Standing out for its ‘good technical knowledge’, the corporate team at Blake Morgan LLP helps clients navigate complex issues across M&A and equity capital matters. A key contact is the ‘always professional’ Mathew Wilson, who assists marine companies, professional services businesses, and retail players across fundraisings, company-level M&A, and share acquisitions and disposals. Counting leading domestic technology and financial services companies among his clients, Stephen Archibald is an expert across M&A, IPOs, and institutional equity issuances. On private company acquisitions and disposals, particularly within the retail and franchise business segments, Gemma Spiceley is a highly sought-after advisor.
Corporate and commercial: Hampshire in South East
Blake Morgan LLP
Autres avocats clés:
Stephen Archibald; Gemma Spiceley; Mathew Wilson; Jasmin Taylor
Les références
‘Good technical knowledge, approachable, and able to offer solutions to complex issues.’
‘Our interactions with Mathew Wilson were always professional and his knowledge gave us confidence to move ahead with our deal.’
Principaux clients
Hardide Plc
Compass Recruitment Solutions
Carrington West
RAD Propulsion Ltd
Applerigg
DEKRA
Judges Scientific Plc
Apollo Cleaning / FSJ Industries Ltd
Allenby Capital
Southern Co-operative Limited
Strutt & Parker Farms
Principaux dossiers
- Advised AIM-listed Judges Scientific Plc on its £12.3m acquisition of Magsputter Limited and its trading subsidiary, Teer Coatings Limited.
- Advised Compass Recruitment Solutions and its founders on a significant investment from Cow Corner Private Equity.
- Advised Hardide on an institutional equity placing undertaken by way of a Jersey cashbox structure and on the listing of its newly-issued shares on the AIM market.
Paris Smith LLP
The ‘adaptable and commercial’ corporate, commercial and finance department at Paris Smith LLP acts for major domestic and international clients on high-value and complex transactions. Crispin Dick heads the commercial team, assisting standout clients on services, supply, and IT agreements, while Michael Moore leads the corporate department, acting for domestic and multi-national clients on acquisitions, disposals, and investments. Richard Atcherley boasts an acclaimed ‘commercial understanding and solutions-driven approach’, particularly in the pharmaceutical and manufacturing sectors. Offering further corporate law expertise, Amanda Brockwell is a key contact on major and high-value acquisitions and exit scenarios, while Jonathon Roy brings a wealth of experience and commercial acumen across buy- and sell-side transactions.
Responsables de la pratique:
Michael Moore; Crispin Dick
Autres avocats clés:
Amanda Brockwell; Jonathan Roy; Richard Atcherley; Claudia Mihai
Les références
‘Paris Smith supports us across a number of acquisitions and provides a consistent team, enabling a relationship and way of working together to be built. The team can draw upon other departments, each quickly grasping the fundamentals and nuances of the deal.’
‘The team supports us in a way where we reach completion being satisfied we had the right level of protection built into the legal documents and process.’
‘Paris Smith tailors its work with us in a very effective manner.’
Principaux clients
Churches Fire Security Ltd
Total Mobile Holdings Limited
Abingdon Health plc
Aspire Pharma Limited
La Martiniquaise-Bardinet SA
Southampton Sport & Leisure Holdings Limited
X-Tention Limited
Castle Trust Capital plc
Croma Security Solutions Group plc
GRG Waste UK Ltd
Principaux dossiers
- Advised La Martiniquaise-Bardinet on its cross border multi-jurisdictional acquisition of the Cacique Venezuelan rum brand from Diageo Plc.
- Advised the shareholders of Charters Estate Agents on its sale to Lomond Group.
- Advised Abingdon Health on its multi-jurisdictional acquisition of medical device compliance specialist, the Compliance Solutions Group, and on its share placing to fund future product development.
