Winning a contract to supply the dockyard is the making of many Plymouth businesses, and the terms of that contract, with its security requirements, its liability caps and its rules on subcontracting, are the first thing a business law solicitor in the city is asked to read. The defence and marine supply chain, the Plymouth and South Devon Freeport, the boatbuilders and marine engineers around the harbours and the fishing businesses that land at Sutton Harbour give Plymouth a commercial legal scene that looks quite unlike the rest of Devon.
The ordinary work is still there underneath. Plymouth solicitors form companies and LLPs, draft shareholder and partnership agreements, write terms and conditions and supplier contracts, negotiate leases of units at Estover, Langage and the city centre, advise on licensing for the bars of the Barbican and Union Street, and handle the sale of a business when the owner retires. Fishing businesses need advice on licences, quota, vessel ownership and the share agreements that govern crews. Hospitality and tourism operators, from the hotels on the Hoe to the ferry port's suppliers, need seasonal staff contracts and leases that reflect the seasons.
Start-ups and spin-outs at the science park and Oceansgate raise investment, which means option schemes, investor agreements and intellectual property assignments that stand up to due diligence.
Disputes are issued in the county court at Plymouth Combined Court Centre for smaller sums and in the Business and Property Courts in Bristol for larger ones; most are settled, often through mediation. Debt recovery and insolvency, including creditors' claims when a contractor fails, are a steady part of the work.
Company formation and standard documents are usually priced as a fixed fee, negotiation and litigation by the hour; ask who will actually handle the file.
The business law firms serving Plymouth are listed below, verified firms first. Read what business law covers, corporate law and dispute resolution and litigation, see the business law solicitors guide, or go to employment law solicitors in Plymouth and IP solicitors in Plymouth.
