Founders, start ups and early-stage businesses

We understand the unique challenges faced by founders.

We advise founders, start-ups and scale-ups in the UK and overseas across all industries.

Our Corporate and Commercial team can advise on all legal aspects at every stage of your journey:

  • Set up - company incorporation and constitutional docs;
  • Product/service development - advice on related aspects to consider ahead of launching your product and/or service such as IP rights and licensing.
  • Marketing - website T&Cs, privacy policy, and protecting your brand (trade marks).
  • Sales – customer T&Cs, laws related to sales of products/services, and managing disputes;
  • Growth – employment/consultancy agreements and fundraising (debt or equity finance), collaboration arrangements.
  • Exit – restructuring, joint venture or sale of the business.

Catch up on our Founders Series here.

We pride ourselves in getting to know you, your business and circumstances so that we can work with you to put in place the most appropriate structure for your needs whilst taking a pragmatic approach with an emphasis on limiting unnecessary complication.

We know that the intellectual property in a new business and how it is protected can be fundamental to its value and fundraising prospects. Our Commercial team are experienced in working with founders and use industry know-how to anticipate risks and tailor commercial contracts to you.

We also have extensive experience in working with organisations setting up in the UK. Read more about how we can help.

Every stage of a business life cycle is different, and we adapt our approach and advice to meet your needs.

How we can help:

  • Corporate set up
  • Fundraising, friends and family, angel, pre-seed, seed, Series A and Series B funding rounds.
  • Growth and exit: VC, PE, M&A
  • Commercial contracts
  • Intellectual property
  • Data protection and AI
  • Employee incentives
  • Sustainability & supply chains
  • Regulatory

“It was a pleasure working with the Bates Wells team on this transaction. Their expertise, responsiveness, and dedication made the process seamless, and their guidance was invaluable in navigating the complexities of the deal. We truly appreciate their contribution and look forward to future collaborations.”

Shora Rokni, Chief Strategy Officer of ICAPE Group

“We have worked with Nirav and the Bates Wells team for several years now and could not have found a better partner. They have given us the support that we needed in both good times and bad. Nirav and Robbie have gone above and beyond on many occasions to support the company and ensure we can operate effectively.”

Fouad Al-Noor, Co-Founder and CEO of ThinkSono

“Richard Marke has this rare ability to never lose sight of the big picture, whilst at the same time making sure that all the details of the matter are properly considered and addressed. Richard is a very pragmatic advisor, and I’ve never doubted his understanding of his client’s business priorities and objectives.”

Legal 500 2025
Meet our team