Corporate & Commercial Lawyers in London

Corporate lawyers in London advise everyone from first time founders to listed groups, and the City remains one of the world's busiest markets for company and commercial work. Typical clients include startups raising seed or venture money, owner managers selling a stake, overseas businesses opening a UK subsidiary and companies negotiating supply, distribution or software contracts. Most matters are governed by English law, which many international parties choose for their contracts.

Companies are formed and kept up to date through Companies House, under the Companies Act 2006. A corporate solicitor in London will draft articles and shareholder agreements, run due diligence, handle share purchases and asset sales, and advise directors on their duties. When a deal turns into a dispute, larger claims usually go to the Business and Property Courts at the Rolls Building, which include the Commercial Court, while many contracts send disputes to arbitration in London. Solicitors are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and can be checked on the Law Society's Find a Solicitor register.

Fees are commonly hourly, with fixed fees for company formation, standard agreements and smaller share deals. Some London firms offer capped fees or deferred fees for startups, and contentious work can sometimes be funded through conditional fee or damages based agreements. Before instructing corporate lawyers in London, agree the scope in writing, ask for a fee estimate per stage, check who will handle the day to day work and prepare your cap table, accounts and key contracts. Then compare the firms below and contact them directly.