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Joint venture definition

What does Joint venture mean? In legal practice, a joint venture is a collaborative arrangement in which two or more parties pool assets, finance, IP or know‑how to carry on a specific project or an ongoing business, sharing control, risks, profits and losses (including equity and revenue where an entity is formed). It is a descriptive term rather than one defined by statute across England & Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland, though used in competition, tax and accounting contexts. Structures commonly include: (i) an incorporated joint venture (usually a private company limited by shares) with rights documented in a shareholders’ agreement and...

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Joint venture shareholders’ agreements: common defined terms, precedent definitions and drafting guidance

Practice notes
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This Practice Note

This Practice Note sets out suggested definitions for terms frequently used in joint venture agreements (jvas) (also known as shareholders’ agreements). The reasons for defining terms are to:

  • remove repetition in the main text of the JVA, particularly where phrases are lengthy or complex, improving readability and brevity; and
  • reduce uncertainty in interpreting the agreement by assigning specific meanings and stating their scope, which may differ from, be wider than, or narrower than their ordinary meaning.

Care must be taken when preparing the individual terms and definitions to be included in a definitions and interpretation clause. It is essential to ensure that both the inclusion of each term and the ambit of each definition are suitable for the particular JVA and the wider transaction. It is also very important to confirm that any terms in the agreement that require definition have been given one.

A defined term-or its omission-can significantly influence the meaning of individual provisions and the agreement as a whole. It is important that any such impact is...

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Web page updated on 29/05/2026

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Date [ date ] Parties [ name of Landlord ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Landlord) [ name of Tenant ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Tenant) [ [ name of Guarantor ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Guarantor) ] [ [ name of Mortgagee ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Mortgagee) ] Definitions Within this Deed, the terms below shall be interpreted as follows: [ Annual Rent • the annual sum reserved under the Lease; ] [ Insurance Rent • the Tenant’s share of the Landlord’s costs of insuring the Property (as set out in the Lease); ] Lease • the lease of the Property dated [ date ], entered into between (1) [ the Landlord OR [ name ...

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I, [ name ], of [ address ], solemnly and sincerely state that: [ Matters to be verified, set out in numbered paragraphs ] I make this solemn statement in good conscience, believing it to be true, and pursuant to the provisions of the Statutory Declarations Act 1835. DECLARED at [ details ] this [ day ] day of [ month and year ] Before me ................................................................................ [ signature of the person before whom the declaration is made ] A [ commissioner for oaths OR [ solicitor OR [ insert other qualification ] ] authorised to administer oaths ]...

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