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STARTUP SOLICITORS

Build your startup on foundations investors will trust

We act for founders from the first shareholders' agreement to the Series A close, keeping the company, its IP and its contracts in order while you build the product. A fixed monthly fee, with no hourly billing.

Assess your legal risk
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COMMON PROBLEMS FOR FOUNDERS

The problems that bring founders to us

Almost every problem we are asked to fix at a startup was created earlier and cheaply, by a document that was never signed or a share issue that was never recorded. These are the six situations we are asked about most, and what each one turns on.

Diligence is where founders find out what they agreed to two years earlier. The fix is nearly always available, and it is a great deal cheaper before an investor is waiting on it.

Willem van der Merwe

Co-founder, Lawyerly

Portrait photo

Willem van der Merwe

Co-founder, Lawyerly

A founder leaves and keeps their shares Whether the shares were ever made subject to vesting, and whether good leaver and bad leaver terms sit in the articles or a shareholders' agreement. Without them a departing founder keeps the full holding.
The intellectual property sits with the wrong person Code, designs and brand created before incorporation, or by a contractor, belong to whoever made them until assigned in writing. This is the first thing an investor checks and the most common thing to be missing.
The cap table does not match the filings Share classes, allotments and option grants have to be reflected in board minutes and at Companies House. Reconstructing this later is slow and it holds up a round.
The SEIS or EIS position is at risk Advance assurance, the order in which shares were issued, and whether the money was spent on a qualifying trade. SEIS allows a lifetime raise of £250,000 with gross assets under £350,000 at issue. The EIS company limits rose on 6 April 2026 to £10m a year and £24m over the company's lifetime.
Options were promised but never granted EMI requires a qualifying scheme, a valuation and notification to HMRC. From 6 April 2026 the company limit is £6m and options can run for fifteen years, though the individual limit remains £250,000.
A term sheet arrives and the answers are not ready Warranties, disclosure, investor consents and board composition. How much of it can be negotiated depends almost entirely on what was documented in the first two years.
OUR LEGAL EXPERTISE

Legal support for every stage of the startup journey

Whether you are incorporating this month or preparing for a Series A, our solicitors have handled the stage you are at. Tell us where you are and we will say what needs doing first, and what can wait.

  • Setting up

    Company formation, share structure, founders' agreements, articles and the IP assignments that put the company's assets in the company's name.

  • Trading and hiring

    Customer and supplier terms, website terms and privacy pack, NDAs, contractor agreements and your first employment contracts and policies.

  • Raising investment

    SEIS and EIS readiness, advance assurance preparation, term sheet review, shareholders' agreements and the documents for SEIS, EIS, seed and convertible rounds.

  • Scaling

    Employee share schemes, HR policies that grow with the team, commercial contracts for larger customers, sector regulation and data protection as your user base grows.

  • Exit readiness

    Clean governance records, a reconciled cap table and enforceable contracts, so a buyer's due diligence confirms what you have told them.

LEGAL SERVICES FOR STARTUPS

Take care of the legal side of building your business

From day-to-day legal work to the milestones that shape early growth, our solicitors work alongside you to keep your startup protected, legally sound and ready to move at every stage.

  • Founders' agreements and equity splits

    Ownership, vesting, decision-making and exits set out between co-founders, so disputes are settled before they start.

  • IP ownership and protection

    Assignments from founders and contractors, trade mark filings and licences, so the company owns what it sells.

  • Data protection and UK GDPR

    Privacy notices, processing agreements and the data foundations you need from the first user, without the guesswork.

  • Sector and regulatory compliance

    Fintech, healthtech, consumer or B2B, we map the rules that apply to what you are building before they become a barrier.

  • Investor-ready documents

    Articles, shareholders' agreements and a company structure that stands up to investor scrutiny.

  • Contracts with customers, suppliers and freelancers

    Clear, fair terms for the people who buy from you, supply you and build for you, protecting your budget and your IP.

  • Employment law for first hires

    Compliant contracts, probation periods, policies and option schemes that scale with the team.

