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Partnership agreement meaning

What does Partnership agreement mean?
An agreement used in legal practice to regulate how partners in a general partnership organise their business and deal with each other. It is usually in writing, though a partnership can exist without one. The agreement is not generally registered and operates alongside, and may vary, default rules in the Partnership Act 1890 (England & Wales and Scotland) and equivalent legislation in Northern Ireland and Ireland. It commonly covers capital contributions, profit and loss shares and drawings; management and decision‑making; partners’ authority and restrictions; partnership property; admission, retirement and expulsion; continuity and dissolution; restrictive covenants; dispute resolution and governing law. Its practical value is to displace statutory defaults such as equal profit shares, no salary, unanimity for new partners, and dissolution on death or retirement unless otherwise agreed. Usage is broadly consistent across the UK and Ireland. Note that under Scots law a partnership has separate legal personality; in England & Wales and Northern Ireland it does not, which can affect how the agreement addresses ownership of assets and contracting. The term is descriptive rather than defined in legislation and is distinct from an LLP members’ agreement.
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View the related Checklists about Partnership agreement

CHECKLISTS
Admitting New Partners to a Limited Partnership: Legal Checklist for General and Limited Partners

General partners Does the limited partnership agreement permit the appointment of a new general partner? If so, what steps must be followed? If not, which additional documents are needed (for example, a deed of variation)? Will the current general partner step down or be removed from office? Please state the name and address of the incoming general partner...

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CHECKLISTS
MWPA 1882 s 17 and CPA 2004 s 66 applications: FPR 2010 Parts 18 and 19 procedure, forms, evidence, hearings, remedies and costs (England and Wales)

Procedural Guide This Procedural Guide outlines the approach to applications made under section 17 of the Married Women’s Property Act 1882 (MWPA 1882) or section 66 of the Civil Partnership Act 2004 (CPA 2004), for spouses and civil partners, extended to former spouses, former civil partners and those previously engaged. MWPA 1882, s 17 and its civil partnership analogue allow the court to determine, in a summary fashion, disputes concerning title to or possession of property between spouses or civil partners. In practice, this route is seldom used given the extensive range of orders available under Part II of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 and CPA 2004, Sch 5. Applications may likewise be issued by former spouses and civil partners, and by individuals who were formerly engaged (technically, parties to a terminated agreement to marry or civil partnership agreement) within three years of the dissolution or annulment of the marriage or civil partnership, or the termination of the engagement. See Practice Note: Applications under the Married Women’s Property Act...

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CHECKLISTS
Marital and civil partnership agreements: a drafting checklist for pre‑nuptial, post‑nuptial and separation agreements—formalities, disclosure, property, children, confidentiality, independent legal advice, fairness and court jurisdiction

This Checklist This Checklist outlines the actions required when shaping and composing a marital or civil partnership agreement. It also covers formalities, including execution as a deed, duties affecting third parties, and the court’s jurisdiction. It further addresses financial disclosure, property that is non-matrimonial or outside the civil partnership, fairness, undue influence, and the need for independent legal advice for marital agreements, and can serve as an aide-memoire when drafting a marital or civil partnership agreement. It is suitable for use with pre-nuptial, post-nuptial, and separation agreements...

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View the related News about Partnership agreement

NEWS
UK tax weekly: Finance Bill 2026 advances; VAT input tax and zero-rating rulings; JSLNs classed as criminal charges; HMRC MTD toolkit; OECD MEMAP—5 February 2026

In this issue: Budgets and Finance Bills VAT Taxes management and litigation Individuals and income tax International Employment taxes Real estate tax LexTalk®Tax: a Lexis®Nexis community Daily and weekly news alerts Dates for your diary Trackers New and updated content Useful information Budgets and Finance Bills Finance Bill 2026 completes House of Commons committee stage On 3 February 2026, the Public Bill Committee concluded scrutiny of Finance Bill 2026 after just six of the scheduled 14 sittings. The Bill has been reissued to fold in government amendments cleared in committee, bringing the Commons committee phase to a close. The revised Bill will proceed to report stage in the Commons—date to follow—which is Parliament’s last chance to make substantive changes. The Commons recess runs from 13 to 20 February, with business resuming on 23 February. See: LNB News 04/02/2026 19 and Tax—Finance Bill 2026 tracker—progress through Parliament. National Insurance Contributions...

