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Contract & Commercial Law vocabulary · Companies & Partnerships

Articles of association

Meaning in contract & commercial law, with examples

nounCommon term

In contract & commercial law, articles of association means: A company's constitution: the document that sets out its internal rules, such as how shares are transferred, how directors are appointed and how meetings work.

In Turkish: esas sözleşme, ana sözleşme, şirket sözleşmesi

How it is used

The UK term, often shortened to 'the Articles'. In the US these rules are split between the 'certificate of incorporation' and the 'bylaws'. Investors check the articles for share transfer restrictions and special rights; changing them usually needs a special shareholder resolution.

Example sentences

  1. The articles of association require board approval for any share transfer.

  2. The shareholders voted to amend the articles of association.

Common collocations

  • amend the articles of association
  • under the articles
  • memorandum and articles of association
  • constitutional documents
  • companyA business organisation registered as a separate legal person, so it can own property, sign contracts and sue or be sued in its own name.
  • shareholderA person or company that owns shares in a company and therefore owns part of it, usually with rights to vote and to receive dividends.
  • board of directorsThe group of directors elected by the shareholders to manage a company and make its most important decisions.
  • incorporateTo form a company as a separate legal entity by registering it with the authorities; in contracts, also to make terms from another document part of the agreement.

More terms: Companies & Partnerships

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not legal advice.