Startups

A  cohesive co-founder team is an essential element of a successful startup. One of the most common problems in startups is the relationship between co-founders becoming tense and difficult. A lack of adequate legal mechanisms for enabling effective decision making can result in inertia. At Browne Jacobson, we take a highly commercial and cost-effective approach to managing arrangements between founders to ensure relationships are built on the strongest legal foundations to facilitate smooth business growth. Our services include advising on and drafting bespoke articles of association and shareholders agreements, founder consultancy contracts, advising on deadlock avoidance structuring and advising on managing founder deadlock if it arises. 

Funding rounds can be a stressful period. Investor relations are crucial during a period of change and unsettling for the board and members. With Browne Jacobson negotiating on your behalf, you can be assured that your interests are protected by commercially savvy business advisers who speak the language of professional investors. Our skill is to make the funding round as seamless as possible, ensuring the investment and future of the business is secure. Our services include negotiating and drafting the required legal documents and guiding you through the process for any round of funding (including pre-seed, seed, Series A, Series B and beyond). 

In an increasingly globalised digital economy, a brand is often the most valuable asset of a business. As the unique story of your business, product or service, it is the thing which makes people come to you rather than your competitors. At Browne Jacobson, our approach to brand protection is strategic and international. With investment in brand strategy and digital marketing a priority for most startups, advice from our skilled specialists will ensure maximum value from spending and minimise the risk of expensive infringement disputes. Our services include advice on national and international brand protection strategy, working closely with partner trade mark  attorneys. We also advise on advertising, marketing, social media and user generated content. 

As your business grows, so too will your workforce. The business will shift from relying on founders and contractors, to taking on a fully employed workforce. The legal requirements necessary for this can appear daunting. At Browne Jacobson, our multidisciplinary team of employment and immigration lawyers and HR consultants can assist with the project and prepare your business for success. We ensure your business has the necessary legal knowledge, contractual arrangements and practical insights to grow and manage your workforce. Our services include drafting contracts and policies for your employees, interns and contractors, supporting you with carrying out mandatory right to work checks and other business immigration requirements and advice on avoiding discrimination and other pitfalls. 

The commercial relationships in your business are essential, and whether the arrangements are with clients, vendors or collaborators, we have the expertise to assist. Our approach with startups is to have empathy for the cost pressures of early-stage businesses. The flexibility of our services allows you to choose us for as much or as little help as necessary, whether it be full assistance in drafting bespoke documents, or a simple high level risk review of a contract your business is considering entering into. Our services include advising on and drafting the whole range of customer and supplier contracts, including standard terms and conditions, website terms and conditions and EULAs. 

Our vibrant and nationally recognised FinTech and InsurTech practices keep our financial regulatory lawyers at the forefront of developments concerning innovation, digital transformation and disruption within financial services. Regardless of the service or technology vertical, whether it is payment services, robo-advice, crypto or distributed ledgers, our team has the relevant experience to add greater insight and value to our regulatory advice. Our services include advising on requirements for FCA authorisation, applications to the regulatory sandbox, the appropriateness of existing permissions of authorised firms, obtaining appointed representative status and regulatory compliance for authorised firms. 

Data is valuable to providing the tailored services that the modern consumer demands. The monetisation model of your business may even depend entirely on collecting, aggregating and analysing personal data. When personal data is so crucial to your business, it’s essential your business is advised strategically right from the outset to ensure that collected data can be used for the intended purpose and is managed in a way which won’t result in your business being hit with a crippling ICO fine. Whether it’s a simple data policy or a complex data migration project, our advisers can assist. Our services include advising on personal data processing and cybersecurity obligations, as well as drafting the legal documents your business needs to collect, process and use data. 

The key to getting people to invest in your business is providing tax efficient incentives. The world of Seed Enterprise Investment Schemes (SEIS), Enterprise Investment Schemes (EIS) and employee share schemes is fraught with complexity. Our skilled team of tax advisers are experienced in advising startups on creating tax efficient incentives for founders, investors and employees alike. Our services include: advising on SEIS, EIS and the implementation of employee share schemes, including Enterprise Management Incentives (EMIs).