In a competitive market, talent is everything. Businesses are under pressure to attract and retain high-performing individuals while aligning reward with long-term value creation. From start-ups to listed companies, leaders are rethinking how equity and incentives can fuel growth, support culture, and meet evolving tax and regulatory demands.

Shoosmiths helps clients turn ambition into action. Our team advises across the full spectrum of incentives —from design and implementation to compliance and exit. We support on everything from EMI and CSOP schemes to bespoke arrangements for senior leadership in multi-national companies. Our work is grounded in commercial insight and technical depth, with a track record of advising on high-growth ventures, VC-backed businesses, and complex restructures. Recognised by Legal 500 and Chambers, we’re trusted for our clarity, responsiveness and market-leading expertise.

• advising DEScycle on its £10.2m Series A round led by BGF and Vorwerk, including structuring secondary sales and updating share option documentation to incentivise management

• advising the founders and majority shareholders of Engine B on its sale to CLA, including the exercise of employee options and management of a complex shareholder base

• advising the majority shareholder of Artificial Lift Performance on its sale to ChampionX, including the exercise of employee options and coordination of UK and US counsel across a dual-entity transaction

• advising the shareholders of Twenty7tec on its £16.5m investment from BGF, including support on employee option exercises and ensuring alignment across a diverse shareholder base

• advising Five Arrows on its acquisition of Rimes Technologies, including complex stamp duty analysis and coordination of option exercises across a diverse seller base receiving mixed consideration

• advising Oddlygood on its first UK acquisition of Rude Health Foods, ensuring compliant employee option exercises and protection against cross-border tax liabilities