Search and find what you need faster.

Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

How has Diversity, Equity and Inclusion evolved in the Real Estate Finance sector?

Posted on: July 9th, 2025 by Ella Darnell

Director Rachel Coulthard comments in Private Equity and Real Estate (PERE) Magazine on diversity, equity, and inclusion in the real estate finance space.

Rachel’s comments were published in PERE, 1 July 2025, and can be found on page 69 of the issue, here.

“There has been a massive increase in the prevalence of DEI awareness. Many organisations have implemented regular training and promoted conversations about the impact of language towards women and minority groups, for instance knowing not to use infantilising language towards women.”

“Investors and managers are now accepting that DEI is not just important to promote inclusive workplaces, but also vital to attract and retain employees. The best want the best, and by any measure, equality is what is best. For instance, we have created a Gender Equality Network, which seeks parity between the sexes. This includes goals such as increasing our proportion of women directors and striving for equal pay for employees, regardless of gender.

“I lead our Women in Real Estate Finance initiative, which spotlights the incredible work being done by women in the sector and creates further opportunities for women, both by building networks of like-minded individuals and by giving more junior women in the field mentoring and educational growth opportunities.”

“While progress has been achieved, it has not been without hurdles and occasional setbacks. Most notably, there has been a social and political backlash to DEI in the United States, and many major law firms, corporations, and other non-government bodies have either lessened their emphasis on DEI or removed it entirely. Furthermore, the increase and normalisation of toxic masculinity among influencers has shifted the landscape for younger generations. These trends are deeply troubling, and all those who believe in and fight for equality and inclusion need to stand their ground amidst the current climate.” 

Lawrence Stephens appointed to Castle Trust Bank’s legal panel

Posted on: July 8th, 2025 by zhewison

Lawrence Stephens is pleased to announce that we have been appointed to the legal panel of Castle Trust Bank.

Castle Trust’s range of specialist Bridging products covers standard bridging as well as light and heavy refurbishments, and their Buy to Let product provides longer-term funding with competitive fixed rates. Their business volumes have increased significantly over the last nine months, to the point where their legal panel warrants further expansion to help meet demand.

As a leading provider of legal services, Lawrence Stephens is excited to bring our specialist expertise in real estate finance and banking to Castle Trust Bank’s panel of legal advisors.

Anna Lewis, Commercial Director – Property comments: “We are delighted to welcome Lawrence Stephens to our exclusive panel of legal advisors. Demand for our Bridging and Buy to Let products has increased significantly over the last nine months and we expect that trend to continue. Bringing the expertise and experience of Lawrence Stephens onto our legal panel will help ensure we can continue to meet the high standards that specialist brokers have come to expect from Castle Trust Bank. ”

Gregory Palos, Head of Financial Institutions Sector at Lawrence Stephens comments: “We are thrilled to have been appointed to Castle Trust Bank’s legal panel. It is a pleasure to work with a bank that prioritises strong relationships and delivers a bespoke, tailored service, and client focused solutions – values that closely align with our own.
We look forward to collaborating with Castle Trust Bank to support its mission of accelerating their continued growth.”

For more information on our Banking and Real Estate Finance solutions please click here.

Lawrence Stephens and Howden launch groundbreaking crypto theft insurance and recovery solution

Posted on: July 7th, 2025 by Natasha Cox

Lawrence Stephens has partnered with Howden, the global insurance intermediary group, to launch a first-of-its-kind solution for the cryptocurrency sector. This innovative facility combines robust crypto theft insurance with expert legal asset recovery services, offering clients a comprehensive and credible response to digital asset theft.

The new solution delivers more than just insurance – it provides clients with a fully integrated approach that includes legal expertise, access to leading crypto vendors, and forensic recovery capabilities.

“At Howden, we believe in delivering solutions that go beyond traditional insurance,” said Freddie Palmer, Head of Digital Assets and Blockchain at Howden. “By partnering with Lawrence Stephens, we’re empowering our clients with a seamless, end-to-end service that combines technical insurance advice, legal recourse, and access to the broader crypto ecosystem. It’s a powerful response to one of the industry’s most urgent challenges.”

Key features of the facility include:

  • Specialist legal support from Lawrence Stephens to initiate asset freezing and recovery proceedings.
  • Insurance coverage that includes partial reimbursement of legal recovery costs when engaging Lawrence Stephens.
  • Access to a trusted network of crypto vendors and forensic experts to trace and recover stolen assets.

