Buckworths is the only law firm in the UK working exclusively with start-ups and high-growth businesses. Supporting founders from day one is at the core of everything we do.
We advise start-ups on company incorporation, founders agreements, shareholder agreements, and constitutional documents. We make sure the legal foundations are right before you take on your first employees, sign your first contracts, or approach your first investors. We work with founders across all sectors, from the initial idea through to first customers, first hires, and first funding rounds.
We have advised hundreds of start-ups through SEIS and EIS advance assurance applications and funding rounds. We understand the early-stage funding market, know what investors expect, and make sure founders go into every round properly prepared.
Book a free consultation. We offer a free initial consultation for all start-ups.
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
As early as possible. The most common and costly mistakes start-ups make are not having a founders agreement before they start building, not protecting their IP, and issuing shares without proper documentation. Getting the basics right at the start costs a fraction of what it costs to fix later. We offer a free initial consultation to all start-ups.
Incorporating a company at Companies House costs £50 online. However, a properly set up start-up also needs articles of association tailored to the business, a shareholders agreement, and the correct share structure from day one. We advise on the full setup and can incorporate your company as part of our secretarial services.
For most start-ups, ordinary shares divided between the founders in proportions reflecting their contributions is the right starting point. As the business grows, additional share classes such as preferred shares are typically introduced when investors come in. Getting the initial share structure right is important as it affects voting control, SEIS and EIS eligibility, and future funding rounds. We advise on share structure at the outset and as the company evolves.
Yes. A founders agreement sets out how the business will operate, what happens if a founder leaves, how decisions are made, and what each founder is contributing. Without one, disputes between founders have no clear framework for resolution. It is one of the most important documents your start-up can have, and we recommend putting it in place before you start building.