Starting from scratch
Setting up a business is an exhilarating time. You’re bursting with ideas, plans and dreams – but to make them a reality, you need support and advice from people with their feet firmly on the ground.
That’s where we come in. We’ll help you with the real nuts-and-bolts decisions, starting with choosing the most appropriate trading structure to achieve your goals, be it as a sole trader, or by forming a partnership or limited company. We’ll also help you put the necessary agreements, policies and procedures in place to protect your interests as your business expands, including:
• trading terms and conditions
• franchise, supply and marketing agreements
• intellectual property and trademark protection
• partnership and shareholder agreements
If you’re taking on staff, we’ll help you tackle the huge volume of domestic and European law that affects virtually every aspect of their employment, from hiring to retiring. For more information on this please visit our
Employment Team Page.
In at the top
Sometimes, the best way into business is to buy an existing company: you benefit from a proven idea, established supplier and customer bases, and that fact that someone else has borne much of the initial financial risk. If you’re interested in buying a business, we’ll provide the professional support at every stage from initial enquiry, through to negotiation and making the formal offer, to purchase and eventual completion. This might include providing evidence to potential lenders, conducting due diligence checks on the information on which you’ve based your offer, and dealing with terms and conditions of sale, the transfer of property, contracts, licences and finance.
Moving on up...
Eventually, you could reach a point where the business simply outgrows its original set-up. We’ll advise on the best way ahead, whether it’s by merger, acquisition, or entering into a joint venture. We can assist with all the complex legal documentation associated with growth of your business that are required to safeguard your future.
...and out
There may come a time where you’re ready to pursue other business or personal interests. Planning early for an eventual succession by a family member, or helping your team put together an MBO (management buyout), will allow a smooth and orderly transition, without compromising business performance. It also lets you build inheritance tax planning into your long-term strategy, and ensure it’s your chosen beneficiaries, not the Treasury, who enjoy the rewards.
If you decide to sell your business, we’ll advise on the tax, National Insurance and employment implications and any statutory procedures you’ll need to complete. This is particularly relevant if you’ve been trading as a limited liability partnership or company. We can also help you manage any capital gains tax (CGT) liabilities you may incur – for example, by using the proceeds to buy another business and deferring the gain through business asset roll-over relief.
On your side all the way
So why Rix & Kay solicitors? Firstly, we take a hands-on practical view of the law, utilising the skills that our team have developed over the years. Secondly, our broad range of expertise within the firm means we’re able to bring in specialists from other departments as and when required to advise on particular issues. And thirdly, as one of the county’s largest legal firms, we have first-hand experience of running a substantial and rapidly expanding business. We face the same challenges you do. So whatever happens, we’re in this together.