Collaboration agreements & commercial joint ventures

We advise on all types of collaborations and commercial joint ventures. These range from simple business partnering to arrangements or consortia established for the development of new business concepts requiring heavy investment.

Co-operating to share expertise or brand reputation can be a useful strategy for an enterprise looking to enter new markets or launch new products. Economies of scale and other mutual benefits can be achieved and international barriers can be removed.

We draw on our wide experience to help set out the rights and responsibilities of clients entering collaboration agreements or joint ventures in order to prevent disputes, provide mechanisms for mutual reward or an exit from the arrangement when needed.

Our approach is to bring all parties together at the outset of collaboration. We look to understand the objectives of the enterprise and of each party entering the collaboration. This means we can outline all of the key factors and potential issues upfront, which helps to ensure a positive result for all parties.

• Advising a British Designer and Manufacturer of Household appliances on an EU wide supply agreement for the provision of its technologies to a global facilities management business. TLT developed and negotiated contract terms and advised throughout.
• Advising Open Bionics, an innovative UK based robotics company on contractual agreements, research testing methodologies, data protection matters and funding arrangements.
• Advising Sainsbury's on a commercial joint venture with an overseas supplier to establish a manufacturing facility in the UK for the exclusive supply of products in a key category.
• Advising WHSmith on a number of major commercial joint ventures with the Post Office that have led to the operation of hundreds of Post Offices within WH Smith stores by way of franchise and concessions.