Legal guides for founders and business owners
Long-form, practical guidance on the commercial legal questions that come up as a business grows — written for founders, directors and operators rather than lawyers.
Company & Governance
Shareholders' agreement guide for UK startups
What a startup shareholders' agreement should cover in England and Wales: vesting, drag and tag, reserved matters, deadlock and leaver provisions.
Read guideHow to choose a commercial solicitor
How to assess commercial legal advisers in the UK: experience, fee structures, regulation, responsiveness and the questions worth asking before you instruct.
Read guidePartnership agreement vs shareholders' agreement
How partnerships, LLPs and limited companies differ in liability, tax, governance and documentation — and which agreement your business actually needs.
Read guideDirectors' duties and responsibilities in the UK
The seven statutory directors' duties under the Companies Act 2006, plus filing obligations, conflicts, wrongful trading and personal liability risks.
Read guideJoint venture agreements guide
Choosing a joint venture structure, governance and deadlock, IP and contributions, profit sharing, competition law and exit routes for UK joint ventures.
Read guideCompany formation and structure guide
Choosing a UK business structure, incorporating a private limited company, share classes, directors and PSC registers, and the filings required after formation.
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Contracts
Software licensing agreements explained
Licence scope, IP ownership, support, warranties, liability caps and open-source risk in UK software licensing agreements — a guide for tech companies.
Read guideTerms and conditions for SaaS businesses
What UK SaaS terms and conditions should cover: subscription and renewal, uptime, data protection, acceptable use, liability, suspension and exit.
Read guideNon-disclosure agreement (NDA) guide
How UK NDAs work: one-way vs mutual, defining confidential information, permitted disclosures, duration, remedies and the limits of what an NDA can do.
Read guideCommercial contract negotiation tips
Practical negotiation tactics for UK commercial contracts: preparation, paper control, the clauses worth fighting for and how to close without losing the deal.
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Data & Regulation
Data protection and UK GDPR compliance for startups
A practical UK GDPR compliance route for startups: lawful bases, records of processing, privacy notices, processors, security, breaches and marketing rules.
Read guideRegulatory compliance for fintech startups
FCA authorisation, appointed representative routes, payment services, e-money, AML obligations, consumer duty and financial promotions for UK fintechs.
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Disputes
Dispute resolution options for small businesses
Negotiation, mediation, adjudication, arbitration, expert determination and litigation compared — costs, timescales and when each suits a UK business dispute.
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Funding & Exit
SEIS and EIS: a practical guide for founders and investors
How SEIS and EIS work in the UK: qualifying conditions, advance assurance, share rights, common disqualifying mistakes and what founders must get right.
Read guideFunding round legal checklist
Term sheet to completion: cap table, due diligence, subscription agreement, articles, board consents, Companies House filings and post-closing obligations.
Read guideExit strategy legal planning
Preparing a UK company for sale: exit routes, pre-sale housekeeping, warranties and indemnities, earn-outs, escrow and the tax and timing decisions that matter.
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Intellectual Property
Intellectual property protection for tech companies
How UK tech companies protect IP: copyright in code, trade marks, patents, trade secrets, employee and contractor assignments, and IP in commercial contracts.
Read guideProtecting your business idea legally
Ideas are not protected in themselves. How UK law protects the expression, brand, know-how and relationships that turn an idea into a defensible business.
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People & Premises
Commercial lease guide for growing businesses
Heads of terms, security of tenure, break clauses, rent review, repair obligations and dilapidations — what UK businesses should check before signing a lease.
Read guideEmployment contract essentials for first-time employers
What UK employers must include in a written statement of particulars, plus probation, notice, confidentiality, IP, restrictive covenants and policies.
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Radcliffe Enterprise Law advises founders, scale-ups and established businesses across Oxfordshire and the Thames Valley on contracts, disputes, regulation and governance.