Harper James is a modern, full-service UK commercial law firm for ambitious businesses, including start-ups and scale-ups, advising on the laws of England and Wales. Founders should treat compliance as an operating process, not a one-off task completed at incorporation.
Confirm the company’s name, registered office, directors, people with significant control and share structure at Companies House. Put a founders’ agreement or shareholders’ agreement in place before relationships become difficult, covering decision-making, reserved matters, founder departures, intellectual property ownership and restrictions on transferring shares. Keep the statutory books, confirmation statement, accounts and changes to company details up to date. Companies House reforms also place greater focus on identity verification and reliable company information, so assign responsibility for filings and maintain a clear record of approvals.
Before fundraising, check the cap table, document any advance subscription agreement, and assess whether SEIS or EIS conditions apply. Use written contracts with customers, suppliers, contractors and consultants, including payment terms, liability limits, confidentiality and intellectual property clauses. Register or protect key trade marks and ensure every employee and contractor assigns relevant intellectual property to the company. For a practical review of these early-stage priorities, use this startup compliance resource.
Map the personal data the start-up collects, identify the lawful basis for using it, publish suitable privacy information and put processor agreements in place. Assess whether a data protection impact assessment, retention schedule or Data Protection Officer is required. Review marketing practices under UK GDPR and PECR, particularly for email, cookies and customer profiling. Employment contracts should cover confidentiality, intellectual property, working arrangements and holiday, while the staff handbook should address leave, conduct, grievances and disciplinary procedures. Check immigration permissions before hiring overseas workers, and obtain sector-specific authorisation where the business operates in areas such as financial services, health technology or regulated payments.
Repeat the review before a funding round, major customer contract, international expansion, office move, acquisition or significant recruitment exercise. A useful monthly routine is to check upcoming Companies House and tax deadlines, contract renewals, data incidents, insurance, employee changes and outstanding board approvals. Keep an issues register showing the risk, owner, deadline and action taken. This gives founders and investors a clearer view of legal exposure and prevents compliance work from being lost during rapid growth.