Articles of Association

Download multiple legal documents and access support through Lawyer Assist at a fraction of the cost.
Key features

England & Wales
Scotland

- Length:30 pages (7900 words)
- Available in:
Microsoft Word DOCX
Apple Pages
RTF

If the document isn’t right for your circumstances for any reason, just tell us and we’ll refund you in full immediately.

We avoid legal terminology unless necessary. Plain English makes our documents easy to understand, easy to edit and more likely to be accepted.

You don’t need legal knowledge to use our documents. We explain what to edit and how in the guidance notes included at the end of the document.

Email us with questions about editing your document. Use our Lawyer Assist service if you’d like our legal team to check your document will do as you intend.

Our documents comply with the latest relevant law. Our lawyers regularly review how new law affects each document in our library.
About this document
This document has been drawn for a company requiring different share classes.
It does not matter how many classes nor what rights attach to each. You can decide what rights will be different from one class to another based on the examples we have provided in the document.
The possibilities are endless. Some of the most common are rights:
- to receive dividends
- to appoint directors preferentially
- to prevent transfer of control of the company (sometimes called "Golden Share" rights)
- that attach to employee shares
We explain more in this article about using multiple share classes.
Having different classes is not simply a matter of setting out the rights of each. We have made many consequential important changes in other articles to provide an efficient corporate structure, set up as you will most likely require. For example, each class may require representation on the board of directors.
Editing the document is easy with the help of drafting notes that give you comments and suggestions on every paragraph.
The framework is, of course, based on the model ones provided in the Companies Act 2006. However, the model ones will not suit you as they are. There are many additions and omissions that are unworkable or impractical in the real world.
Are these articles suitable for your company?
If you need to issue shares of a different class from your basic £1 ordinary shares, you need special provisions. As you move forward you will find other provisions that require change too. You need this set of articles because the entire document has been prepared with a view to setting appropriate structure, checks and balances for a company with many shares classes.
We have therefore provided a structure to protect every shareholder - not in a way that will upset the apple cart but so that each owner knows not only his or her entitlement but how it is limited.
This document:
is suitable for incorporating a new company or for changing an existing company
provides options you may choose for different types of shares
contains modern provisions in plain English
allows you to construct your memorandum and articles to suit your exact business needs.
is full of practical and commercial help
includes draft minutes of a directors' board meeting and of a members' general meeting to change them
Other management documents
The articles are a company's legal constitution, a framework within which the company must be managed.
They can be changed - but only with the consent of at least 75% of the shareholders. The most efficient way to operate your company is to keep the articles clean of everything that may change in the medium term and keep them limited to principles of operation and a structural framework.
To deal with detail and management issues you should then have a written agreement between the shareholders. If there are conflicting interests represented among the shareholders, you should also make sure each director has a service contract. That way, there can be no misunderstand about responsibilities and power.
Alternative versions
The way that companies are run changes over time, particularly as new directors and shareholders take over. To avoid having to change the company's articles frequently, it is sensible to draw them in ways that suit you might operate the company in the next five years, not just how you wish to do so today.
Our standard set for a limited company is a vanilla version, suitable for any company with shareholders in control through directorships, and possibly with some shareholders who are not directors.
We also have a version for a company limited by guarantee that will suit non-profits, charities and other organisations where financial gain may not be the reason for the existence of the company.

Recent reviews
Choose the level of support you need
Document only
Comprehensive template covering legal and practical points
Detailed guidance notes explaining how to edit each paragraph
Up to date with latest law our lawyers regularly review how new relevant law affects each document in our library
Written in plain English avoiding legal terminology unless necessary. plain English makes our documents easy to understand, easy to edit and more likely to be accepted
Support from our legal team email us with questions about editing your document
Money back guarantee that if the document isn't right
Lawyer Assist
Comprehensive template covering legal and practical points
Detailed guidance notes explaining how to edit each paragraph
Unlimited email support - ask our legal team any question related to completing the document
- Review of your edited document by our legal team including:
- understanding your requirements
- checking that your document will achieve your goal
- reporting on whether your changes comply with the law
- answering your questions about how to word a new clause or achieve an outcome
- checking that your use of defined terms is correct and consistent
- correcting spelling mistakes
- reformatting the document ready to sign
Bespoke
A document drawn just for you to your exact requirements
Personalised service provided by an experienced solicitor
Free discussion before we provide an estimate, for you to ask questions and for us to understand your requirements
- Transparent fees
- fixed fee to draw a document to your initial instructions
- additional or changed instructions charged either at fixed rates or on a time basis as agreed with you
- no charges for office overheads or third party disbursements
Careful and thorough consideration of your circumstances and your consequent likely practical and legal requirements
Provision of options that you may not have considered with availability for discussion
Help and advice woven into the fabric of our service so that you can make the best decisions
Standard
- Documents included10
(average document price £37) - Lawyer Assist Service included
(average price £196) - Discount on further Lawyer Assist30%
- Discount on Bespoke Drafting
- Telephone support
- Priority email support
Professional
- Documents included25
(average document price £37) - Lawyer Assist Service included
(average price £196) - Discount on further Lawyer Assist40%
- Discount on Bespoke Drafting10%
- Telephone support
- Priority email support
Professional Plus
- Documents included25
(average document price £37) - Lawyer Assist Service included2
(average price £196) - Discount on further Lawyer Assist40%
- Discount on Bespoke Drafting10%
- Telephone support
- Priority email support
All rights reserved