Slater Heelis Corporate Services Brochure

Slater Heelis Corporate Services Brochure

Corporate Services

www.slaterheelis.co.uk 0161 969 3131

exceeding expectations

Slater Heelis exceeding

expectations for almost 250 years

Expertise Slater Heelis is a firm that has long been associated with quality and expertise. For almost 250 years, we have been working with businesses in the North West and nationally to develop and support their next steps for growth.

Specifically, Slater Heelis' Corporate Team has gained an established reputation for high quality work delivered in a client-centred and cost effective manner.

At Slater Heelis we: Provide a partner led service which is both commercial and pragmatic; Provide practical and proactive advice;

The team works with clients and on transactions in the UK and internationally. We have acted on transactions in Germany, Poland, France, Spain, China, USA, Belgium and Holland. The Corporate team has been recognised within the Top 10 most active legal Corporate teams in the North West of England by Experian for the last 5 years. Individually, our Head of Corporate, Simon Wallwork, is listed consistently within the Top 5 most active corporate lawyers in the North West.

Actively project manage any transaction or commercial matter to a successful conclusion.

The offering of our Corporate team is underpinned by our wider "Business Services" team, which allows us to bring to bear experts in commercial property, employment, even dispute resolution should the need arise, all to our clients' best advantage.

We deliver on time and on budget to our clients' very best business advantage.

We focus on making the work which we do for you as straightforward and hassle-free as possible, cutting through the legal complexities with clear, common sense advice on the issues that really matter to enable you to achieve the outcome you want for your business.

Corporate Transactions Our approach is: We are available to our clients We are proactive We are commercial We stand up for our clients' interest

How We Charge

Wherever possible, we will carry out our work for a fixed fee or a capped fee which gives you budgetary certainty. We do not work on tariffs but will look at the agreed terms of each deal and then work out the fees accordingly, depending upon the complexity of the transaction. The fixed fee we agree would depend upon a number of variables including the chosen method of funding the transaction and the property interests held by the target company. Although our work will always be partner-led, we have a well-structured team which allows us to delegate work so that it is carried out at an appropriate level. This means that our support can be provided cost- effectively and efficiently by a cohesive team. We work closely with our clients to develop a trusted adviser relationship. On each transaction we provide a fully detailed scope of work which sets out all the work that we envisage undertaking for the purposes of the transaction. Our fees would be agreed at this point.

We give advice and our view on decisions that clients need to make in relation to the transaction We do not sit on fences

Work Highlights

BiVictriX - Listing on London Stock Exchange GNR Technologies Ltd - acquisitions of QBS Software Ltd, Zedshere Ltd and Siener Informatique SA. Phoenix Optical Holdings Ltd - acquisition of Phoenix Optical Technology by MBO and subsequent acquisition of Orion Photonics Limited for £2m. Allied Management Infrastructure Ltd - sale to Collas Group Ltd for £10 million. Armet Logistics Ltd - sale to Abby Logistics Group Ltd for £8 million. Boutinot Ltd - disposal to an MBO team for £27.5 million. Greenfold Systems Ltd - advising on MBO. Hasgrove PLC - advised since incorporation on buy and build strategy , advised on 14 acquisitions over 5 years, its listing on AIM and subsequent secondary fundraising by way of Placing. Acted on disposal of its Interel public affairs division and on the disposal of Amaze plc for a consideration of up to £25 million and the Chase Communications Ltd. Incom (Holdings) Ltd - acquisition of Complete Network Solutions Ltd. Ionix Systems Ltd - disposal to Amphenol Inc for £30 million. Multisol Group Ltd - disposal for circa £100 million. Paragon Telecoms Ltd - disposal to private equity backed PHP for £5 million. Regent Travel Ltd - disposal of share capital. Rosebery Group Ltd - advising on MBO. Sykes Seafoods Ltd - advising on MBO. Trojan Utilities Ltd - advising on disposal to SSL plc. Wellbrook Ventures Ltd - advising on disposal to Super Pharm Bolton Ltd.

Our standard hourly rates are as follows:

Partner

£330 - £350 per hour + VAT £275 - £300 per hour + VAT £200 - £275 per hour +VAT

Associate Partner

Solicitor

Executive Assistant £175 per hour + VAT Trainee £150 per hour + VAT

We also generally agree an abort fee of around a 15% discount on the cost of time spent, which is also capped.

Our Team Find out more about our team below

SimonWallwork Partner [email protected] 0161 672 1528

Nicky Collins Partner [email protected] 0161 672 1532

Simon Wallwork is a corporate partner based in Manchester and Head of our Corporate and Commercial team. He has over 28 years’ experience advising on acquisitions, disposals, fundraising, private equity and public market transactions, for a wide variety of clients including public and private companies, banks, venture capital funds and partnerships. He has considerable client side experience, spending a number of years working in-house with Pilkington plc. In addition to general corporate work, Simon specialises in the Technology and Life Sciences sectors. He has built up expertise in these sectors developing a deep understanding of their drivers. Simon is consistently ranked in the Top 5 corporation transaction lawyers according to the Experian guides since 2015. Simon is recognised as a leading individual in the Legal 500 Directory and the Chambers Guide, being described as "an extremely experienced lawyer who is not fazed by anything he comes across."

