Share Options and Incentives
Our distinct approach to share options and incentive schemes is tailored specifically for startups and scaleups. We recognise that these schemes are more than just financial tools; they are crucial to incentivising staff, and ultimately your company's growth and success.
Our expertise in crafting EMI Schemes (Enterprise Management Incentive schemes) and other share options and incentive schemes (such as non-EMI advisor share option plans), is driven by the belief that every scheme should align with your business' unique goals and culture. We work closely with you to design share option plans that not only incentivise and retain key team members but also foster an environment of dedication and innovation.
We provide strategic advice throughout on structuring commercial terms of these schemes, so that they both maximise value for current team members, and provide clear downside protection in leaver scenarios. We take responsibility for you to ensure that the commercial terms of your EMI Scheme or other option plan align with your long-term growth goals, making the process efficient, fast and hassle-free throughout.
Whether you're a startup in its early stages, looking to attract and retain top talent, or a more established business aiming to reward and motivate your team, our team of specialists is here to guide you.
Choose Accelerate Law as your trusted partner in creating and incentivising your dynamic team that will propel your company to the next level. Let us help you maximise the potential of share options and incentives, as you build and grow your organisation, with a culture of collective ownership and responsibility.
Expertise includes:
EMI Schemes (Enterprise Management Incentives)
Advisor share option plans
Non-EMI Schemes for consultants
Share option pool planning
Cap table management
Share option agreements
Vesting
Good and bad leavers
Strategic Guidance
HMRC communications
What our clients say
We initially needed legal advice for our first funding round in 2019 and have since worked repeatedly with the Accelerate Law team across our follow-on funding, EMI Scheme, various shareholder matters and commercial contracts. The team, led by Simon, has enabled us to continue to grow with trusted legal support so we could focus on what we do best! Our expectations have been exceeded throughout. We particularly recommend Simon and co for the friendly, cost-effective and comprehensive advice with fast turnaround.
Claudia Arnold
COO, Jelly Drops
The Accelerate Law team made what I thought was going to be a complex investment round seem totally smooth, simple and efficient. We have since worked together on our EMI Scheme and other commercial contracts which have all been delivered excellently with clear knowledge and experience. It has been a great experience throughout that fulfilled what we were promised initially - lawyers that get startups, know how founders and investors think, and who make things happen fast.
Daniel Dunn
Founder and CEO, Paperplanes
We wanted access to reliable and high-quality legal services that didn’t cost the eye-watering fees of London law firms. Initially, we were looking for help with a shareholder agreement to complete our first angel funding round but Accelerate has since also helped with employment contracts, website terms and partnership agreements. Thanks in part to Accelerate Law’s work, we have been able to raise investment multiple times and grown from a tiny startup to an international team of nearly 40 people. Accelerate has an ability to not over-complicate legal work. Their advice is always very pragmatic and aims to get to a simple solution without using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. I would definitely recommend Accelerate Law: it’s very easy to deal with from a process and comms perspective, legal work is always high quality and drafted in an easy-to-understand way (not over-legalled), price is always very competitive and means startups have more ready access to legal services.
Sam Hussain
Founder and CEO, Log My Care
The Accelerate Law team have been BYP’s trusted advisors from the very start. From advising us on our commercial partnerships stuctures, to completing our freelance and employment agreements, to running our successful seed funding round, we get quality, attention, value for money and the guidance we need to keep growing at pace. Highly recommend.
Kike Oniwinde
Founder and CEO, BYP Network