Venture capital and emerging companies

We provide comprehensive legal support to entrepreneurs and startups seeking investment for their business as well as seed and venture capital funds, angel investors and family offices looking to invest in a growing company. We are particularly renowned for advising entrepreneurial businesses and guide our clients through every step of the investment lifecycle through to exit, ensuring they are protected throughout.

We get to know the business of our clients and offer advice which is tailored to their specific goals. We recognise and understand the risks, including those that need to be taken to be successful, allowing those we partner with to concentrate on what is important; building their business. We develop long-term relationships and work with our clients from the inception of an idea and initial investment rounds to launch, growth, successful exit and beyond.

Our deal volume ranges from early stage financings, including startup matters and initial SEIS/EIS or other angel investments, to multiple rounds of investments (including domestic and international mandates) and beyond. We have established links to providers of capital or company deal flow thanks to our deep-rooted ties and commitment to the early stage ecosystem.

Our advice covers:

• Investment: structuring, drafting, negotiating and advising on all relevant investment documents
• Commercial: the full spectrum of commercial, IP and technology agreements
• Tax: advising how best to structure investments tax-efficiently, including the Enterprise and Seed Enterprise Investment Schemes (EIS and SEIS)
• Share schemes and benefits: advising on tax-efficient share incentive arrangements for senior management and other staff, including advising on enterprise management incentive (EMI) options to incentivise key employees
• IP: protecting, enforcing and exploiting IP rights (typically the key assets of early stage companies)
• Advising on data protection or privacy issues
• Employment: advising on employment arrangements to ensure that key staff are appropriately locked in