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NEWS
Ireland: DPC and Coimisiún na Meán sign cooperation agreement to strengthen children’s online safety and data protection through information-sharing and coordinated regulation of online services

Find the statement below. The agreement is enclosed. Today, the DPC has executed a Cooperation Agreement with Coimisiún na Meán. In addition, the DPC and Coimisiún na Meán have released a joint statement, in which both regulators emphasise their dedication to enhancing child safety and safeguarding children’s personal data online. Cooperation agreement Both the DPC and Coimisiún na Meán reaffirm their intent to build an effective working partnership, by nurturing a culture of cooperation and collaboration across both organisations...

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NEWS
UK public law weekly update: Brexit reset and Gibraltar deal; key judicial review and ECHR rulings; procurement, subsidy control, FOI and data protection—5 March 2026

In this issue: Brexit headlines Brexit SIs Post-Brexit transition guidance Constitutional and administrative law Judicial review Equality and human rights Public Procurement Subsidy control and State aid Information law Other Public Law news LexTalk®Public Law: a Lexis®Nexis community Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Dates for your diary Trackers Useful information Brexit headlines The Foreign Affairs Committee urges a White Paper on the UK-EU reset and the publication of the Dynamic Alignment Bill. Its Third Report of Session 2024–26, From a Common Understanding to Common Ground: Building a UK EU Strategic Partnership fit for the future, assesses the government’s approach and progress on reconfiguring UK-EU relations. Aimed at shaping parliamentary scrutiny of the next phase of UK-EU engagement, it lands while discussions with the EU and internal cross-government efforts continue. The Committee concludes that, although the Lancaster House summit in May 2025 created a platform...

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View the related Practice Notes about Partnership agreement

PRACTICE NOTES
EU-UK Strategic Partnership 2025: Proposed trade framework covering steel quotas, SPS dynamic alignment, fisheries to 2038, youth and business mobility, mutual recognition of professional qualifications, ETS linkage and CBAM

This Practice Note offers practical direction on the recently unveiled trade arrangement between the United Kingdom (UK) and the European Union (EU). Introduction On 19 May 2025, at the inaugural UK–EU Summit, the EU and UK revealed a new trade deal. Termed the Strategic Partnership, the arrangement is intended to build upon the Withdrawal Agreement, the UK–EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement and the Windsor Framework. For materials, see: For guidance on trade in goods under the UK–EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement, see Practice Note: Trade in goods under the UK–EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement. For guidance on trade in services under the UK–EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement, see Practice Note: Trade in services under the UK–EU TCA—an overview. For guidance on the Windsor Framework, see Practice Note: Joint Decision for Windsor Package to commence. The new deal is not yet finalised. Rather, the EU and UK have settled on a path for their negotiations towards a trade agreement. The...

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PRACTICE NOTES
UK LLP Formation and Compliance: incorporation procedure, naming, fees, certificate of incorporation, PSC/register obligations, confirmation statements, central register elections, trading disclosures, and collective investment scheme issues

A limited liability partnership (LLP) A limited liability partnership (LLP) is a corporate body established under the Limited Liability Partnerships Act 2000 (LLPA 2000). Most rules governing LLPs derive from modified company law rather than partnership law (see Practice Note: The nature of a limited liability partnership and its legal framework). The requirements for incorporation are prescribed in the LLPA 2000 and the Companies Act 2006 (CA 2006), as adapted by the Limited Liability Partnerships (Application of Companies Act 2006) Regulations 2009, SI 2009/1804 (LLP (Application of CA 2006) Regs 2009). The method for forming an LLP closely mirrors the procedure for company incorporation...

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PRACTICE NOTES
Predatory marriage or civil partnership: capacity, safeguarding, Court of Protection, will revocation and post-death consequences (England and Wales)

Facts Mr Smith, aged 75, was recently bereaved after a 40-year marriage, having been diagnosed with dementia shortly before his wife passed away. He had already put in place a Lasting Power of Attorney naming his children and made a Will in their favour. He began spending time with his carer, Ms James, aged 34, who has progressively cut him off from relatives and friends. He often says he is busy and, when his family do see him, he appears not to be looking after himself or his home. His relatives are worried about the influence Ms James exerts, though they accept he has been lonely. Their concern heightened when, last week, Ms James declared they were going to marry, yet Mr Smith seems blissfully unaware of any such plan. What action can Mr Smith’s family take to keep him safe? Mental capacity They should first assess whether Mr Smith retains decision- and time-specific mental capacity, explain the situation to him, and seek his agreement to...

