Legal Support for UK Startup Founders
From incorporation to Series A, the legal decisions you make early on determine how much of your company you keep — and how protected you are when things get complicated. This hub pulls together the guides, free documents, and specialist lawyers UK founders need.
Founding
Getting the structure right at the start saves expensive restructuring later. Two things matter most: a legal entity that works for investment, and a founders agreement that handles equity, vesting, and what happens if someone leaves.
Your First Employees
Once you hire, the legal complexity increases. Employment contracts are obvious — but for startups, share options are often just as important. EMI options let you compete with big-company salaries by offering equity with a genuinely favourable tax treatment.
Raising Your First Round (SEIS & EIS)
Most UK angel rounds use SEIS or EIS — 50% income tax relief under SEIS, 30% under EIS. Getting HMRC advance assurance before you start raising isn’t a legal requirement, but investors will expect it. Allow 4–8 weeks.
Protecting Your Ownership Structure
Once outside investors are involved, a Founders Agreement isn’t enough. A shareholders agreement sets out how decisions are made, what happens when someone wants to sell, and what protections each party has. Getting this wrong is one of the most expensive mistakes a startup can make.
Bridging to Your Next Round
Advance Subscription Agreements (ASAs — the UK equivalent of US SAFEs) let investors put money in now, converting to equity at your next priced round at a discount. They’re a common and efficient bridging instrument between rounds.
Protecting What You’ve Built
IP and confidentiality become increasingly important as your company grows. Make sure what you’ve built belongs to the company — not to individual founders, early employees, or contractors who didn’t formally assign their work.
Not Just Templates — Real Legal Advice for Startups
The documents on this site are a solid starting point. But the decisions that matter most — structuring your EMI scheme, negotiating your investment round, drafting a shareholders agreement that actually protects you — need a lawyer who understands how startups work.
Platforms can generate documents. What they can’t do is tell you when those documents aren’t right for your situation, advise you on what to push back on in a term sheet, or represent you when things go wrong.