Standard articles of association say almost nothing about the things shareholders actually fall out over.
Who can sell shares and to whom, what happens when a founder leaves or dies, which decisions need more than a simple majority, what a minority shareholder can block, and whether anyone can be required to sell if a buyer wants the whole company.
Without a shareholder agreement, the answers come from company law, which was not written with your business in mind.
The right time to put one in place is while nobody needs it (and nobody is arguing).
A shareholder agreement is a private contract between the owners of a company, sitting alongside its articles.
We help with:
- shareholder agreements and tailored articles of association;
- decision-making, board composition and reserved matters;
- share transfers, pre-emption rights, drag along and tag along;
- good and bad leaver provisions and share valuation;
- dividend policy and deadlock; and
- reviewing existing agreements when the shareholder group changes.
We build the document around the commercial reality of who is investing money, who is contributing time, and what each of them should get if the relationship ends.
We also check the agreement and the articles say the same thing, since a conflict between them is one of the most common problems we find, and we look at how the agreement interacts with any director service agreements.
Our Approach
Legal advice that makes running and growing your business easier.
We start with your business, not the law.
Before we open a document, we want to understand what you are trying to do commercially. The legal answer is only useful if it serves that.
We get to the point.
You get a clear view of what matters and what does not, in plain English, with the real risks separated from the noise.
We give you an answer.
Not a menu of options and a shrug. We tell you what we would do, why, and where there is a genuine judgment call for you to make.
We stay available.
Whether you work with us on a single project or on a subscription, we are here for the follow-up question. We would always rather you asked.
Ways of working together
Fixed-fee projects
A single, defined piece of work for an agreed fixed fee, communicated before we engage. Reviewing a contract, drafting your terms, handling a negotiation.
No surprises and no hidden fees
Flagship Subscription
Ares Access
Ongoing support on a fixed monthly subscription, for businesses that need commercial legal input regularly rather than as the occasional one-off.
- Dedicated lawyer
- Fixed monthly fees
- Commercial advice on demand
From £500 plus VAT per month
Legal Health Check
Fixed fee of £2,000 plus VAT
Any questions?
Phone: 02382 420035
