What you need to know about Shareholder Agreements

I’ve been drafting and reviewing shareholder agreements for more than 20 years now, and I recently revisited this topic when teaching a class of female tech founders. This group had a lot of specific questions about shareholder agreements, and I thought listeners of the podcast might as well, which is why I’m bringing you an episode dedicated to this subject.
Today, I share what a shareholder agreement is, when you need one, some of the different sections you’ll find in this document, as well as other considerations and what you need to be aware of.

Today you’ll hear about:

• Why I sometimes describe a shareholder agreement as a “prenup for shareholders”
  
  
• When a shareholder agreement is needed and when one isn’t required
  
  
• What it covers and the main topics that should be addressed in it
  
  
• Additional considerations around investor requirements
  
  
• Customizing your shareholders agreement for the province or federal legislation where your corporation was formed

Having all of this in writing and negotiating the terms of the shareholder agreement upfront will go a long way in protecting the interests of all parties involved. I hope this episode gets you thinking about reviewing your current shareholder agreement and making sure the provisions are still relevant, or will get you thinking about getting one in place if needed now, or at any time in the future. —

Listen to Get It In Writing on Apple, Spotify or wherever you catch your favorite podcasts!

For more please visit OnlineLegalEssentials.ca and watch for the brand new website Legalmybiz.ca coming soon!

You can connect with Corinne on Instagram at www.instagram.com/legalguidecorinne/ or by email, corinne@legalmybiz.ca.