Shareholder agreements are a vital part of a company’s structure. They outline the agreement between the shareholders – the people who invest their money in a company – and the company directors – the people who decide how to spend this money.
While shareholder agreements can be complex and somewhat difficult to set up, it is important to realise that they are extremely important. They need to be drafted with the help of high-quality commercial lawyers to make sure that they are error free and that they encompass the necessary information, and they need to be treated like the important legal document that they are.
Some of the main reasons why shareholder agreements are important include:
- They minimise the potential for shareholder disputes
Shareholder disputes can be costly, drawn out processes which can reduce the productivity of a company. They often require the assistance of a team of commercial lawyers to achieve resolution, and this can take a long time.
Shareholder agreements reduce the chance of shareholder disputes happening. They outline everything that the shareholder needs to know, and they provide a framework for the company to follow. While they won’t eliminate the risk of a dispute, shareholder agreements can greatly reduce it.