Shareholder and founder agreements
The agreement that decides who controls the company, what happens to shares when someone leaves, and how disagreements are resolved before they become disputes.
From £1,500 · one company and its existing shareholders
When this is useful
Situations this service is for
- Two or more founders are starting a company and have not written anything down.
- A new shareholder is joining and the existing arrangements are informal.
- One founder is contributing money and another is contributing time.
- You want vesting, so that shares are earned rather than simply issued.
- A shareholder wants to leave and there is nothing that says what happens to their shares.
What we do
The work itself
- Set out how decisions are made, and which decisions require more than a simple majority.
- Deal with share transfers, pre-emption rights and what happens on a sale of the company.
- Address leaver provisions, including the difference between a good and a bad leaver.
- Cover vesting where founders want shares earned over time.
- Deal with founder commitment, confidentiality and restrictions after departure.
- Check the agreement works alongside the company's articles rather than against them.
Before you book
What to send us
- 01The company number, or confirmation that the company is not yet formed.
- 02Who holds what, and what each shareholder is contributing.
- 03Any existing articles, shareholders' agreement or investment documents.
- 04What you want to happen if a founder leaves, and if the company is sold.
- 05Whether outside investment is expected.
What happens
How the work runs
- 01
The difficult questions, early
Most of this work is helping founders decide things they have been avoiding. We put the questions in a structured order.
- 02
Scope and fee
Confirmed in writing once the shape of the arrangement is clear.
- 03
Drafting
A first draft, with the decision points flagged where the founders have not yet agreed.
- 04
Revisions and execution
Revisions within the agreed allowance, then an execution version and a note on what also needs to be filed or amended at Companies House.
What you receive
Deliverables
- A shareholder or founder agreement drafted for the company's actual circumstances.
- A note of any consequential changes needed to the articles.
- An execution version with signing instructions.
Fee
From £1,500
This price assumes
- One company and its existing shareholders
- Two revision rounds
Included
- Scoping call covering control, transfers, leavers and vesting
- Bespoke draft
- Two revision rounds
- A note of any consequential changes needed to the articles
Not included
- Tax advice, including on share incentives
- Advice to the other shareholders, who should take their own
Prices are indicative minimums for matters within the assumptions shown. We review the document and confirm a fixed fee in writing before any work begins. No legal advice is given during the free initial assessment.
All fees and what changes themQuestions
Common questions
- Do we need one if we have articles of association?
- Model articles say almost nothing about the things founders fall out over. A shareholders' agreement is where those things are decided, and unlike the articles it is not a public document.
- Can you act for all the founders?
- Only where interests are genuinely aligned and no conflict arises. Where they are not, we act for one and the others take their own advice.
- What if we already have investors?
- Investment documents usually take priority and constrain what a founder agreement can say. Send them across and we will work within them.
Related services
Send us the document and we will confirm whether we can assist.
You will get a straight answer on scope, fee and timing before any work begins.
Enquiries receive a response within one working day.