Corporate & Shareholder Disputes

How we can help

When business relationships become difficult, decisions about control, money and the future of the company can become urgent. We help founders, shareholders, directors and businesses understand their position and decide what to do next.

Our work includes shareholders’ agreements, company meetings, access to records, disputed management decisions, commercial agreements and proposed settlements. We first identify whom we represent and whether the affected rights belong to an individual, the company or both. A partnership requires a different legal analysis from a company.

Our work in practice

Shareholder disagreements and proposed separation

We advised a shareholder in an owner-managed business on an extraordinary general meeting, requests for financial records, disputed asset ownership and options for a negotiated separation. The work included attending the meeting and subsequent solicitor discussions, and advising on written settlement proposals.

Clearer rules between business owners

We prepared a draft shareholders’ agreement for a privately owned business, addressing decision-making, board appointments, access to records, deadlock and arrangements for transferring shares. The work focused on recording how the owners would manage important decisions and disagreements.

Investment disputes and settlement terms

We advised a company on a disputed investment and prepared proposed settlement terms addressing repayment, security and enforcement, alongside potential court proceedings. Assessing a settlement involved considering what would happen if promised payments were not made.

Commercial agreements before commitment

We reviewed competing joint-venture drafts for a developer, examining the counterparty’s authority, staged payments, financing security, termination accounting and project-control rights. We identified contractual risks and proposed changes for consideration before execution.

These anonymised examples describe advice, drafting and negotiations undertaken. They do not imply that every proposed agreement was signed or every dispute resolved.

Your options

Negotiation and commercial arrangements: depending on the documents and circumstances, options may include revised management arrangements, settlement terms or an agreed share sale or buyout. Price, liabilities, payment security and implementation all matter.

Governance and contractual rights: we assess meeting procedures, voting, appointments or removal, information rights, directors’ duties, conflicts and alleged misuse of company assets. A shareholders’ agreement and the company’s constitution must be considered alongside the law.

Court remedies: where the statutory grounds are met, oppression relief may include orders regulating company affairs or requiring a share purchase. Where a claim belongs to the company, eligible applicants may need the Court’s permission to bring proceedings on its behalf. These are distinct routes with different requirements.

A company has its own legal identity. Its debts do not automatically make directors or shareholders personally liable; guarantees, contractual obligations and other legal grounds must be checked.

What happens next

Before you contact us

Prepare the shareholders’ agreement, constitution if any, ownership details, relevant contracts, meeting notices and minutes, correspondence and available financial records. Tell us about upcoming meetings, proposed transfers, threatened proceedings or urgent concerns about company assets.

Preserve the records you lawfully hold. Start with a brief enquiry so we can check conflicts and arrange an appropriate channel for confidential material.

General information only. Contacting us does not by itself create a solicitor-client relationship.