Corporate & Commercial Solicitors
We maintain strong ties to the Bristol business community and are committed to providing our clients with specialist advice, an attentive service and, when possible, working on a fixed fee basis.
This transparency matches our clients’ needs as it provides costs certainty and efficiency in the practical world of business.
We have a strong track record, acting for a wide range of clients, from start-up companies to rapid growth businesses, well-established companies, charities and other organisations.
Acting in respect of the share sale of South West based private jet operator
Completing private equity fund raise in respect of a new DAB radio station
Drafting and completing detailed supply of service agreement between national bus company and Bristol based bus operator
Drafting, negotiating and completing comprehensive online e commerce terms and conditions for online retailer
Implementing comprehensive and up to date directors service agreements, employment contracts and staff hand books and policies for a well established Bristol based company to ensure compliance with employment legislation
Corporate & Commercial Solicitors
Our corporate and commercial lawyers are experienced in advising a diverse range of private companies, partnerships, entrepreneurs as well as private individuals.
Corporate
‘We close the deal.’
Our corporate deal team includes members who have City firm background with many years’ experience. Clients benefit from our personal and proactive service that is combined with our high level of commercial awareness. We believe this sets us apart from our competitors.
Corporate Advice
We deliver the highest quality corporate advice which is tailored and bespoke to a vast range of private sector businesses. Our innovative advice ensures that our clients’ corporate strategy and compliance obligations are met with a high level of diligence.
Our focus ranges from advising clients from all aspects of company law including Persons of Significant Control (PSC) register to applicable Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulations.
We have specialist knowledge and valued experience which enables us to offer detailed insight into corporate strategies that are advantageous to our clients’ business as well reduce risk.
Areas of expertise:
- Directors’ duties and responsibilities
- Compliance strategies with ongoing obligations to regulatory bodies
- Share buy-backs
- Shareholders rights
- Corporate governance
- Company secretarial
Employment
We provide employment law advice to clients in Bristol and the U.K. Our employment law team provides expert advice to businesses and private individuals. As employment laws and regulations are often complex we focus and strive to make matters straightforward and easy to understand.
We maintain a commitment to providing commercial certainty which is supported by offering advice on day-to-day employment issues that confront many businesses as well as giving specialist support on pensions and employee incentive schemes.
We work for well established businesses/companies *VLN* with many employees through to smaller companies with a few employees, non-for-profit organisations and executives.
Our corporate and commercial team works closely with our employment lawyers to advise on corporate acquisitions and disposals, and reorganisations that contain TUPE and transfer issues.
Our employment law areas of expertise include the following:
- General employment law advice which includes HR work
- Employee and staff handbooks
- Employment disputes which includes tribunal and High Court claims
- TUPE/transfers
Mergers & Acquisitions
Mergers and acquisitions are a central pillar of our corporate department. We advise on both straightforward and complex transactions for our corporate clients whom are most often private limited companies and private individuals.
We work with clients both in Bristol and in the UK. We have advised on deals worth up to £15m across a range of sectors, from technology to financial services, retail, manufacturing and automotive as well as many other sectors.
Although we advise on a broad range of transactions and having consistently acted for both buyers and sellers, we maintain the ability to deliver advice which is bespoke to our client’s commercial mandate guided by our sector expertise.
Areas of expertise:
- Private company acquisitions and disposals (shares and assets)
- Restructurings and reorganisations
- Equity investments
Private Equity
Our private equity lawyers advise on a diverse range of private equity and venture capital transactions.
Our highly commercial approach to private equity and venture capital transactions provides our clients with the much needed support in growth and development capital transactions as well as other areas such as management buy-outs or management buy-ins, refinancings or restructurings and exits.
We advise start-ups, Bristol market leaders, angel investors and other institutional venture capital and growth capital investors on funding rounds, follow-on rounds, and venture debt facilities.
Areas of expertise:
- Advising on early and late stage investment for growth and development
- Management buy-outs and buy-ins
- Advising on exits, arrangements and strategies
- Debt or equity financing, refinancing and restructurings
Commercial
‘The Art of the Deal’
Over and over again, we have acted for clients who/whom are entering into significant commercial contracts with larger companies where it is paramount to closing the deal; however, we remain focused on negotiating terms to ensure the best possible outcomes for our client.
We work to find that middle ground whereby both parties are able to agree the terms in order to develop a longstanding commercial relationship. We strive to help clients fully maximise the potential of their deals.
On this basis our corporate and commercial team have truly mastered the art of the deal.
Our commercial lawyers work closely with clients providing pragmatic legal advice as well as negotiating and drafting on a range of commercial contracts in all varied industry sectors.
We are committed to understanding the commercial realities that face your business needs and remain focused on developing a long term relationship to offer a stable future for your business.
Charities, Communities & Clubs
Our team provides legal advice to charities, community benefit societies and community interest companies (CICs), guarantee companies and other alternative organisational structures.
Our specialist and in-depth knowledge assists our clients in relation to applicable legislation, structuring each organisation to be compatible with its objectives, and interacting with the applicable regulatory bodies.
Our commercial law areas of expertise include the following:
- Terms and conditions
- Supply of services agreements
- Distribution and agency agreements
- Consumer contracts
- Commercial joint ventures, collaboration and partnership agreements
- E Commerce agreements
- Licensing and regulatory
- Company formation
Company Formation
We are able to set up a range of different company structures whilst providing the highest quality advice on company formation, directors’ duties and responsibilities and all company secretarial matters.
We provide expert advice to a wide range of organisations including private limited companies, limited liability partnerships, guarantee companies, property management companies, and CICs.
Whether your business requires tailor made articles, complex share and dividend provisions or is just in need of a constitutional update our specialists can help.
Intellectual Property
Our intellectual property lawyers have worked closely with our clients to establish intellectual property and brand protection. IP is fundamental in the modern business world. We provide specialist and tailored advice to each client in order to reach their commercial objectives.
We can advise on all aspects of IP and brand protection as well as disputes.
Our IP law area of expertise include the following:
- Protection of IP rights including trade mark and design rights, and intellectual property registrations
- Taking advantage of intellectual property rights through licensing arrangements and assignments
- Advising and assisting on intellectual property disputes in relation to trade mark, patent, copyright and design litigation as well as trade mark disagreements
Commercial Contracts
We advise on complex and straightforward commercial matters for many high profile projects which often include multi-party scenarios including sector specific industries that are highly regulated.
We utilise our knowledge in particular industry sectors such as technology and telecoms, Ecommerce and Web, financial services, transport and automotive, retail and consumer, manufacturing and industrial and all other sectors.
In a fast-paced marketplace with advancing technologies and a dynamic regulatory environment, we provide specialist advice on web content for modern businesses focusing on protecting their digital footprint. This includes website terms of use (including privacy and cookie policies), website terms and conditions for the sale of goods and services, and data protection compliance.
Our commercial law expertise includes the following:
- Joint ventures, collaboration and partnership agreements
- Consumer contracts
- Services agreements
- Distribution and agency
- Terms and conditions
Frequently Asked Questions
Qu: How do you charge for your services?
All fees are agreed in advance, with our clients before they are incurred and wherever possible we will work on a fixed fee for the scope of work we have been asked to undertake.
Qu: Do I need to make an appointment?
We strongly recommend that you book an appointment with a member of our team. We will endeavour to meet with you as soon as possible and if urgent on the same day.
Qu: Can you meet me outside normal office hours?
Yes. We understand that meetings need to be outside of 9-5 and can be flexible with times and days. We are also able to offer meetings at people’s homes and offices if they wish.