Commercial Contracts

Drafting and negotiating contracts

A well-drafted contract anticipates risk, protects your position, and gives both parties clarity on their obligations from the outset. Poorly worded or one-sided contracts are one of the most common sources of commercial disputes, and the cost of resolving them almost always exceeds the cost of getting the drafting right in the first place.

At Setfords, our commercial contracts solicitors work with businesses at every stage to draft agreements that are clear, enforceable, and tailored to your specific commercial objectives. Whether you are entering a high-value supply agreement, a long-term services contract, or a one-off commercial arrangement, we provide practical, straightforward advice that keeps transactions moving without unnecessary delay. We have worked across various sectors, including financial services, telecoms, IT, and procurement within regulated environments such as banking and insurance.

Contractual precedents

Having a library of reliable, up-to-date contractual precedents reduces the time and cost of entering new commercial relationships while ensuring consistency and legal certainty across your agreements.

Whether your business is new or established, Setfords can work with you to develop a suite of bespoke precedent documents tailored to you, covering the contracts you use most frequently. These can be reviewed and updated as your business grows, giving you a solid foundation for commercial dealings and minimising risk.

Standard business contracts

At Setfords, we help businesses draft and review standard contracts that reflect how they trade, comply with current legislation, and hold up under scrutiny. Some of the contracts we can assist with include: 

• NDAs
• MOUs/Heads of Terms
• Shareholder agreements
• Agency, distribution and franchise agreements
• Amendment agreements
• Outsourcing and service agreements
• Website and standard terms and conditions
• Framework agreements
• Supply chain and tender documentation

Data protection

Data protection compliance is a legal obligation for every business that collects, stores, or processes personal data. The consequences of getting it wrong can include significant regulatory fines, reputational damage, and loss of customer trust.

At Setfords, we advise businesses on their data protection obligations in a commercial context, including drafting and reviewing data processing agreements, ensuring contractual terms comply with data protection law, and advising on data-sharing arrangements.

Whether you are reviewing your existing contracts for compliance, responding to a data subject request, or putting new data processing arrangements in place, our team provides clear, practical guidance to help you meet your obligations and minimise the risk of future disputes.

Shareholder agreements

A shareholder agreement is one of the most important documents a company can have in place. It sets out the rules that govern how a business is owned and managed, covering everything from voting rights and decision-making to what happens when a shareholder wants to leave or sell their shares.

Without a shareholder agreement, founders and investors are left to rely solely on the articles of association, which rarely provide enough detail to prevent disputes or protect minority shareholders.

At Setfords, our corporate team work with co-founders, growing businesses, and family-owned companies to draft bespoke shareholder agreements that reflect your ownership structure, protect your interests, and give clarity on how the business operates. Whether you are putting an agreement in place for the first time or updating existing terms ahead of a new funding round, we provide straightforward, practical advice to get it right.