Whatever type of business our clients want to set up, buy or sell, our company law solicitors offer commercial legal advice tailored to their unique requirements.

Creating companies limited by shares, drafting company documentation such as articles of association, producing standard contracts and terms and conditions as well as shareholder agreements, our commercial legal advice includes everything a new business needs to get started.

In the course of the day-to-day running of a business, clients require fast, practical answers and ongoing commercial legal advice to ensure legal compliance, whilst remaining in line with their overall goals.

Our company law solicitors are on hand to deliver bespoke commercial legal advice for each client based on an in-depth understanding of their business. We are happy to advise on issues ranging from regulatory compliance matters and trade practices to data protection, privacy and employment procedures.

Whether it’s negotiating contract terms, allocating risk or ensuring that a deal is commercially and legally viable, good commercial legal advice is invaluable for businesses as they deal with third parties.

Our clients have the security of knowing that they always have a strong team of company law solicitors behind them, there to provide that expert commercial legal advice as well as to negotiate, assess and produce effective solutions.

Atlantic Solicitors is committed to offering comprehensive company and commercial legal advice for all our clients’ requirements. As a full service commercial law firm, we have a spectrum of dedicated departments including employment, intellectual property, disputes and litigation and commercial property.

This extensive in-house expertise allows us to deliver a complete service to our clients with commercial legal advice that takes all aspects of their business into account.

A core aspect of our commercial legal advice is that it is based on an understanding of our clients, their sector and the workings of their individual business. Our company law solicitors work with clients to really get to know their business.

They also have extensive experience in a wide range of sectors and industries, including marketing, banking, insurance, manufacturing, distribution, the public sector, entertainment, new media, and software houses.

Our company and corporate department is involved in setting up companies limited by shares and advising on buying and selling businesses. We also advise on amendments and implications of memoranda of association and articles of association; shareholders agreements and directors’ and trustees’ responsibilities. We prepare shareholders agreements by reviewing and considering the articles of association to ensure that shareholders’ interests are properly protected.

In particular, we are often asked to protect the interests of minority shareholders – this involves a consideration of companies’ constitutions and the rights granted in conjunction with the Companies Act UK. The value of preparing detailed shareholders agreements is realised when shareholders are in dispute. The scope of the dispute is generally restricted by the terms of the agreement.

Our solicitors have experience advising on company and corporate matters. Our solicitors have lectured on proper methods of corporate governance and company law.

Our company solicitors assist businesses in purchasing other businesses whether incorporated on unincorporated. Our solicitors have acted on quite a number acquisitions and disposals, restructures and demergers on both sides of the Atlantic and across Europe.

We have provided company legal advice in respect to:

Mergers and Acquisitions

Purchase and sale of private limited companies

Setting up joint venture entities and group company structures

Management buy-outs

Advising upon and setting up distributorships

Due diligence

Setting up offshore companies

Agency agreements

Assisting in formulating franchise arrangements and structures

Advising upon the suitability of charities and companies limited by guarantee

Private company structures

Employment matters

Structuring private companies to manage liability and risk

Buying and selling businesses

Securing property interests

Demergers

Our contract lawyers provide businesses with the documentation they need to work well, grow and succeed. Drawing on a wealth of in-house expertise and significant experience, our team produces effective solutions based on commercial realities and in-depth knowledge of our clients’ businesses.

Once the documentation is drafted, our contract lawyers advise clients on issues of compliance, breaches, claims and remedies, ensuring that they know their options and where they stand at all times.

From day-to-day documents to major deals, our contract lawyers can assist with a variety of issues, including:

Setting up businesses

Internal company documentation

Terms of use, data protection and privacy policies

Mergers and acquisitions

Employment

Financing

Outsourcing and business processes

Deals and projects

Procurement

Contract disputes, breaches and remedies

Specialist areas including intellectual property and technology

Whether buying, selling or merging with a business, our clients can count on our contract lawyers to offer them expert advice and documentation.

Employment contracts, terms and conditions, distributing agreements, every business needs good, effective legal documentation to help it work and trade on a day-to-day basis, all of which our contract lawyers can deliver.

Businesses often save resources by outsourcing, whether it’s hiring someone to deal with their infrastructure needs or their business processes. Our contract lawyers frequently assist clients in facilitating these deals, including the tender process.

From franchising agreements to joint ventures and special projects to spin-offs, whatever the deal, our contract solicitors act as experts in the client’s corner, looking out for their commercial needs.

Our contract lawyers produce a range of financing documentation, helping our clients with everything from financing for technology companies and investing in companies to banking guarantees.

Drawn from specialist departments within our commercial law firm, our contract lawyers have the expertise to advise on a variety of legal sectors and industries, including employment, technology and commercial property.

One of a business’s greatest assets is usually its intellectual property and our contract solicitors provide our clients with the tools to protect and monetise it, for example with software and database licensing agreements as well as licensing and protection of business names, logos, trademarks and brand names.

Entering into an agreement is only the first step. Our contract solicitors, supported by our London litigation team, provide ongoing help and guidance on implementing the contract and identifying and managing disputes as well as identifying claims and entering into legal enforcement proceedings.

Our experienced Insolvency and Corporate Recovery team is one of the specialist insolvency teams in the UK. They advise financial institutions, private equity and turnaround houses, insolvency practitioners, companies and individuals.

With our wide range of disciplines throughout the practice, we are well-placed in the market to understand and provide assistance in most sectors including property, aviation, sport, music, media, entertainment, banking and financial services. Services offered:

Turnaround and restructuring

Administrations

Pre-packs

Buying businesses and assets from administrators and liquidators

Company and individual voluntary arrangements

Compulsory and voluntary liquidations

Insolvency litigation both for and against insolvency practioners

Bankruptcy

Directors’ disqualification proceedings

Shareholder disputes/unfair prejudice proceedings

Receiverships

Asset and debt recovery

Examples of work Advising office holders in substantial administrations, liquidations, administrative receiverships and court appointed receiverships

Acting for the Official Receiver and other trustees in major bankruptcies, including some of the largest ever UK bankruptcies

Acting for investors and management on buying businesses and assets from administrators and liquidators

Advising insolvent companies, partnerships, directors and individuals in relation to corporate and personal insolvencies, directors’ disqualification proceedings and corporate and individual voluntary arrangements

Advising insolvency practitioners on their professional obligations and in relation to corporate and partnership affairs

Defending public interest petitions

Advising on high profile government funded sports and arts projects

Advising on shareholder disputes; issuing and defending unfair prejudice petitions