“We’re delighted to offer our legal expertise to the insurance market through this collaboration with Howden,” said Matt Green, Head of Blockchain, Digital Assets and Technology Disputes at Lawrence Stephens. “After all, the legal process began helping an insurer reclaim payment following a ransomware attack.”

This launch marks a significant step forward in institutionalising crypto asset protection, offering clients a credible, structured, and responsive solution in an increasingly complex digital landscape. As digital assets become more mainstream, institutional-grade protection is essential to build trust, reduce risk, and support the long-term growth of the crypto economy.

To find out more about our Blockchain, Digital Assets and Technology Disputes services, please click here

Lawrence Stephens expands its Real Estate Finance with appointment of Senior Associate Zahra Shah

Posted on: July 4th, 2025 by Ella Darnell
Lawrence Stephens is pleased to announce the appointment of Zahra Shah as Senior Associate to its Real Estate Finance team.
 
Zahra joins us from a high street firm, where she was a Partner in the Real Estate department. She brings extensive experience across both residential and commercial property matters, with particular expertise in real estate finance. Zahra qualified as a Solicitor in 2019, having previously worked as a real estate paralegal at the Department for Education. Her appointment further strengthens our team’s capabilities and reflects our continued commitment to growth.
 
Head of Real Estate Finance, Ann Ebberson said “I’m pleased to welcome Zahra Shah to Lawrence Stephens and our Real Estate Finance team. Zahra brings strong and diverse sector experience, that will further strengthen our team’s capabilities. Her appointment marks another exciting step in the firm’s continued growth and reflects our commitment to expanding our expertise and commercial reach.”

Building culture and driving growth: the importance of agile leadership in law firms

Posted on: July 3rd, 2025 by Natasha Cox

Chief Operating Officer Johnny Nichols comments in Legal Practice Management magazine on how Lawrence Stephens’ strong people-first culture, and focus on developing an effective leadership model, has enabled the firm’s continued growth and development.

Johnny’s comments were published in People Management Magazine’s July edition, and can be found here.

How would you describe your firm’s current leadership model? 

“Our leadership model is both flat and lean. Flat in that we have a number of departments focused on particular legal disciplines and markets, but all with a say in the management and direction of the firm. Lean in that there are few lawyers who have time targets devoted to this.

“There are essentially three layers of leadership: the Senior Directors, who own the firm, Directors, who lead on the legal services we offer, and the Executive Committee who take day-to-day decisions on behalf of the firm.

“A flat and lean organisational structure, with fewer management layers, offers several benefits including faster decision-making, improved communication, increased employee autonomy, and a more agile response to changes with little need for consensus building. This makes us more agile and able to take advantage of opportunities where other firms may struggle. A recent example of this was the recruitment of a Real Estate team from Memery Crystal during its recent crisis, from under the noses of several larger firms. We were able to meet with and agree terms quickly and decisively, which resonated well with those teams affected.

“However, we recognise that this flat structure may become unwieldy as the firm grows and more streamlining may be required.”  

Have you considered or introduced new roles to lead certain aspects of your firm?

“Having recognised the need for growth and the limitations of Directors undertaking these roles (with neither the time nor the expertise) the firm took the decision to firstly recruit a Chief Operating Officer (me) to take the lead on the establishment of a fully functioning and appropriately empowered Business Services team. This included a new Head of Learning and Development, Head of Risk and Compliance, and more recently a Chief Finance Officer. As law firms become more sophisticated and the level of compliance and regulation has increased, law firms have had to recruit specialists into these roles in order to meet these. Having these people on board also relieves fee earners from tasks they were fundamentally ill-equipped for anyway, allowing them to focus on their fee earning roles.”

What steps is your firm taking to develop business and leadership skills among fee earners?

“Fee earners are not taught this at law school and to expect them to be able to just pick this up ‘on the job’ is unrealistic. Developing business and leadership skills through formal programmes is then really important and we are providing more training for line managers on their role, enabling them to better support and motivate staff.

“Formal programmes now exist to offer firmwide DEI training, and regular ‘lunch and learn’ events foster a collaborative, knowledge sharing environment. These often involve using existing expertise at the firm to upskill others, which in itself is a developmental activity. On top of these firmwide approaches, targeted groups now have new training programmes to support through crucial periods of their career, for example at Senior Associate level. More bespoke training is also available, including targeted coaching for staff where required.”

