Oh No, It’s That Grumpy Old Git Again

It’s usually around 7.22 pm on a ‘school night’ chez Sutton. Coco (6) and Norah (4) are in the bathroom together, dancing around, laughing and generally having a riotous good time. That’s when the grumpy old git arrives and starts barking orders. ‘Can you just stop messing around, you two? It’s time for bed. Norah, have a pee and wipe your bum. You don’t need that much toilet paper. Now wash your hands. Properly. With soap. No, actual soap not pretend soap …’ and so on.

Unfortunately, embarrassingly, the grumpy old git is me. I’m not entirely sure why it happens. I’m probably trying to be efficient and get on with other things. Which is ironic, because what other things could possibly be more important? And of course being in the moment, and enjoying the perfection of life, is absolutely the only way to be – not just with children, but also with corporate structures, designing joint ventures and funding structures and creating something which actually works.

Speaking of 'work not feeling like work', my colleagues and I are currently working on a very interesting project to establish a new joint venture company. We are at the final stages of settling a 'heads of terms' - type document, and we're about to start preparing the definitive legal documents (shareholders agreement, articles of association and so on). To me, this design phase is one of the most satisfying aspects of our role as lawyers. It's not just about creating something that the parties can agree on (the vision). It's also about protecting the negative and ensuring that the structure will withstand the pressures of actual operation - which means stress-testing it with 'what if' scenarios - breach, change of control, departure or incapacity of key individuals, and so on.

If you need help designing a legal structure for your project which actually works, we are happy to offer a free initial telephone consultation. To request an appointment, just email us at info@lcnlegal.com. My colleagues and I will be delighted to discuss your project with you ... unless it's time for bed and we're a little over-tired.