Commercial services

Running a business can be fraught with problems and having the time and budget to deal with them effectively is not always easy. Wards can help. We specialise in offering one-stop-shop legal services to all types of businesses, ranging from ambitious start-ups to thriving, established companies.

But, rest assured, whatever your company’s size, your business will be valuable to us. We place great emphasis on understanding our clients’ commercial objectives. We provide a personal service and advice that is based on commercial reality, rather than just legal principles, throughout our clients’ business lifecycle.

The net result of our advice is to help create and maximise your opportunities and to reduce or eliminate your business risks. We offer, among other services, the following areas of advice:

Business start-ups
We can advise you at the outset on the appropriate type of business structure, for example, sole trader, limited company (both private and public) or partnership. We can then set up your limited company or draft tailored partnership agreements according to your needs, and can also provide company secretarial assistance with ongoing statutory company requirements.

Customer and supplier relationships
We can ensure that you are protected in your everyday trading transactions by negotiating and drafting contracts for the supply and distribution of goods and services, as well as reviewing terms of business presented to you by your major suppliers. In our experience, it pays to set up watertight contracts at the outset, rather than risk getting involved in lengthy disputes at a later date.

Protecting your company’s goodwill and brand value
The goodwill and reputation vested in a company’s brands or trading names can be significant and any threat to this can result in economic loss. We can advise on intellectual property ("IP") issues, covering patents, copyright, trade marks, passing-off and breach of confidence disputes. IP is an area where failure to protect and exploit your commercial assets at the outset can have serious consequences down the line.

Securing business premises
Wards’ commercial property team can advise on all aspects of business premises, including freehold and leasehold acquisitions, rent/lease terms and reviews, landlord and tenant issues, and mortgages, easements and licences. We are also available to take on property portfolio management.

Employee issues
As well as drafting contracts for all levels of staff, our employment team can keep you up-to-date with this fast-changing and complex area of law, including advising on statutory rights, dismissal and redundancy issues.

Growing your business
Wards can help secure the financial foundation of your company’s future by advising on business growth through company acquisitions, mergers and joint ventures, venture capital and other forms of investment or franchising. Along the way, we can help with shareholder and partnership issues, such as a change of directors.

Resolving disputes
With even the best contracts in place, there are times when business disputes occur, for example, between customers and suppliers over defective goods or services or non-payment of debts, or internally, between directors and business partners. Our disputes team will help ensure that any disagreement is resolved as quickly as possible, with the minimum of disruption to your business. The earlier we are involved, the quicker we can advise you about the options available.

Strategies for business succession
When you wish to realise your investment, we can advise on issues such as a family company succession, management buy out (or buy in) or trade sale. Whatever route you take, you’ll need advice to ensure the structure is tax efficient, and any Warranty & Indemnity, retention and earn-out clauses are drafted to your advantage.

Contact us
For an initial, no obligation discussion about any of our business services, please contact

Bridget Juckes on 0117 929 2811 or email her.