Succession planning is a common challenge among SME firms – how is yours preparing the next generation of leaders? 

“Recognising the limitations of the lockstep model, our firm has already moved away from this and is now constituted as a limited company. A limited company provides a more structured framework for managing the business, with clear roles for directors and shareholders, which is beneficial in a larger firm with complex operations.

“In terms of diversity, we work hard to ensure that everyone at our firm is treated fairly and equally. This includes our recruitment processes, career development, recognition and reward. As part of this initiative, the firm has agreed a target of 25% females in Directorship by 2026, and we look set to achieve this target by next year.”

How important is it for firms to shift focus away from individual performance exclusively? What practical steps are you taking to encourage effective collaboration?

“We have hosted a number of training sessions over the last year for cohorts at different stages of their careers which included discussions on the themes raised in the DCM Insights research.  We recognise the need for effective collaboration across all our activities and our own efforts to encourage this include a move away from purely  ‘X times salary’ targets for individuals. These are now considered at department level and budgets set to support work being fed down to more junior levels and to allow time for more managerial/strategy work for those more senior.

“When it comes to feeding back, individual reviews are still seen as important, but should always be considered in the wider picture, and 360 degree feedback is encouraged.”

Looking ahead to 2030, what defining leadership qualities or frameworks will separate thriving firms from struggling ones?

“Many firms talk about their unique culture being the key to their success. There is considerable evidence to support the view that a strong and distinct culture can lead to increased revenue, employee satisfaction, and improved client satisfaction. Against this positive backdrop, there is also growing evidence of increasing consolidation of law firms and potentially increasing external investment in law firms in the lead up to 2023. Both these themes introduce a level of change and potential disruption and it’s my view that only firms with a strong and engaged leadership will be able to maintain and develop a positive culture in the light of such change in what is regarded as vital to a thriving firm.

“So, looking ahead, I think that the most important quality for successful law firm leaders will be the ability to not only maintain and manage an existing culture, but be able to adapt to external influence brought about through combining teams and firms, and the involvement of any external investors along the way.”.

To find out more about our story, values and management approach, please click here

 

FCA extends employment misconduct rules beyond banks

Posted on: July 3rd, 2025 by Natasha Cox

Senior Associate Emma Cocker comments on the FCA’s announcement that it will treat bullying and harassment as serious ‘non-financial misconduct’ across all regulated firms – not just banks.

Emma’s comments were published in Personnel Today, 2 July 2025, and can be found here.

“For too long there has been a mismatch between what the FCA’s rules say about non-financial misconduct and what has actually been said and done about such behaviour.

“Under these new guidelines, poor personal behaviour will be treated in the same way as financial misconduct, meaning it will need to be shared in regulatory references to the FCA. As such, it will be much harder for individuals to move from firm to firm to escape their disrepute.

“In addition to the implications on individuals, the new rules will help the regulator to spot cultural failings in firms, which in turn helps to identify instances of poor decision making and risk management, both of which are vitally important qualities in this industry.”

For more information on our employment services, please click here

Protecting reputations during high-stakes litigation

Posted on: July 3rd, 2025 by Natasha Cox

Director Dominic Holden comments in City AM on how managing media narratives during litigation can be crucial in protecting clients from reputational and commercial damage.

Dominic’s comments were published in City AM, 3 July 2025, and can be found here.

“Complex and high-stakes litigation often involves serious allegations being made which are then reported on by the press long before any Judgment is handed down. Winning in court is important, but so too is managing the court of public opinion.

“Letting the narrative run against a client in the lead up to trial can be incredibly damaging to senior management, stakeholders and share price. The adverse news (which may have been generated with the aid of the other side’s PR advisors) can even find its way into evidence and be used to support the other side’s arguments.

“Careful use of PR advisers to ensure the client’s position is fairly reflected in the media is a valuable tool to help avoid a client’s claim from being unfairly prejudiced, and to protect the client’s wider commercial interests.”

To find out more about our litigation and dispute resolution services, please click here

Lawrence Stephens secures dismissal of In-Competition anti-doping charge for rugby league player

Posted on: July 3rd, 2025 by Natasha Cox

Angelique Richardson, Senior Associate in the Sports and Entertainment team at Lawrence Stephens, together with Christopher Saad and Ellie Horan of 2 Bedford Row, successfully acted for professional rugby league player Jake Maizen in proceedings brought by UK Anti-Doping before the National Anti-Doping Panel.

