Corporate Law and Governance

Company Formations and Incorporations

Overview: Company formations and incorporations involve legally registering a business entity with the appropriate regulatory body, such as Companies House in the UK, to establish it as a separate legal entity.
Eligibility: Entrepreneurs, startups, or businesses looking to formalize their operations as limited companies, partnerships, or other structures must complete the company formation process.
Duration: The formation process usually takes a few days to several weeks, depending on the complexity of the business structure and whether additional registrations (such as VAT or trademarks) are required.
Detailed Description: Lawyers assist with the incorporation process by preparing the necessary documents, such as articles of association, memorandum of association, and shareholder agreements. They advise clients on choosing the most suitable business structure—such as a limited company, limited liability partnership (LLP), or sole proprietorship—based on factors like tax implications, liability protection, and governance requirements. Legal professionals ensure that businesses comply with statutory obligations, including registering with Companies House, filing annual returns, and maintaining accurate company records. In addition, they handle legal aspects related to company names, share capital, and directors’ duties.

Overview: Partnership and shareholder agreements define the rights, responsibilities, and obligations of business partners or shareholders, while Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) and Private Finance Initiatives (PFI) involve collaboration between public and private sectors on infrastructure or service projects.
Eligibility: Businesses with multiple partners or shareholders need agreements to ensure clear terms for profit sharing, decision-making, and dispute resolution. PFI and PPP agreements are typically used in large-scale infrastructure projects where public and private entities collaborate.
Duration: These agreements often last for the life of the partnership or project, with provisions for exit, termination, or renewal depending on the parties involved.
Detailed Description: Lawyers draft partnership and shareholder agreements that clearly outline the roles of each partner or shareholder, their contributions to the business, and how profits or losses will be shared. They include provisions for governance, voting rights, and procedures for resolving disputes or handling the exit of a partner or shareholder. For PFI and PPP agreements, legal professionals handle the complex contracts that govern the delivery of public infrastructure projects, ensuring that risks are appropriately allocated between the public and private partners. They also manage issues related to funding, performance standards, and long-term maintenance responsibilities.

Overview: Joint venture agreements formalize partnerships between two or more companies working together on a specific project or business venture, allowing them to pool resources while maintaining their separate identities.
Eligibility: Companies seeking to collaborate on projects or ventures—whether in real estate, research, manufacturing, or other sectors—use joint venture agreements to protect their interests and clearly define roles and responsibilities.
Duration: Joint venture agreements typically last for the duration of the project, with provisions for renewal or dissolution once the venture is complete.
Detailed Description: Lawyers draft and negotiate joint venture agreements that outline the contributions of each party, the ownership of any intellectual property developed during the venture, and how profits or losses will be shared. These agreements also cover governance structures, decision-making processes, and exit strategies, allowing for flexibility if one party wishes to leave the venture early. Legal professionals ensure that joint ventures comply with competition law and other regulatory requirements, especially when cross-border collaborations are involved. They also advise on dispute resolution mechanisms and procedures for winding down the joint venture once its objectives have been met.