SME Services · Business solicitors
Business solicitors for UK companies, wherever you're based
You don't need a solicitor down the road. You need one who picks up your email, understands your business and is still there in five years' time. We act for founders and owner-managed companies wherever they are based, on contracts, shareholders and company law, disputes, intellectual property and buying or selling a business. Everything runs online, and you deal with the same people from the first question onwards.
Written by Vanessa Challess, Solicitor, qualified 2003 · Last reviewed
How we work with businesses
On hand
Business problems don't wait for a monthly meeting. You email us, and the person who knows your matter replies, usually within one working day. No call centre, no being passed around.
Part of your team
We take the time to learn how your business actually trades: who you sell to, what keeps you up at night, and where the risk sits. You don't have to explain it all again each time, and our advice fits the business you run, not a textbook one.
In it for the long haul
We'd rather look after a business for years than handle a single transaction. The first set of terms, the shareholders' agreement, the first dispute, the sale or the succession plan: we want to be the firm you come back to at every stage.
What we do for businesses
- Contracts and terms of business
Terms and conditions, supply, distribution, agency and the contract a big client has just sent you to sign.
- Company law and shareholders
Shareholders' agreements, articles, share issues and transfers, and director questions.
- Disputes
Unpaid invoices, contract claims and fallings-out, with advice shaped by real litigation experience.
- Intellectual property
Protecting your brand, your content and the things that make the business worth something.
- Buying or selling a business
Share and asset sales and purchases, from heads of terms to completion.
- Commercial property
Business leases, purchases and sales, led by Sangita Gohil.
Falling out with a co-shareholder? Start with our shareholder disputes guide. Setting up or bringing in a co-founder? See business structure and shareholders' agreements.
Why your business solicitor doesn't need to be local
- Signing. Most business contracts can be signed electronically. The Law Commission concluded in 2019 that an electronic signature can be used to execute a document, and the Government accepted that conclusion. Electronic signatures are admissible in evidence under section 7 of the Electronic Communications Act 2000.
- Companies House. Filings, share allotments and changes of directors are made online, for a company registered anywhere in the UK.
- Documents. Contracts, mark-ups and advice pass between us by email and secure document exchange, so you have a written record of everything.
Deeds are the exception: whether signed on paper or electronically, a deed still needs a witness who is physically present when you sign. We tell you when a document is a deed and what to do.
What business clients say
"A contract from a major client needed legal advice ahead of signing, with a quick turnaround. The team at Bonsai worked late into a Friday to get it returned and the communication was second to none, they found clauses that left my business at serious risk. Himanie and Vanessa were brilliant. Worth every penny."
"Highly engaged and dynamic service and support, wouldn't hesitate to recommend!"
Free tools for business owners
- Late payment interest calculator: Work out the statutory interest and compensation on an unpaid business invoice.
- Shareholder control calculator: See what 25%, 50% and 75% of the shares let a shareholder do.
- Limitation period checker: Check how long you have to bring a business claim.
Questions business owners ask
Does my business solicitor need to be local?
No. Contracts, company filings and correspondence all happen online, and electronic signatures are valid for most business documents. What matters is that your solicitor answers promptly, understands your business and knows the law that governs your contracts.
Where are your clients based?
Across the UK, and some abroad. We advise on the law of England and Wales, so we can help wherever your business is based when English law governs the contract, the company or the dispute.
Who will I deal with?
Vanessa Challess, a solicitor qualified in 2003, leads our business work, and commercial property is led by Sangita Gohil. You deal with the same people throughout, not a different fee earner each time.
How do your fees work?
Fixed fees where the work can be scoped, and ongoing support where you need it. We confirm the fee in writing before you commit. Fees are plus VAT.
Can you help with HR and employment issues?
Day-to-day HR support comes through our sister company, Electra HR, with a clear route to Bonsai Law when legal advice is needed. About Electra HR.
Our fees
Fixed fees where the work can be scoped, and ongoing support where you need it. We confirm the fee in writing before you commit, so you know the cost before we start. Fees are plus VAT.
Sources
- Law Commission: Electronic execution of documents (report, 4 September 2019): an electronic signature is capable in law of being used to execute a document, and the Government's acceptance of that conclusion.
- Electronic Communications Act 2000, section 7: electronic signatures admissible in evidence.
This page is general information about the law of England and Wales, not advice on your business. Last checked .
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A solicitor reads every enquiry and replies personally, usually within one working day. No call centre, no chatbot.