The matter was referred to Lawrence Stephens through the Sport Resolutions Pro Bono service, which provides eligible athletes with access to legal representation in anti-doping and disciplinary matters.

Mr Maizen was cleared of an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) for the use of cocaine In-Competition, contrary to Article 2.2 of the UK Anti-Doping Rules. The charge was formally dismissed following a contested hearing in April 2025.

While Mr Maizen admitted to a separate ADRV under Article 2.1, relating to the presence of a prohibited substance in his system, the Tribunal accepted that the ingestion occurred Out-of-Competition and was unrelated to sporting performance. As a result, the standard three-month period of ineligibility was backdated and deemed already served by way of provisional suspension. Mr Maizen has therefore been immediately eligible to return to the sport.

The decision of the National Anti-Doping Panel can be viewed here.

For more information on our work in sports and entertainment law, please see here. 

Lawrence Stephens makes nine promotions

Posted on: July 1st, 2025 by Natasha Cox

Leading full-service law firm Lawrence Stephens is proud to announce the promotion of nine colleagues from teams across the firm, effective from 1 July 2025. These promotions reflect the contribution made by them in the delivery of services to our clients and to the wider firm.  These follow a year of continuing growth for Lawrence Stephens with strong demand felt in all areas.  

William Bowyer becomes a Senior Associate in the Sports and Entertainment team.  William advises on a mix of non-contentious and contentious matters in sport and was recognised earlier this year in the first cohort of the International Sports Convention‘s 30 Under Thirty Awards.

Rosalin Gautam becomes a Senior Associate in the Dispute Resolution team. Rosalind acts on matters relating to breach of contract, partnership and joint venture disputes, shareholders disputes, professional negligence and individual and corporate insolvency.   

Priya Patel becomes a Senior Associate in the Dispute Resolution team. Her experience covers a broad range of civil and commercial disputes for individuals and businesses.

Angelique Richardson becomes a Senior Associate in the Sports and Entertainment team. Angelique was recognised as a ‘Leading Associate’ in the latest edition of Legal 500, as well as also being recognised in the first cohort of the International Sports Convention‘s 30 Under Thirty Awards.

Harshita Samani becomes a Senior Associate in the Corporate and Commercial team. Harshita is both multilingual and dual-qualified in India as well as well as in England and Wales. She works on complex and high-value transactions involving asset and share sales and purchases for a diverse range of clients.

Lucy Cadley becomes an Associate in the Corporate and Commercial team. Lucy trained at the firm and now advises on a range of corporate and commercial matters, which include share and asset sales, company restructurings, private equity, mergers & acquisitions and commercial contracts.

Emma Clifford becomes an Associate in the Real Estate team. Emma also trained at the firm and was responsible for setting up LawLinks, a professional network event series for junior lawyers in the firm.

Isobel Moran becomes an Associate in the Corporate and Commercial team. Isobel trained at the firm before joining the Corporate and Commercial team. She advises on all aspects of corporate and commercial law, including share and asset sales, acquisitions, company restructuring and shareholder agreements.

Henry Richards becomes an Associate in the Private Wealth and Succession Planning team. Henry specialises in private wealth disputes, representing beneficiaries of estates and trusts, those excluded from inheritance unfairly, trustees, executors, attorneys and deputies.

Steven Bernstein, Managing Director at Lawrence Stephens, commented: “The promotion of these nine exceptional colleagues recognises their dedication, expertise, and contribution to our clients and the firm. They also reflect our commitment to developing, supporting, and encouraging the remarkable talent that exists within the firm.  We are excited to see how they progress in their new roles.”

Sports disputes and breach of contract: could the Lions take legal action against Rugby Australia?

Posted on: June 30th, 2025 by Ella Darnell

Associate William Bowyer comments on the dispute between the British and Irish Lions and Rugby Australia, and discusses whether this could escalate into legal action over breach of contract.

Will’s comments were published in City AM, 23 June 2025, and can be found here.

“If, as Lions CEO Ben Calveley states, the formal tour agreement between the British and Irish Lions and Rugby Australia includes a specific clause governing which Test players must be released to participate in fixtures leading up to the Test series, not just the Tests themselves, then the Lions would likely have grounds for a breach of contract claim.

“An international sports dispute would have to be carefully considered from a jurisdictional standpoint and the contract will likely contain a clause dealing with which laws and courts or private arbitration house would consider the issue.

