Chapter 32

Andrew and his dad met outside the law offices a few minutes before 5.00. They were the first to arrive and once they were sitting in reception Andrew talked to him, repeating what they had already discussed, trying to stay calm. His father’s impatient attitude doing nothing to calm his nerves.

“There will be some costs to this I presume. I will give you the money if you pay the bill. I have asked Leslie to be here as well. I am going to end up talking to her about all this stuff so she might as well hear it right the first time, okay?”

“Okay. You talk to her about everything else.”

His father was there, but didn’t appear very supportive and didn’t seem enthused. Just then Leslie appeared.

“Thanks for coming”

Andrew greeted her as she sat with him and his father.

“Of course. I am going to be interested to see what Mr. Drummond has to say.”

“The lawyer is called Drummond?”

“Yes, Mungo Drummond, very traditional name. I have met him at the house once or twice. He is exactly how you would imagine a Scottish lawyer to be. I don’t think I have ever seen him smile.”

Leslie herself smiled at this. Mr. Campbell arrived together with the receptionist and they all went through to the board room for the meeting. It was just as well Leslie had given Andrew a heads up. The tall reed-thin man who appeared to be drowning in a tweed suit introduced himself to everyone as Mungo Drummond. Once the pleasantries were dealt with Drummond started the formal part of the meeting.

“I understand from Brian that you are looking to sell some software to businesses and want to get some advice as the best way to do this. Is that correct?”

“Yes, it is.”

Andrew spent the next ten minutes talking through everything that had happened over the summer and what was being proposed now. Drummond took detailed notes.

“Brian, you are relinquishing all claim to these, what did you call them” he looked at his notes. “Ah yes, templates. Is that correct?”

“Yes that is correct Mungo. Andrew did all the work.”

There was an immediate issue. Mungo could not advise Andrew and Brian. None of them had realised that they would need to get some things in writing. Another lawyer needed to be called. Five minutes later one had been found. They were introduced to Mhairi Connelly who looked about the same age as Leslie but as she was a qualified lawyer Andrew knew she had to be at least 25. From the introductions they found out that she had recently completed her first year at Drummond’s firm so she was around 26. Drummond asked Andrew to repeat his story which he did and then Drummond stated that because Brian would have to sign a release that he could not act for Andrew as well.

“I will leave you in the capable hands of Miss Connelly. Brian sorry about this mix up.”

Brian waved it off and Drummond shook hands with them all and was gone. Mhairi asked the key question.

“Mr. Campbell, you will need to sign a release confirming that you relinquish all rights to these templates.”

Andrew looked at Brian who nodded.

“I will do that Andrew.”

Mhairi continued.

“This will allow you to claim ownership of the templates and potentially sell them. You spoke of an opportunity. Can you give me any details?”

“I have a question back to you. The business is a law firm. The managing partner is the father of a friend of mine. When I deal with them I will have to deal with another lawyer I presume. Before I tell you the name does knowing that it is a law firm change your advice. If I set up some kind of business how does that work. Mr. Campbell has been incredibly kind and supportive but he has not got the time to shepherd me through all this. I am the guy who wrote these templates, can explain them, tell someone what they do and what they cannot do. If they want further work done they will need to explain it to me. So I need to be at the meetings. The 14 year old boy. How is a business going to run when I can’t legally do anything? There needs to be an informed adult present probably with the power to sign contracts. Dad is a teacher and so most meetings unless they are right at the end of the day like this one are impossible. I am at school but at least I can make meetings from 3.30 onwards.

“Do you see the dilemma? How do I have a proper functioning business as a 14 year old, especially when dealing with major firms and companies? I will get a meeting with this law firm because of a personal connection with the partner I know. The firm has an issue and I have a potential solution. But I still have to be professional. Am I wasting my time trying to do this? As you can see, I have more than a couple of issues to solve.”

Andrew stopped talking and looked at her. Mhairi Connelly smiled at him.

“That is quite a nice problem to have Mr. McLeod.”

“Please just call me Andrew. Mr. McLeod is sitting next to me wondering how he produced me!”

Everyone laughed and the slight tension broke.

“Call me Mhairi then as well please. I see your problem. Trying to project a professional image while at the same time having someone else have to sign everything for you. Just doesn’t seem to work, does it? There are two options normally for a business. Set up as a sole trader or set up a company. Because of all the issues that you have raised, as well as your age there is no point in trying to operate your business as a sole trader.

“Now setting up a company is not something I have ever heard of doing for a minor before. Normally, minor children are given shares in a family company for tax planning purposes. Let me see. We could incorporate your company with you as the shareholder with your parents signing and countersigning all the documentation. You cannot be a director; the age limit is 16 so you would have to wait. You need at least one director. That director can then run the company, which at the start will be an empty role. You will do the work for the customers but the director will be at the meetings either for you or with you. You need to keep books and records and file annual accounts. Drummond and Company act as company secretaries for a wide range of businesses and this could all be delegated to us, if you wanted.”

She paused her to look at Andrew and see if he was taking it in.

“So there are two sets of costs, start up and annual. Incorporation fees, your fees, any government fees. What will that come to?”

“We will put together a comprehensive quote but for illustrative purposes only you should be able to get all of your start up filings completed for under £100.”

She responded looking at Andrew with renewed interest.

“And the annual costs. Accounts and paperwork, filing fees and company secretary costs?”

Andrew continued to discuss all this, everyone else sat silently.

“Again, purely for illustrative purposes, that should be less than £100 a year.”

She was looking at him.

“Those would be for an active company making some sales but not a huge amount of business, for a dormant company doing nothing it would £25 a year.”

“Could you excuse us for five minutes please? We will have a decision when you return.” Andrew asked politely.

She looked startled at being asked to leave by a school boy but nodded and departed with good grace. Before anyone else could say anything, Andrew started.

“Even if I only make one sale from dealing with Julian’s dad’s firm I figure I will be £100 better off. One of my life goals is to make money and make a difference in the world. I figure at some point I will need a company. So why not now. What I wanted privacy for is to ask Leslie if she will be a director. And not just until I am old enough, but in perpetuity.”