Buckworths works with scale-ups at the point of rapid growth, helping them build the legal infrastructure to support expansion while managing the commercial and regulatory demands that come with scaling.
At the scale-up stage, legal needs become significantly more complex. You may be taking on large numbers of employees, entering new markets, raising Series A or later rounds, or beginning to explore acquisitions. We advise across all of these areas, providing practical, commercially focused support.
We assist with Series A, B, and C fundraising, VC arrangements, and growth-stage investment documentation. We advise on EMI option schemes, HR policies, and commercial contracts at scale. We support scale-ups on corporate governance, shareholder disputes, restructuring, and cap table management. For businesses preparing for exit or acquisition, our M&A team has extensive experience advising on trade sales, management buyouts, and private equity transactions.
Book a free consultation to discuss your scale-up.
Our Services
- Commercial
- Commercial Property
- Corporate
- Data Protection
- Dispute Resolution
- Employee Incentivisation
- Employment
- Franchising
- Funding
- General Counsel
- Intellectual Property
- Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A)
- Regulatory Services
- Secretarial Services
- Strategy and Business Support
FAQs
Scale-ups face a different set of legal challenges as they grow. Common issues include TUPE obligations when acquiring businesses or bringing services in-house, the complexity of later-stage funding rounds, employment law at scale including collective consultation requirements, data protection at higher volumes of processing, and the legal due diligence required for M&A transactions. We advise scale-ups on all of these as a joined-up service.
Preparing for exit should begin 12 to 24 months before the intended transaction date. The right time depends on your objectives, market conditions, and the financial position of the business. Common exit routes for scale-ups include a trade sale, a management buyout, or a private equity acquisition. We advise scale-ups on exit planning and represent founders in sale transactions.
Series A is typically the first significant institutional round, usually between £1 million and £10 million, used to scale a business with proven product-market fit. Series B is for businesses that have demonstrated growth and need capital to expand significantly. Series C and beyond are for established businesses scaling further, entering new markets, or preparing for exit. Each round involves more complex documentation and we advise scale-ups through all of them.