Family Business Advisory Law

We help families structure their businesses and investments in ways that promote harmony, ensure continuity, and safeguard against risk—both personal and commercial.

Structuring Family Businesses & Startups

We advised an engaged couple on establishing a business entity tailored to protect their investment and manage risks arising from their relationship. We drafted comprehensive governance documents, including provisions on capital contributions, roles and responsibilities, buy-out clauses, exit strategies, investment rules, partner admission, and dispute resolution.

In another engagement, we worked with a family business to develop redemption and pre-emptive rights clauses, allowing for structured exits of family shareholders. This included amending the articles of association and drafting a shareholder agreement to guide the transmission and transfer of shares.

Incorporation & Ownership Structures

We facilitated the incorporation of a family wealth management company to hold key family assets. We oversaw the asset transfer from the patriarch and matriarch into the company and successfully secured tax exemptions for the transaction. This initiative was designed to protect the family’s assets from succession disputes and third-party claims.

We also advised on the setup of a hybrid professional services company with both family and non-family shareholders. We structured the shareholding through two classes: Class A for family ownership and Class B for management, supported by a tailored shareholder agreement.

For families with cross-border operations, we advised on the incorporation of an offshore holding company to consolidate majority control of a family-owned business.

Corporate Restructuring & Governance

Our firm led the restructuring of several family-owned enterprises, including a prominent hotel. We reviewed and redrafted critical clauses in their articles of association, such as share transfers, succession, and dispute resolution. We also helped establish a family council, a family execution board, and drafted a family constitution to ensure long-term governance and sustainability.

In another project, we advised on key family governance instruments—employment policy, dividend policy, redemption rights—and conducted stakeholder engagement forums to align interests across generations.

For a large-scale family business, we revised the articles of association and drafted a shareholder agreement to lock in ownership and prevent unauthorized third-party share sales. We also introduced a transmission clause that bypasses probate, ensuring uninterrupted succession.

Balancing Family & External Interests

We helped restructure a company owned by both family and non-family members by drafting a shareholders' agreement that upheld the founder’s vision while balancing management and beneficial ownership through dual share classes.

In a complex family business dispute involving a separated couple, we advised on a cross-border share swaption transaction between companies in Kenya and Uganda—allowing an orderly separation of interests without disrupting the business.

Sector-Specific Advisory

We provided governance advisory to a family-owned tea factory, reviewing its articles of association and shareholder agreement with an external investor. We also helped establish two special purpose vehicles—one for beneficiaries and another for day-to-day management.

In the publishing space, we supported the creation of a family-owned magazine that covers both family matters and business leadership, underscoring the intersection between personal legacy and commercial storytelling.