RPC Tectonic

RPC Tectonic is RPC's new legal accelerator programme focused on tech businesses which are addressing ESG issues.  Our aim is to support tech ventures operating at the cutting edge of the ESG world and to build deep, lasting relationships with businesses which go beyond legal advice.  

Technology is absolutely core to RPC's business. Every day we work with technology businesses of all sizes, across multiple industries and around the world. Our clients range from international technology giants to homegrown fintechs, from tech-focused investment funds to high-growth start-ups.

Tech businesses turn to us to help them innovate, expand and defend their business models in an evolving market dominated by unprecedented opportunity, radical disruption and complex regulation. Delivering and managing the opportunities and legal risks technology presents is at the core of our business and our strategy.

As a case study in our tech creds, we recently advised Wave Optics (an augmented reality wearable tech company) on its $500 million exit to Snap. We supported the company on its impressive journey: from its early stages, through rapid growth, all the way to exit to a tech mammoth, advising on a variety of different issues (including IP, fundraising, employment, commercial agreements and more) along the way. 

We've also won multiple awards for our technology expertise – including TMT (Technology, media and telecommunications) Team of the Year at the Legal Business Awards two years in a row, in 2021 and 2020. 

RPC Tectonic will provide participants with a variety of different benefits, including:

• advice: access to our legal experts in the areas where you need it most. You could receive up to £100,000 (or an equivalent non-GBP amount) worth of legal advice in return for a small monthly fee. See "Do I have to pay anything?" below.  All participants on the RPC Tectonic programme will be treated in the same way as our other clients in terms of service delivery and support

• learning sessions: tailored learning sessions on a range of legal and non-legal topics relevant to your business, such as how to protect data properly, dealing with employment law issues and how to run a fundraising process

• office access: ad hoc access to our stunning offices (in London, Bristol, Hong Kong or Singapore) for those all-important meetings

• networking and events: invitations to various networking and industry events.

As a full-service law firm, we're able to handle most issues that tech businesses face. The scope of issues that we would expect to handle for participants on the RPC Tectonic programme really depends on each company: some might need help on "bet the ranch" transactions such as an important fundraise or a complex IP dispute, while others may want to sort out their "business-as-usual" matters such as employment agreements and employee share schemes; some might be developing their first SaaS agreement, and others might be looking to put in place robust shareholder arrangements.  The beauty of the RPC Tectonic programme is that you choose what you need.

We have offices in London, Bristol, Hong Kong and Singapore and are able to advise businesses of any jurisdiction which require legal advice with an English, Hong Kong or Singaporean nexus.

There is no minimum period. Participants can be members of the programme for up to 12 months. And we hope our relationship with you lasts long after that. 

We are open to tech companies from across the globe whose business is focused on addressing ESG issues.  

We know that ESG is a very broad term and there is no "one size fits all".

We are keen to hear from all companies which are active in the ESG space in whatever capacity: whether you're involved in manufacturing electric vehicles, or an ethical online retailer, whether you develop software to harness data on carbon emissions, or you've created an app to promote mental wellness, whether you're an insurtech offering insurance products to renewable energy producers, or you're involved in improving supply chain practices  - or indeed anything else besides.

If you can explain how you're involved in addressing ESG issues faced in any part of society, we want to hear from you.

The programme is primarily intended to support early‑ and mid-stage ventures with a solid business plan and ambitious growth aspirations.  However, we'll consider applications from businesses at any stage of their development.

No.  We're open to applicants from across the globe.  RPC has offices in London, Bristol, Hong Kong and Singapore and are able to advise businesses of any jurisdiction which require legal advice with an English, Hong Kong or Singaporean nexus.

Successful participants will pay a small monthly subscription fee of between £500 and £2,000 a month (or an equivalent non-GBP amount), with participants being free to choose the precise level of subscription fee they want to pay. In return, participants will be able to receive legal advice from us with a value of five times the subscription fee each month. 

So, if you decide to pay a £500 monthly subscription fee, you will be able to incur legal fees with us with a value of £2,500 per month. If you decide to pay a £2,000 subscription fee per month, you will be able to incur legal fees with us with a value of £10,000 per month. 

This means that if you subscribe for the full 12 months and pay a £2,000 monthly subscription fee, you could receive up to £120,000 of legal fees and pay only £24,000 upfront – equating to £96,000 worth of legal advice.  What's more, for those companies that subscribe for the full 12 months at £2,000 per month, we'll also provide an additional £4,000 of advice at the end of the programme without charge - taking you up to a nice round £100,000.

You don't need to pay anything further upfront and you can walk away at any time.

All fees are quoted exclusive of VAT.  Liability for sales and other taxes is dependent on where the participant is based.

The monthly subscription fee is fixed, so we won't be able to provide refunds for unused fees or re-allocate fees to future months. 

Of course. We'll keep you updated on your monthly spend and, to help you manage your budget, we are always happy to discuss with you different fee structures which are appropriate for a given job (e.g. fixed fees) to help you manage your spend.

No. Unlike other programmes, it is not a part of our selection criteria that RPC takes equity in your company.

Only if your business grows and you go through a liquidity event within 10 years of commencing the programme (such as a sale of a controlling interest in your business or a fundraising round which, in each case, values your company above a mutually agreed valuation – eg, that could be 2x your valuation at the time of commencing the programme).

In that scenario, any legal fees which have not been paid upfront (ie. those amounts over your monthly subscription fees) will become payable with a small percentage uplift. 

If you never go through a liquidity event above the agreed valuation, you will not have to pay anything further.  As an accelerator programme, we're here to help you grow and we won't look to recover any further fees if that doesn't happen.

The online application form can be found here. Feel free to contact us at tectonic@rpclegal.com if you have any questions or want to discuss before applying. 

We'll ask you to provide some key details about you and your business, including:

• how it's focused on addressing ESG issues
• the size of your team
• your stage of funding
• your anticipated legal needs over the next 12 months
• why you want to be involved in RPC Tectonic

Our privacy notices contain full details about how we will store and use your personal information and can be found here.

Once you’ve submitted your application form, we'll be in touch to confirm your suitability for the programme and to ask any further details we need to give us the best sense of you and your business. 

If we think you'd be a good fit for the programme, we'll invite you to an interview process where we'll ask you to give us a short presentation on your business and participate in some Q&A. 

 We anticipate selecting two companies to participate in the first cohort.

We'll contact successful applicants shortly after the interview and invite you to complete the onboarding process. This will include completing a few regulatory requirements to onboard you as a client (including confirming ownership information and signing an engagement letter).  The programme will start for successful applicants as soon as that process is complete.