“With major commercial stakes – from broadcast rights to sponsorship and ticketing – both parties are under pressure to find a swift, negotiated resolution, while leveraging their respective contractual positions.”

For more information on our Sports law services, please click here.

The Fineprint – Edition 1 – July 2025

Posted on: June 27th, 2025 by Alanah Lenten

A note from the Editors:

We’re pleased to launch Lawrence Stephens quarterly newsletter designed for founders, entrepreneurs, and owner-managed businesses who are passionate about growing their ventures and staying informed about the latest industry trends and legal updates. If you’re a business owner, startup founder, or an entrepreneur looking to gain insights, practical advice, and inspiration, this newsletter is for you. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to scale your business, The Fineprint offers content written with you in mind.

– Charlotte Hamilton and Alanah Lenten

Subscribe here if you’d like this newsletter delivered straight to your inbox 

 

In this edition

View as PDF

How to Structure Your Business Like a Socialist

Inspired by the upcoming ‘Marxism 2025: a festival of socialist ideas’ we put our lawyers through a thought experiment: we explore how to build a business on socialist values – without sacrificing entrepreneurial ambition. From share schemes to employee ownership, Leigh Sayliss and Oliver Corbally explain how you can be Capitalist with a conscience.

 

Beyond the Crowd: The People Powering Events and the Contracts That Support Them

Whether you’re running Glastonbury or Wimbledon, successful events are powered by a complex team. Therefore, getting employment contracts right is no longer optional. Each status comes with different rights, responsibilities, and risks. Becci Collins breaks down what organisers need to know about worker classification and the key risks.

 

Burberry, Budgets & Booms: What’s Really Going On in the UK Economy

Retail’s recovering. Luxury’s wobbling. Growth is peaking. What does it all mean for your business? Charlotte Hamilton breaks down the headlines into real-world signals and how to respond.

 

How to Get Disqualified as a Director

Ever wondered what gets directors banned for up to 15 years? From misusing Bounce Back Loans to dodging tax, Lefteris Kallou outlines the most common (and costly) mistakes directors make and how to avoid them.

 

How the UK can back Crypto Innovation with Action

The UK has an incredible opportunity to lead the world in digital assets and blockchain innovation, so why are we still stuck in first gear? Matt Green explores the steps that could help the UK move from ambition to action, from appointing a blockchain envoy to launching a coordinated digital asset strategy.

 

Why Founder-Led Businesses Are Reshaping the UK Economy

From gritty growth stories to game-changing innovation, founder-led businesses are rewriting the rules. Alanah Lenten sat down with John Maffioli to understand why he started FEBE and what FEBE’s Growth 100 tells us about the future of UK business.

 

Thinking of Selling Your Business? Why the Exit Isn’t Always the Fairytale Ending

We teamed up with coach and founder Lucy Scarlett to explore the emotional reality of business exits – from loss of identity to post-sale guilt – and what you can do to navigate it with clarity.

If you have any feedback, queries or comments on any of the above articles, please get in touch with Alanah Lenten.

How To Structure Your Business Like A Socialist

Posted on: June 27th, 2025 by Alanah Lenten

With the UK’s biggest socialist festival (Marxism 2025: A festival of socialist ideas) fast approaching this July, there’s something in the air: a reimagining of how power, profit, and people can coexist.

It got us thinking…

What would it look like to structure a business on socialist principles, without giving up the entrepreneurial spirit that fuels start-ups and scale-ups?

We put our lawyers through a thought experiment: how would you build a business that shares success, supports workers, and still grows fast?

Turns out, you don’t need to throw out capitalism entirely to build a company rooted in fairness. The UK tax system, perhaps surprisingly, offers smart, practical ways for business owners to share the rewards of growth with the people who help build it, without sacrificing financial success.

Here’s how to structure your business with socialist values and make the system work for your team, not just for you.

From Startup to Shared Success

The early days of running a business are tough, ‘cash is king’, and conserving it is critical. One creative way to extend your runway? Share equity with the people who are helping you grow. Giving shares in a new company to the people who work for it can save the company hard earned cash, leaving more of the venture capital funds available to grow and develop the business. 

Issuing shares to key team members early on not only reduces your wage bill, it also aligns their interests with your interests as founding owner. Better still, if your business succeeds, those early shares can turn into a meaningful reward for your team.  Having shares in a business is not as secure as being rewarded with a salary and there is even a risk that the value of the shares may fall – and the tax system recognises this risk, taxing capital gains more lightly than income. Although the worker may be taxed on the value of the shares they receive if you bring them into the business before the business has started to grow, the value of the shares should be low.  Any increase in value will then generally be taxed as a capital gain – giving a lower rate of tax than earnings. 