Shoosmiths LLP
Through its corporate and commercial departments, Shoosmiths LLP offers notable expertise across venture capital, private equity, and mid-market M&A. Heading the Solent corporate team, Lisa Sigalet acts for a diversity of clients across the energy, resources, and technology sectors on investments, disposals, and complex acquisitions concerning public and private companies. Julia Ishak helms the Solent commercial team, assisting major multinational automotive companies on business expansions, sales models, and supply and development agreements. Stephen Porter leads the corporate division nationally, advising the firm’s key clients on acquisitions, management buyouts, and investments. Private equity expert Sean Wright is ‘meticulous on the detail’ and ‘a persuasive negotiator’, assisting equity providers, management teams, and financial sponsors on M&A within the media and telecoms spaces.
Responsables de la pratique:
Lisa Sigalet; Julia Ishak
Autres avocats clés:
Stephen Porter; Sean Wright; Emma Livesey
Les références
‘Shoosmiths brings a refreshing combination of deep technical competence, commercial awareness, and approachability.’
‘The team is extremely commercial, proactively looking for solutions to issues which are viable and workable solutions for all parties.’
‘The whole team has strength in depth. Each member is consistently excellent and all are quick to grasp the issues at hand and deliver practical solutions.’
Principaux clients
Dukes Education
KBC Advanced Technologies Limited
BGF
Shareholders of Space & Time Group Limited
Mining, Minerals & Metals plc
The AA
Twenty7 tec
Rebalance Earth
TMA Group Holdings Limited
Honda
Peugeot Citroen Vauxhall
Platform Media Holdings Limited
Onecom Group
Mercedes Benz
Principaux dossiers
- Advised Onecom on the acquisition of Excalibur Communications.
- Advised KBC on the acquisition of Flaretot.
- Advised BGF on its further investment into AD Williams.
Trethowans LLP
Trethowans LLP brings notable expertise concerning commercial agreements across the building, shipping, and retail sectors. The ‘extremely approachable, knowledgeable, and reliable’ Jon Stickland heads the commercial team, acting for major multinational clients on negotiating warehousing agreements, service agreements, and retail contracts. Louise Thompson, a key advisor on complex contracts and services agreements in the building materials space, stands out for her ‘considered, thorough, and pragmatic’ approach. An expert in acquisitions and management buyouts, Lucy Gleisner heads the corporate team, while Nick Gent – a specialist in M&A and auction sales across industry sectors – leads the overall corporate group.
Responsables de la pratique:
Nick Gent; Lucy Gleisner; Jon Stickland
Autres avocats clés:
Louise Thompson
Les références
‘Great client service and advice that is relevant to the circumstances of the contract. The practice offers a complete range of expertise.’
‘The commercial team at Trethowans is outstanding and highly skilled. The team’s commercial acumen is impressive, they are responsive, practical, and force in the legal market. For me, this has been a first-class collaboration.’
‘While Trethowans has grown over the years, the service delivered, particularly by the partners, still looks and feels very personal. This is in no small part owing to the effort that the Trethowans team has invested in getting to know us as a client.’
Principaux clients
Technics Group
Medhurst Communications Limited
Just Develop It / Total Security
Shareholders of Grassby & Sons
Shareholders of Just Kampers
Mark Allen Holdings Limited
Property Franchise Group
Elliotts Builders Merchants
Shareholders of Unity Farm Holiday Centre Limited
Britvic
Bacardi-Martini
Carnival
Jewson/STARK
Stannah Stairlifts
Caspian One Limited
Longleat Enterprises Limited
Technics Group
Medhurst Communications Limited
Just Develop It / Total Security
Shareholders of Grassby & Sons
Shareholders of Just Kampers
Mark Allen Holdings Limited
Property Franchise Group
Elliotts Builders Merchants
Shareholders of Unity Farm Holiday Centre Limited
Britvic
Bacardi-Martini
Carnival
Jewson/STARK
Stannah Stairlifts
Caspian One Limited
Longleat Enterprises Limited
Principaux dossiers
- Advised Britvic on a long term, multi-million pound, warehousing agreement with Wincanton, involving the storage of goods, the picking of goods to order, and the onward distribution of the goods to large corporate customers.
Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP
The ‘highly professional, rock-solid’ corporate finance and tax department at Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP stands out for its strong relationships with major regional, national, and international corporates across the energy, retail, and financial sectors. An expert in corporate finance, M&A, as well as shareholder and joint venture agreements, team lead Ian Holden is a highly sought-after advisor among major multinational retail and financial services companies. Sebastian Briggs is ‘thoughtful, sensible, and commercial’ in his advice across the energy sector, acting for major developers and operators on the sale of renewable energy project SPVs at various stages of their lifecycles. Stephen Pierce heads the national corporate and commercial business group, serving as lead partner for the firm’s major clients in their repeat M&A activity, while Carly Holt is another key team member.
Responsables de la pratique:
Ian Holden
Autres avocats clés:
Stephen Pierce; Sebastian Briggs; Carly Holt
Les références
‘A highly professional, rock-solid team which has helped us with all our acquisitions over the years. They are commercial, hardworking, and flexible. We would not work with anyone else.’
‘We get city-quality work at a regional level from the Womble Bond Dickinson team in Southampton.’
‘The commercial team do a good job linking us with the appropriate teams elsewhere in the practice.’
Principaux clients
Renewable Energy Systems Limited
Quilter Plc
HydraB Group
Future Plc
Hollywood Bowl Group Plc
Halma Public Limited Company
Malteries Soufflet SAS
The Renewables Infrastructure Group
Niedax GmbH & Co. KG
Unicard Limited
Atlas Concrete Limited
D.J. Squire & Co. Limited
Artefact SAS
Motorcare (Kent) Limited
D.A. Harrison and Company Wigton
Principaux dossiers
- Advised Halma plc on all aspects of its acquisition of Remlive Limited, a specialist supplier of electrical safety warning indicators.
- Advised French sports retailer Decathlon in connection with its existing and future investment in Unmade Ltd, an English company specialising in on-demand apparel design and manufacturing software.
- Advised REG Windpower on the sale of REG Abergorki Limited, the SPV that owns a pre-construction consented wind farm development located in Wales.
Herrington Carmichael LLP
The corporate and commercial department at Herrington Carmichael LLP offers leading domestic clients effective ‘technical and regulatory knowledge combined with pragmatism and responsiveness’. Bringing a ‘professional approach and wealth of knowledge’, team head and managing partner Yavan Brar demonstrates extensive experience across M&A, corporate restructuring, banking and finance, and fundraising matters. In the financial services sector, Alex Canham is a key contact, assisting on major and complex stock disposal matters, while Cesare McArdle advises on the negotiation of service, distribution, and other commercial agreements across the manufacturing, hospitality, and IT sectors.
Responsables de la pratique:
Yavan Brar
Autres avocats clés:
Alex Canham; Mark Chapman; Cesare McArdle
Les références
‘Herrington Carmichael’s team has a great approach and mindset in how they are advising us as clients. They give easy-to-understand explanations on difficult subjects.’
‘Herrington Carmichael offers technical and regulatory knowledge combined with pragmatism and responsiveness.’
‘The team consistently demonstrates an exceptional level of expertise, professionalism, and strategic insight. Their deep understanding of complex legal matters, combined with a proactive and solution-oriented approach, sets them apart.’
Moore Barlow
The ‘diligent and hard-working’ corporate and commercial practice at Moore Barlow is geared to handle company-level mergers, acquisitions, and disposals. Adept at creating ‘innovative solutions’ corporate team head Jeremy Over is a trusted advisor on acquisitions and disposals for major regional clients. David Bright regularly acts for domestic and international clients on high-value acquisitions, Roger Bailey is well-regarded in the telecoms sector, and Kirsty Leary assists clients on acquisitions and disposals at all stages of their lifecycle.
Responsables de la pratique:
Jeremy Over
Autres avocats clés:
Roger Bailey; David Bright; Kirsty Leary
Les références
‘The team has good knowledge, is diligent, and hard working. Very collaborative and willing to be pragmatic and find ways through issues.’
