About David Hughes
I’m David Hughes, a corporate and commercial solicitor with more than 20 years’ experience advising businesses, business owners and shareholders.
I specialise in business and company sales and purchases, shareholder agreements and share reorganisations, as well as providing practical commercial legal advice to businesses as they grow and change.
I’m based in Hertfordshire and work with clients in Hemel Hempstead, St Albans and across England and Wales.
More than 20 years as a corporate solicitor
I qualified as a solicitor in 2004 and spent the earlier part of my career working in the corporate teams of established Hertfordshire law firms, including Sherrards and Pictons.
I subsequently established Canopy Law in 2011.
Canopy Law operated for seven years and was built around providing businesses with straightforward legal advice at fixed fees, as well as other innovations. In 2018, the practice merged with Perrin Myddelton Solicitors.
I have continued to advise businesses on corporate and commercial law using the same principles I developed at Canopy Law.
Over my career, I have advised businesses ranging from start-ups and owner-managed companies to substantial corporate clients. My previous work has included advising the Board of the London Aquarium in connection with its sale to Merlin Entertainments, as well as work involving London Luton Airport and Altium UK.
When you instruct me, you deal with me.
Corporate law without the unnecessary complexity
Corporate transactions can become complicated very quickly. My job is to make them easier to understand and to keep them moving.
I aim to explain the important issues in plain English, identify the points that genuinely matter and find practical solutions where problems arise.
That is particularly important when selling or buying a business. A transaction may be one of the most significant financial events in a business owner’s life, but the legal process can involve lengthy documents, detailed negotiations and unfamiliar terminology.
My role is not simply to produce the legal documents. It is to help you understand the deal you are entering into, protect your position and get the transaction completed.
Direct access to the solicitor doing the work
One of the main differences between using me and a larger law firm is that the solicitor you initially speak to is also the solicitor who does the work.
There is no handover to a junior lawyer once you become a client. You can contact me directly when you need to discuss something, and I remain closely involved throughout the matter.
For corporate transactions in particular, I think that continuity matters. It means I understand the history of the deal, the personalities involved and the commercial reasons behind the decisions being made.
Practical advice for business owners
After more than two decades of working with businesses and their owners, I understand that the technically perfect legal answer is not always the commercially sensible one.
Legal advice needs to take account of cost, risk, timing and what you are actually trying to achieve.
My approach is therefore practical rather than academic. I will tell you where I think something genuinely needs attention, but I will also tell you when I think a point is unlikely to justify spending significant time or money arguing about it.
The objective is to protect you without allowing the legal process to get in the way of the commercial deal.
What clients say
Clients frequently mention the accessibility, clarity and practical nature of the advice they receive.
“David provided an outstanding service and went above and beyond what we expected.”
“David was always available to answer questions and explained everything clearly.”
“Professional, approachable and extremely knowledgeable.”
You can read more feedback from businesses and individuals I have advised on my Testimonials page.
Local expertise, national work
I live and work in Hertfordshire and have particularly strong connections with Hemel Hempstead, St Albans and Welwyn Garden City.
Much of my work can be carried out by telephone, email and video call, so I also advise businesses and shareholders throughout England and Wales.
Buying and selling businesses and companies
A substantial part of my work involves acting for shareholders selling private companies and buyers acquiring them.
This includes advising on:
- heads of terms;
- legal due diligence;
- share purchase agreements;
- disclosure letters;
- warranties and indemnities;
- completion arrangements;
- stock transfer documentation; and
- post-completion matters.
I particularly enjoy working directly with owner-managers because selling a company is often both a significant financial transaction and the culmination of many years spent building the business.
[Read about buying and selling a business →]
Shareholder agreements
I have particular expertise in shareholder agreements and have written a book explaining the subject in plain English.
I advise shareholders on issues including:
- decision-making and voting rights;
- protecting minority shareholders;
- transferring shares;
- what happens if a shareholder leaves;
- deadlock between shareholders;
- dividend policies;
- restrictive covenants; and
- planning for death, illness and other unexpected events.
My aim is to identify potential areas of disagreement while the shareholders are getting along and agree sensible rules before a dispute arises.
[Read about shareholder agreements →]
Share reorganisations
I also advise private companies on reorganising their share capital.
This can include creating different classes of shares, introducing A and B shares, changing voting or dividend rights, subdividing shares and issuing shares to employees or other shareholders.
The work will typically involve preparing the necessary board minutes, shareholder resolutions, amendments to the company’s articles and Companies House documentation.
[Read about share reorganisations →]
Contact David Hughes
If you are selling or buying a company, putting a shareholder agreement in place or reorganising the shares in your company, you can contact me directly.
Call, text or WhatsApp: 07701 027881
Email: david@hughespost.co.uk
The easiest way to start is to send me a brief description of the company and what you are looking to achieve.
I practise as a freelance solicitor regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. [Regulatory information →]