Business Services

Company Sales & Purchases

Tim has throughout his career specialised in business sales and purchases, including mergers, management buy-outs and share buybacks. The Team has been strengthened by the addition of Samuel Booth and Daniella Tarbuck. Most transactions have involved the sale of the shares in family companies, but clients have also included public companies, multi-nationals and entire groups. Many buyers are from overseas. These transactions always require an understanding of the Company business and close cooperation with you the business owners, their accountants and (on a sale) the brokers. This involvement can start before the sale, with a legal due diligence check on your Company, and in the negotiations with Tim being involved in preparing or approving the Heads of Terms.

Values of transactions may be anything from 50m down to as low as 100k. Whatever the value, the necessary expertise is applied and each client is well looked after.

Company Structuring and Formations

We work closely with company accountants in preparing the documentation required to incorporate and re-organise companies. This may involve the shareholders entering into a Shareholders Agreement, compliance, splitting a trade from a main company, creating a holding company to protect the property and other assets, merging associated companies or splitting groups of companies into separate ownership by the shareholders. We work closely with the accountants on tax and accounting issues and ensure that all Companies Act and contractual issues are complied with.

Commercial Property

We can advise on many aspects of commercial property including sale and purchases of freehold and leasehold property, new leases, renewal leases, assignment of lease, and property due diligence.

Commercial Agreements

Many of our clients are asked to enter into commercial agreements, whether as supplier or customer. Frequently the other party produces a contract which the client signed without checking, which can lead to disaster later. It is always worthwhile to ensure that you have a properly prepared and approved the commercial agreement in place. Tim has many years experience in dealing with supply agreements at a high level with public companies and government departments.
Commercial Agreements can include terms and conditions of business, supply agreements, distribution agreements, loan agreements, confidentiality agreements, cross-option agreements, franchise agreements and more.

Debt Recovery

Debt recovery work is charged based on time spent with a minimum fee of £250+VAT, plus any court fees and other disbursements. Current fees are set out on the Government website: https://www.gov.uk/court-fees-what-they-are – please click through because the court fee varies based on the amount claimed.