement between the shareholders or partners of a business. Usually, it is prepared when a business is in its infancy, when there have been no disputes between the parties involved.

For more information on how we can help you - please visit our Shareholder and Partnership Agreements page.