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View the related Precedents about Partnership agreement

PRECEDENTS
Short-form joint tender teaming agreement with IP, confidentiality, non-circumvention, limitation of liability and anti-bribery/tax evasion/fraud/modern slavery compliance (England and Wales)

This Agreement is entered into on [ date ] Parties [ Insert name of party ] [ of OR a company incorporated in England and Wales under number [ insert registered number ] with its registered office at ] [ insert address ] (Party 1); and [ Insert name of party ] [ of OR a company incorporated in England and Wales under number [ insert registered number ] with its registered office at ] [ insert address ] (Party 2), each of Party 1 and Party 2 being a party and, together, the parties. BACKGROUND Party 1 supplies [ insert description of goods and/or services ]. Party 2 supplies [ insert description of goods and/or services ]. The parties intend to submit a Bid as a joint tender to the Customer in answer to the Invitation to Tender. The parties seek to state their obligations and manage their rights concerning the Bid and, if the...

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PRECEDENTS
Precedent content and trade mark licence for website, app and social media (pro-licensee) (England and Wales)

This Agreement is entered into on [ date ]. Parties [ Insert name of licensor ], a company incorporated in [ England and Wales ] under number [ insert registered number ] whose registered office is at [ insert address ] (Licensor); and [ Insert name of licensee ], a company incorporated in [ England and Wales ] under number [ insert registered number ] whose registered office is at [ insert address ] (Licensee), Each of the Licensor and the Licensee is a party, and together the Licensor and the Licensee constitute the parties. Background The Licensee is [ insert details of the Licensee’s background/background to licence or relevant transaction. ] The Licensor has agreed to provide the Licensor Content to the Licensee and to grant the Licensee a licence to use the Licensor Content in accordance with the terms of this Agreement...

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PRECEDENTS
Database sale and IP rights assignment agreement with data migration and UK GDPR provisions (pro-assignor) - England and Wales

This Agreement is dated [ insert date ] Parties [ insert name ] [ of OR a company incorporated in [ England and Wales ] under number [ insert registered number ] whose registered office is at ] [ insert address ] (Assignor) [ insert name ] [ of OR a company incorporated in [ England and Wales ] under number [ insert registered number ] whose registered office is at ] [ insert address ] (Assignee) Each of the Assignor and the Assignee is a party; together they are the parties. Background The Assignor owns the copyright and database rights in the Database. The Assignee is [ insert description of the Assignee’s background/background to assignment or relevant transaction ]. The Assignor agrees to assign all such copyright and database rights and to migrate the contents of the Database to the Assignee, and the Assignee agrees to accept that assignment and to assist and co‑operate with...

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View the related Q&As about Partnership agreement

Q&As
LLP insolvency: ranking of members’ capital and current accounts vs unsecured creditors; can this be altered by agreement?

In partnership with Alexander Stewart of Hogarth Chambers If a limited liability partnership (LLP) becomes insolvent, the preferred view is that members’ entitlements to amounts due under their capital and current accounts are subordinated to the claims of external unsecured creditors. That said, it can be contended that members’ claims for advances or loans made to the LLP—despite being entered in their current accounts—stand on the same footing as those of external unsecured creditors. LLPs are established by the Limited Liability Partnerships Act 2000 (LLPA 2000). In several respects, including insolvency, LLPs are akin to limited companies rather than partnerships; see: Limited liability partnerships (LLPs) and insolvency—overview. Where an LLP is insolvent, it is terminated by voluntary or compulsory winding-up. The winding-up regime under the Insolvency Act 1986 (IA 1986) operates alongside LLPA 2000, s 14 and the Limited Liability Partnerships Regulations 2001 (LLPR 2001), SI 2001/1090, reg 5 and LLPR 2001, SI 2001/1090, Sch 3 (as amended)...

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Q&As
New partner probation: must partnership agreement specify it?

Q&A This Q&A proceeds on the basis that the partnership is a general partnership. Partners are strongly encouraged to put a written partnership agreement in place to prevent any unsuitable default rules under the Partnership Act 1890 from automatically applying instead...

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