Corporate and Commercial Solicitors
Accessible. Established. Creative. Approachable.
Commercially minded legal advice for small and medium businesses
As a small or medium-sized business, finding the right legal advice can be hard. It is easy to feel lost between large, expensive law firms where you do not feel prioritised and smaller local firms that lack the expertise you need.
At Scott Bailey, we specialise in supporting SMEs. Our corporate and commercial solicitors combine extensive expertise and experience with a personal approach and transparent, value-based pricing, delivering high-quality legal services without the loose estimates.
Contact our Corporate and Commercial Solicitors
Corporate and Commercial Legal Services

Buying a business
Our corporate and commercial lawyers have extensive experience guiding clients through the process of buying a business. Having handled countless share and asset purchases, large and small, you can trust our team to manage the transaction professionally, provide practical legal and commercial advice, and always protect your interests.

Selling a business
A fair price and a smooth transaction – that is what the vast majority of SME owners want when they sell their business. Our experienced corporate and commercial solicitors will guide you through the entire process, from obtaining a business valuation to negotiating terms, ensuring you avoid any legal pitfalls and get the outcome you want.

Mergers and acquisitions
Mergers and acquisitions are complex legal processes, encompassing several areas of corporate and commercial law. Scott Bailey's broad range of expertise means we are excellently placed to guide SMEs through the entire process, from handling the initial transaction to managing regulatory compliance and employment law matters, including TUPE considerations, when business ownership is transferred via an asset sale.

Shareholders’ agreements
Shareholders’ agreements are fundamental to how many companies operate, setting out how decisions are made, profits are distributed, succession, and shares are transferred. Our corporate and commercial lawyers will take the time to understand your requirements before drafting a shareholders’ agreement that clearly establishes rights and responsibilities, minimising the risk of future disputes and safeguarding your company and shareholders.
It is always better to enter into a shareholders’ agreement when everyone is getting along, so it is never too early to get the ball rolling. Do not leave it until a dispute arises.

Joint venture agreements
Successful joint ventures rely on a clear definition of the roles and responsibilities of the parties involved. At Scott Bailey, our highly skilled corporate and commercial solicitors have extensive experience negotiating and drafting joint venture agreements that set out the terms of your arrangement, including profit-sharing provisions, to minimise the risk of future disputes and protect all parties. Whether you are developing a new product to take to market, or are an experienced property developer, our team can help you put an appropriate agreement in place.

Outsourcing agreements
Whether you are outsourcing work, such as IT support, marketing, or manufacturing, or providing outsourced services yourself, it is essential to outline the terms of your agreement, including service level expectations, confidentiality requirements, and dispute resolution processes, in a properly drafted outsourcing agreement. Our corporate and commercial solicitors are experts in drafting and reviewing these agreements, ensuring that the terms align with your needs and protect your interests – both legally, and commercially.

Franchise, agency and distribution agreements
Whether you are outsourcing work, such as IT support, marketing, or manufacturing, or providing outsourced services yourself, it is essential to outline the terms of your agreement, including service level expectations, confidentiality requirements, and dispute resolution processes, in a properly drafted outsourcing agreement. Our corporate and commercial solicitors are experts in drafting and reviewing these agreements, ensuring that the terms align with your needs and protect your interests – both legally and commercially.

Independent Legal Advice (ILA)
Independent legal advice is vital to many legal processes and transactions, including personal guarantees for business loans. Scott Bailey’s Lexel-accredited corporate and commercial lawyers make obtaining expert Independent Legal Advice (ILA) quick, easy and affordable.

Commercial contracts
Commercial contracts provide a crucial legal framework governing how companies operate and interact with their customers, suppliers, and partners. Scott Bailey’s expert corporate and commercial lawyers have extensive experience drafting and reviewing contracts for SMEs, ranging from long-term defence and medical device framework agreements worth millions to straightforward loan agreements and NDAs.

Partnership and LLP agreements
Clearly defining partners’ roles and responsibilities in a partnership provides a strong foundation for success from the outset and helps prevent future disputes. Partnership and LLP (Limited Liability Partnership) agreements offer a legal framework that not only outlines the roles and responsibilities of partners or members, but also how profits are shared, decisions are made, and how partners or members may exit the agreement.
Drawing on extensive experience, our corporate and commercial solicitors will take the time to understand your requirements before drafting or reviewing your agreement to ensure it aligns with your needs.

Terms and conditions of business
Terms and conditions are essential for every business - just ask any business owner who has had to rely on them. T’s & C’s outline how you will deliver goods or services to your customers and what is expected from them, including payment terms. Conversely, terms and conditions of purchase can helpfully outline how goods and services that your business purchases should be delivered and paid for, whilst setting out the extent of the supplier’s liability.
Scott Bailey’s expert corporate and commercial solicitors can assist you in drafting or reviewing your terms and conditions of business, ensuring the agreement is watertight and aligns with your requirements and expectations.
Businesses we can support
Why choose our Corporate and Commercial Lawyers
Here when you need us
We understand that not all businesses have the same priorities. Whether you are looking for a long-term partner to help you structure your business for growth or a reliable law firm to handle one-off legal matters cost-effectively, we are here to help.
Practical, commercially minded legal advice
Unlike large corporations, SMEs do not have the luxury of seemingly bottomless pockets when it comes to handling legal matters. Instead, you must balance your goals with the budget you have available. Our corporate and commercial solicitors specialise in providing commercially minded legal advice for SMEs, helping clients identify the most cost-effective solutions to achieve their objectives.
Direct access to experienced corporate and commercial solicitors
As an SME, having confidence in your legal advice is essential. That is why we ensure our clients always have direct access to experienced solicitors. Whether you need a quick, informal chat about a potential issue, or a detailed consultation about a complex matter, our partner-led teams are here to provide the advice and support you need to make important decisions about your business.
Exceptional value and transparent, straightforward pricing
Many SMEs worry about high prices and spiralling costs when they need legal support, and it is easy to understand why. Traditional hourly rates and shifting estimates have made seeking legal advice daunting for businesses with limited budgets.
At Scott Bailey, we go beyond basic transparency, focusing on value-based pricing. We provide high-quality legal advice at affordable prices, always clearly communicating costs from the outset and offering fixed fees for the majority of our services.
Specialist sectors
Meet the Corporate and Commercial Law team

Corporate and Commercial Lawyers in Hampshire
With offices in Lymington and Lyndhurst, Scott Bailey’s corporate and commercial solicitors are ideally placed to support businesses across Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire, and the South Coast. Our team has a proven track record of advising a wide variety of SMEs – from start-ups in Southampton and dental practices in the New Forest to marine manufacturers in Portsmouth, technology companies in Bournemouth, and beyond.
Corporate and Commercial Law news
Our lawyers solve problems
like yours every day.
We would like to hear from you. Please send us a message by filling out our form or contact us using the details below.
Phone: 01590 676933
Fax: 01590 679663
Scott Bailey LLP, 63 High Street, Lymington, Hampshire, SO41 9ZT