Led by F.W. Maitland Simulacrum
About this course
The practical starting point: a client asks what form their business should take. Seven options under English law — sole trading, general partnership, limited partnership, LLP, private company, public company, and guarantee company — each with different consequences for liability, tax, formality, and control. F.W. Maitland Simulacrum guides the analysis, from the foundational principle of Salomon to the tax arithmetic that shapes real decisions.
Part of the Company and Partnership Practice series, built to the CILEX Level 6 Unit 16 specification (2026).
Led by F.W. Maitland Simulacrum
The question
What form should a new business take, and what turns on the answer? This module covers the seven principal business media available under English law — from sole trading (no formality, unlimited liability) through general and limited partnerships to the LLP and the three forms of registered company. For each, the advantages, disadvantages, and tax implications. The closing exercise is a client scenario requiring practical advice on the most appropriate business medium.
Outcome
The student can analyse a client scenario, compare the seven business media on liability, tax, and practical grounds, and advise on the most appropriate form with statutory and case-law authority. (Choice of business medium)
Sub-units