‘In business, you want partners to guide and support you, not just legal experts. Moore Barlow has always been available to provide support, discuss scenarios, and give guidance. This has built real trust and they are now our go-to legal team.’
‘Jeremy Over has a very good ability to move between detailed legal points requiring specialist knowledge and higher-level discussions. Through experience of similar deals, he is able to provide insight when we are uncertain and find innovative solutions to challenges that arise.’
Principaux clients
Southern Communications Limited
Fastned UK Limited
E92 Plus Group Limited
4Com Technologies Limited
New Path Fire & Security Limited
Churchill Retirement plc
Excalibur Communications Group Limited
Elivia Homes Limited
Venture Engineering Group Limited
Darwin & Wallace
Aqua Cooling Limited
Principaux dossiers
- Advised the shareholders of Excalibur Communications Group Limited on its sale to Onecom Group.
- Advised New Path Fire and Security Limited (private equity backed by Duke Capital) on the acquisition of Electrifire Limited.
- Advised the sole shareholder of Airsports Insurance Bureau on the sale of its entire issued share capital.
Broadfield Law UK LLP
Combining ‘legal acumen, efficiency, and a client-first ethos’, the corporate and commercial team at Broadfield Law UK LLP possesses core strength across the leisure, technology, and transport sectors. Practice head Oliver Kelly assists notable clients across acquisitions, disposals, and management buyouts, while Sean Kelly brings decades of experience in private equity and management incentivisation matters.
Responsables de la pratique:
Oliver Kelly
Autres avocats clés:
Sean Kelly
Les références
‘Everyone went above and beyond to deliver on a very tight time frame and were clear and helpful in all discussions.’
‘The firm understands our business and has the expertise we need when we need it.’
‘Their combination of legal acumen, efficiency, and a client-first ethos makes them an outstanding choice for businesses seeking expert legal guidance in high-stakes matters.’
Principaux clients
The Artisan Travel Holding Limited
Distant Journeys Limited
Acorns (Southern) Limited
Aspidistra Holdings Limited
ITS Technology Limited
Premier Marinas Limited
Firebird Partnership
Panoramic Growth Equity
Red Funnel
Limestone Capital
Principaux dossiers
- Advised the ultimate shareholders of GOb2b on its sale to ClearCourse.
- Advised the shareholders and management team on the management buyout of Acorns (Southern) Limited, trading as Acorns Health Care, completing the sale before the Budget.
- Advised Artisan Travel Holding Limited, trading as The Artisan Travel Company, on the acquisition of Travel Editions Group Ltd.
Phillips Law
The ‘proactive and knowledgeable’ corporate and commercial team at Phillips Law is well-versed in assisting owner-managed businesses across M&A, restructurings, and commercial agreements. Demonstrating a ‘genuine understanding’ of clients’ commercial positions, team head Jack Gardener acts for leading domestic companies on M&A, asset sales and acquisitions, corporate finance, and joint ventures. Bringing a background in IP, IT, and data protection, commercial law head Jacqueline Drury is a key contact across commercial agreements and data privacy.
Responsables de la pratique:
Jack Gardener
Autres avocats clés:
Jacqueline Drury
Les références
‘The team are knowledgeable and professional as one might expect, but the combine this with an unusual level of practicality which is so very valuable to commercial customers. The high level of collaboration makes them an invaluable support during the real world dynamics of commercial negotiation.’
‘The whole team is proactive and knowledgeable. They are also good at looking at the bigger picture.’
‘Personable, approachable whilst being very professional in the deal.’
Principaux clients
Crescent Pharma Limited
Savona Foodservice Limited
Supernatural Food Limited
UK Land
TrustMark (2005) Limited
Kingscastle Limited
Supernatural Food Limited
Interrupt Labs
Principaux dossiers
- Acted for UKL Hyperion Limited on the acquisition of the entire share capital of Helius Investments.
- Advised TrustMark on all aspects of its operations including structure, data protection, intellectual property, and commercial contracts.
- Advised Calleva on its merger with Wellma.