For those who join later in the game, when your company already has value, growth shares may be more appealing.  These only have value if the company grows, allowing people to benefit from the growth in the business to which they have contributed – with the benefit that they reduce any tax charge when the shares are issued. 

The key is to plan early. Don’t wait until your company’s value has risen; that’s when the tax charges get trickier.

Options That Support the Collective

As your business grows, you can offer share options rather than immediate shares. These let employees buy shares later at a set price – usually the current value – meaning that if the company succeeds and the shares go up in value, the worker can buy them at a discount, but if they go down, the worker doesn’t lose out.

To make this even more effective there are option schemes that allow the benefit of the lower capital gains tax rates when the shares are sold:

  • Use EMI (Enterprise Management Incentives) for maximum tax efficiency, these are tailored for small, fast-growing businesses.
  • Or try CSOP (Company Share Option Plans) which are still tax-advantaged and great for rewarding key team members.

Both schemes are designed for strategic flexibility so you can choose who benefits.

Want Everyone In? Go Egalitarian

There are also schemes designed for all employees, not just a chosen few:

  • SAYE (Save As You Earn) lets workers save monthly and buy shares at a discount after 3 or 5 years.
  • SIPs (Share Incentive Plans) let you gift shares or match employees’ own investments with bonus shares, all in a tax-efficient wrapper.

These can create a culture of collective ownership and long-term thinking, where everyone has skin in the game.

If You Really Want to Go Full Co-op

A business owner can allow workers in the business to acquire shares and have an involvement in the profits of the business – but what about the owner who wants to retire or sell up and hand over the business to the workers?  Well, if you’re inspired by John Lewis, Arup or Mott MacDonald, and you’re thinking long-term legacy, Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs) might be for you.

Selling your business to your employees via an EOT can:

  • Allow you to sell tax-free (as long as the trust acquires at least 50% of the business).
  • Unlock tax-free bonuses (up to £3,600 a year) for employees going forward.

As a final bonus for the workers who were given EMI Options, they should be able to exercise their options and receive shares (EMI Shares) at a discount.  Even though they will have received the EMI Shares as a benefit of their employment, any gain they make on selling them should be subject to the lower tax rates that apply to capital gains (as against income).

It’s an elegant succession plan for founders who want to retire and leave something meaningful behind for the people who helped them create and grow their business.

Leaving a Legacy: Social Values Beyond the Business

For founders thinking long-term- beyond even their active role in the business- there’s another layer to consider: charitable giving through Wills. Allocating a portion of your estate to causes that align with your values allows you to extend your impact well beyond your lifetime. Not only can this support causes close to your heart, it can also reduce the tax burden on your estate, allowing you to give more both to your beneficiaries and to charity.

Whether you want to leave a specific bequest or dedicate a percentage of your estate to charity, these actions reflect the same values of social responsibility and shared benefit that underpin everything from employee ownership to ethical investing.

Sharing Success Isn’t Just Socialist –  It’s Smart

Founders often fear that “giving away” equity weakens their position. But what if sharing actually strengthens your business?

Workers who own a piece of the company are more motivated, more loyal, and more invested, quite literally, in its success. With the right structure, you’re not handing over control. You’re building a team of mini-founders who want the business to win. 

And yes, it’s possible to do this without bleeding cash, losing your edge, or drowning in tax bills. The UK system, for all its quirks, supports smart, inclusive entrepreneurship.

The Bottom Line

You don’t have to be waving a red flag at a rally to structure your business like a socialist. But if you care about people, equity, and purpose – and you want to build a business that reflects those values – there are real, tangible tools at your disposal.

So this July, while the crowds at the socialist festival debate the future of work and ownership, ask yourself: what kind of business do I want to build?

Because with the right strategy, you don’t have to choose between profit and people. You can have both.  Letting your workers have shares may leave you with a smaller percentage of the equity – but the business is so much larger that everyone wins.

If you’d like to explore how this could work in your business- whether you’re raising funding, building a team, planning your exit or shaping your legacy – do get in touch. At Lawrence Stephens, we’re here to help founders build businesses that reflect who they are, and what they believe in.

Read the other articles in this edition here : The Fineprint – Edition 1 – July 2025 – Lawrence Stephens