What is a Shareholders’ Agreement?
A Shareholders’ Agreement is a private legal contract establishing the rules that govern a company’s shareholders’ relationship to each other and to the company. The contract defines the parties’ rights, responsibilities, and protections.
A Shareholders’ Agreement is also known as a shareholders’ contract.
LawDepot’s Shareholders’ Agreement template is available for companies in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
What is a shareholder?
A shareholder is a person, company, or organisation that owns shares in a company. This makes them legal part-owners of the business. Depending on how well the company performs, a share’s worth may fluctuate, and a shareholder may profit or lose money.
Why should I create a Shareholders’ Agreement?
Having a Shareholders’ Agreement helps establish rules and obligations for shareholders to safeguard the interests of all shareholders and the company. Benefits of an agreement include:
- Regulating management by clarifying how decisions are made, like appointing directors and what happens if additional funds are needed.
- Controlling share transfers by outlining who can buy shares and rules like rights of first refusal.
- Defining dispute resolution, such as agreeing to use a mediator or arbitrator to help resolve conflicts if they occur.
- Providing evidence of the rules, responsibilities, and rights of shareholders if a dispute does occur.
- Creating confidentiality and protection for the company through restrictive clauses such as non-compete and non-solicitation clauses.
- Protecting minority shareholders by including requirements for unanimous or majority consent of all shareholders on important decisions.
Without an agreement, a company is governed only by the default rules under the Companies Act 2006 and the company’s Articles of Association. Additionally, shareholders could face risks such as a 50:50 deadlock, vulnerabilities if a shareholder leaves the company with no restrictive covenants in place, or the sale of shares to unwanted co-owners without restrictions.
Is a Shareholders’ Agreement legally required in the UK?
No, a Shareholders’ Agreement isn’t legally required. Still, it is beneficial for a company to have a document that sets out the agreed-upon rules, obligations, and rights for shareholders that are not covered in the Articles of Association.
When should I use a Shareholders’ Agreement?
Consider creating a Shareholders' Agreement if your company has two or more shareholders. It can help clarify shareholders’ rights and responsibilities, as well as how important decisions are made. Situations when an agreement can be beneficial include:
- Creating a new company, small business, or start-up
- Starting a business with family or friends
- Existing businesses receive new investments
- There is a change of ownership or business relationships
What’s included in a Shareholders’ Agreement?
A Shareholders’ Agreement can contain standard details and clauses such as:
Company and shareholder information
An agreement between shareholders includes information about the company, such as its name and location. It also includes details on the shareholders, such as their names, addresses, share ownership, and any warranty that they’re the sole beneficial owners of their shares.
List of reserved matters
Reserved matters are company decisions that require a special level of approval. Instead of the board of directors having the final say, shareholders can have the power to decide matters regarding:
- Appointment of directors: How the shareholders will appoint directors.
- Business and finance: Select an auditor and bank for the company, restrict the company to a specific type of business, and/or prevent the business from providing financial assistance to individuals.
- Capital and assets: Limit capital expenditure, limit asset disposals, and/or prevent the company from granting security interests or encumbering corporate property.
- Shares and new share issues: Prevent share issues for non-monetary consideration, and/or prevent the company from issuing or redeeming shares except as outlined in the Shareholders’ Agreement.
Restrictive covenants
An agreement can help prevent shareholders from gaining an unfair competitive advantage after leaving the company by including restrictive covenants, such as:
- A non-compete clause: Restricts shareholders from working with competitors for a set period after they leave the company.
- A non-solicitation clause: Restricts shareholders from enticing employees away from the company for a set period after they leave the company.
Dispute resolution clauses
A Shareholders’ Agreement includes clauses to prepare for potential conflicts between shareholders by including:
- Alternative dispute resolution guidance: If shareholders cannot resolve a dispute, they may engage a third party, such as a mediator or arbitrator, to help them reach a decision.
- The shotgun provision: Also known as a “Russian roulette” clause. This is usually used to break a deadlock. One shareholder names a price for their shares, and the other shareholder must then either buy those shares at that price or sell their own shares to the first shareholder at the same price. This provision favours shareholders with strong financial positions and the ability to run the company themselves.
- A right of first refusal: Also called “pre-emption rights”. When a shareholder wants to sell their shares, they must offer them to existing shareholders or the company on the same terms proposed by an outside buyer.
- Tag-along rights: Also known as “piggy-back” rights, this provision protects minority shareholders during a third-party buyout. If a majority shareholder sells shares to a third party, the minority shareholders have the right to participate in the same transaction.
Shareholders’ Agreement vs. Articles of Association
Shareholders’ Agreements and Articles of Association are both important documents when you run a company to create internal rules. However, they have several different purposes.
Here is a table to break down their differences:
If you’re starting a new limited company, use LawDepot’s Articles of Association template to prepare your filing documents.
What happens if a Shareholders’ Agreement conflicts with the Articles of Association?
The Articles of Association and Shareholders’ Agreement have different legal roles. If they conflict, an action may be valid under the Shareholders’ Agreement but still break the Articles. This may allow the other parties to seek a legal remedy.
To help prevent disputes, ensure both documents have consistent rules for share transfers, important decisions, and reserved matters. Consider getting legal advice before finalising or changing either document.
Can I write my own Shareholders’ Agreement?
Yes, you can write your own Shareholders’ Agreement with LawDepot’s user-friendly template.
Before signing your agreement, have all shareholders review the terms and ensure everyone agrees to the contract. Additionally, ensure that they don’t conflict with your Articles of Association. You can have a solicitor review your document before signing.
How do I write a Shareholders’ Agreement?
With LawDepot’s easy-to-use Shareholders’ Agreement template, you can have your contract in minutes.
Once you add your company’s information and location, complete the following steps:
- Provide shareholder information: Names, addresses, and the type and number of shares they each own. You may also require shareholders to provide a statement that they’re the sole beneficial owners of their shares.
- Outline appointment of directors: How the board of directors and their alternates will be appointed (e.g., each shareholder will appoint one director) and specify any officers (e.g., president, vice president, and treasurer).
- Determine corporate management: Which areas shareholders control, including business operations, finances, capital, assets, and share issues.
- Select the contract duration: When the agreement begins and, if applicable, when it ends.
- Specify capital requirements: What will happen if additional funds are needed (e.g., shareholders will provide loans to the company), and who will determine whether additional funds are needed.
- Add specific requirements for shares: Including restrictions on the transfer of shares, the valuation of shares, and what happens if a shareholder dies or becomes incapacitated.
- Choose conflict-of-interest clauses: Additional clauses, such as a non-compete or non-solicitation clause.
- Add dispute resolution guidance: Clauses that address conflicts of interest or disputes.
Shareholders’ Agreement FAQs