  • Debt, disputes and early-stage risk

    Unpaid invoices, contract breaches and co-founder fallouts handled early, before they need a courtroom.

Legal risk check

Is your startup business legally protected?

Our solicitors built this check around what a solid legal setup looks like for a startup business: the foundations they put in place and the gaps they fix. Answer honestly and you will see where yours stands and where it needs strengthening.

About 3 minutes · Confidential

Your result

Where you are exposed

    The full report shows your score in each area, every gap with why it matters, and what to fix first.

    Your full report

    Unlock your full report

    A few details about the business and the report opens here, with every area scored and what to fix first.

    Preparing your full report

    Your full report

    Breakdown by area

    Next step

    Ready to act on this?

    A focused conversation with one of our founders about your priority gaps, a remediation plan you can act on, and fixed fees agreed up front.

    Where to focus first

    From your answers, these are the highest-impact gaps to address. Items tagged critical are the ones most likely to turn into a claim, a penalty or a lost customer.

      Section by section

      Your answers, your score, and why each area matters. Items with a marker are gaps worth attention.

      Now that you have the full picture, the next step is a short call to agree what to fix first.

      This report is generated from your self-reported answers and provides general information only. It does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. The regulatory landscape in this area is evolving rapidly. For advice specific to your circumstances, please speak with a qualified solicitor. © Lawyerly Ltd.

      LEGAL SUBSCRIPTION

      Need legal support often? Put a solicitor on subscription

      Most founders start on the Launch plan: a dedicated solicitor from day one, every area of everyday legal work included, and a fixed monthly fee that does not change when the contracts start arriving. Prefer to take it one milestone at a time? Our fixed-fee startup packs get you incorporated, trading and investment-ready, with a credit against your first year if you subscribe later.

      • One solicitor for your whole business
      • Comprehensive services across your business
      • No hourly bills, no surprises
      See startup pricing 30-day money-back guarantee
      Subscription plans Save 10% when paid annually
      • For founders

        Launch plan. Ideal for founders and early-stage businesses putting their first contracts, terms and employment basics in place, with a turnover under £500k.

        From £379 per month + VAT
      • For growing businesses

        Accelerate plan. Ideal for growing businesses signing more customers and hiring more people, who want legal handled before it becomes urgent, with a turnover under £2m.

        From £579 per month + VAT
      • For mid-sized businesses

        Scale plan. Ideal for established teams with contracts, HR and compliance moving every month, and no time to chase law firms. Typically £2m to £5m turnover.

        From £879 per month + VAT
      • For established businesses

        Enterprise plan. Ideal for businesses that need the output of a legal department, with senior judgement, without the headcount. Typically £5m to £10m turnover.

        From £1,579 per month + VAT
      CLIENT TESTIMONIALS

      What founders say about working with us

      4.8 on Google

      Daily support, exactly what a startup needs.

      The team at Lawyerly is helping us massively with all things legal. Daily support that makes all the difference.

      Domen Gluhar Founder, Agentric AI
      Free playbook

      The startup legal playbook

      The legal steps founders should take when launching and growing a startup, in the order they usually matter, written for people who have a product to build.

      What's inside

      • The documents to put in place before you trade
      • Getting the company to own its IP
      • Preparing for SEIS, EIS and a first round
      • Hiring, contracts and data protection as you grow

      Download your free copy

      Tell us who you are and the playbook is yours straight away.
      LATEST INSIGHTS BY OUR TEAM

      Legal articles for startups and founders

      Tech founders exploring EMI and SEIS shares Technology & AI SEIS, EIS and EMI explained for tech founders David Silvey, 2 June 2026 Tech founder with a founders agreement in place Technology & AI Founder agreements: the document startups often skip until it is too late James Conning, 2 June 2026 Tech startup founders discussing legal mistakes with a solicitor Technology & AI The legal mistakes that make tech startups harder to fund Patricia Tinn, 2 June 2026
      CONTACT US

      Talk to us about your startup

      Tell us where you are, from an idea to a term sheet on the table, and one of our founders will come back to you within one business day with a clear view of what needs doing first.

      Willem van der Merwe

      Co-Founder

      Read profile