The firm’s Business Law department is based in its Brighton office and is led by Paul Barnes.

In addition to acting for companies, the department also acts for partnerships, LLPs and sole traders. We specialise in providing a full legal service to SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises).

Size of business Employees Turnover Balance Sheet
Small < 10 ≤ £2m ≤ £2m
Growth < 50 ≤ £10m ≤ £10m
Medium-sized < 250 ≤ £50m ≤ £43m

Business transactions

Proper advice and structure today may prevent a lost opportunity tomorrow. Whatever the nature or size of your business, good legal advice can play a critical part in the decision-making process.

Strategic planning and immediate action are often crucial in securing a transaction. We will focus on your priorities and respond quickly and decisively to your needs.

We can advise you business transactions including:

  • General corporate advice
  • The purchase or sale of shareholdings in companies
  • Business asset transfers
  • Corporate finance transactions (both debt and equity)
  • Mergers and take-overs
  • Joint ventures and management buy-outs
  • Articles of association
  • Shareholder agreements
  • Share options
  • Company formations and administration

Contract law

We can advise you on a range of business contracts to help you both manage and maximise important commercial relationships. We will focus on understanding and addressing all the core risks and opportunities in order to be able to work with you to find the right balance between the contracting parties.

We can advise you on a range of commercial matters including:

  • General contract law advice
  • Creating and reviewing contract terms
  • Sub-contracting, outsourcing and logistics
  • Brand protection
  • Distribution and agency agreements
  • Intellectual property agreement
  • Information technology agreements
  • Standard terms and conditions of sale or purchase

Efficient & cost-effective

Specialist legal advice can save you time and money and at the same time help you to maximise the potential of your business.

We seek to build long-term relationships with our clients based on mutual trust and confidence. To do this we combine technical legal excellence with a thoroughly pragmatic and down-to-earth focus on helping our clients achieve their goals.

We will be open and approachable, flexible and creative, whilst providing clarity and certainty. We will tell you what the work will cost and expect to provide excellent value for money.

Contacting your business law team

For further information about any aspect of business law please e-mail Paul Barnes at pbarnes@odt.co.uk.