Buckworths advises start-ups, scale-ups, entrepreneurs, and high-growth businesses on commercial contracts and all aspects of running and growing a business in the UK. Our lawyers combine deep technical knowledge with a track record of delivering practical, commercial solutions quickly and cost-effectively.
We draft and negotiate the contracts your business needs to manage relationships with shareholders, customers, suppliers, and partners. From day-to-day commercial agreements to complex multi-party arrangements, we get the right documentation in place so you can focus on growing your business.
Book a free consultation to discuss your commercial contracts.
Commercial Services
FAQs
The most important contracts for a start-up are a founders agreement, a shareholders agreement, terms of business, and any supplier or customer agreements specific to your sector. We recommend putting these in place before you start trading. Getting the foundations right early avoids disputes that are far more expensive to resolve later.
We offer fixed and capped fees for most commercial contract work. The cost depends on the complexity of the agreement. Book a free consultation and we will give you a clear quote before any work begins.
Template contracts are a starting point, but they are rarely drafted with your specific business in mind. They often contain gaps, unclear liability provisions, or terms that do not reflect how you actually operate. A properly drafted contract protects you in ways a template cannot.
Terms of business are your standard legal terms that govern all client relationships. A service agreement is a specific contract for a particular engagement or client. Most businesses need both: terms of business as the foundation and service agreements for significant individual contracts.
Not for every contract, but for anything involving significant financial commitment, IP rights, restrictive covenants, or ongoing obligations, we strongly recommend professional review. Commercial contracts are legally binding and the cost of a dispute almost always exceeds the cost of proper advice at the outset.