Nicky is a corporate partner and joined Slater Heelis in 2016. She has over 25 years’ experience advising clients on their acquisitions, disposals and restructures as well as their banking and finance requirements. Nicky has always enjoyed working with owner managers of SMEs, whether on the buy or the sell side and has a particular interest in the healthcare sector. Recent work highlights for Nicky include acting for Route Finance Limited which runs a private debt platform that enables individuals to lend directly to borrowers on a secured basis. Nicky has recently completed her fourth transaction for Route in as many months. Nicky is described in the Legal 500 in connection with her work with healthcare clients as being “exceptional in providing the benefit of her wisdom and expert knowledge in a non-patronising and readily understandable manner”. One of Nicky’s clients has also said of her “in respect of my business and professional matters I consider her to be my Kevlar overcoat”. Nicky is a trustee and director of the Alder Hey Children’s Charity and chairs its Spending Committee. She is also Chairs and advises the Board of PRASIS, one of her clients, which is mutually established for the benefit of plastic surgeons.

Commercial

RhianOwen Partner [email protected] 0161 672 1527

Richard Riley Associate Partner [email protected] 0161 672 1417

Rhian undertakes a wide range of corporate work and has particular experience advising on acquisitions and disposals, private equity transactions, company reorganisations and joint ventures for a wide variety of clients. In addition, Rhian, a medical science graduate, has a strong focus on the life sciences sector and has advised numerous biotech start-ups from early stage spinout (whether that be from academia or pharma), to funding rounds, R&D, commercialisation and exit.

Richard advises on corporate matters including business sales and purchases, mergers and acquisitions, disposals, management buyouts and group reorganisations. He also advises clients on corporate governance matters including issues including drafting and advising on Articles of Association and Shareholders Agreements. Richard has acted for a number of schools converting to Academies and Multi-Academies and has advised existing Academy trusts in respect of their sponsorship of additional schools and the opening of free schools.

Janet Robinson Associate Partner [email protected] 0161 672 1534

MarkWarbuton Solicitor [email protected] 0161 672 1328

Mark is a corporate solicitor based at our Manchester office. Prior to joining, Slater Heelis he graduated from Lancaster University with a degree in Politics & International Relations and completed his GDL at Manchester Law School (MMU). In August 2019, Mark successfully completed is LPC and qualified as a solicitor. He was elected as treasurer for the Manchester Trainee Solicitors Group for 2018/19.

Janet advises on a broad range of corporate matters including acquisitions, disposals, private equity investments, reorganisations and joint ventures / shareholders’ agreements. She acts for a wide variety of clients and is experienced in advising parties from the various sides of a transaction, whether that be sellers, buyers, management teams, private investors, venture capitalists or banks.

Client Feedback

Comments and testimonials from a vast range of projects for our diverse skilled team.

"The legal team at Slater Heelis led by SimonWallwork were outstanding on this transaction. We agreed with the vendors to work to tight timescales and the Slater Heelis teamwere instrumental in enabling us to complete on time. Working as a cohesive team they were pro-active in anticipating the issues that would arise and ensuring they were dealt with quickly." - GNR Technology Ltd

"We have used SimonWallwork and Rhian Owen as corporate advisors for many years. The advice has always been excellent, professional, timely and good value...their advice was excellent and they are all a pleasure to deal with."

"Nicky Collins is exceptional in combining a very professional but approachable persona with a clarity of thought and communication which is outstanding. She is an authority regarding the contractual and commercial aspects of service provision and over the last 5 years has fully justified my confidence in her abilities on numerous occasions. In respect of my business and professional matters I consider her to be my Kevlar overcoat."

"Richard helped us in successfully applying for Tier 2 Sponsorship Licence for a Canadian GP to join our practice. He was extremely through in ensuring that he covered every option to prevent our application failing and helpedmake the process go as smoothly as possible." - T Ferrigno

"This is just a short note to recommend Slater Heelis for their work for Crushed (a fast fruit snack business based in Altrincham) and to support their nomination in the above awards. They have been thorough and understanding of the pressures of a small start up such as ourselves – Richard Riley deserves special credit for his patience." - Crushed Limted Simon Wallwork is head of the firm's corporate and commercial team and is described as "an extremely experienced lawyer who is not fazed by anything he comes across." A source remarks that "he has been around the block and knows his stuff," adding: "He has a strong focus on corporate work and has the requisite expertise to handle complexity." "This firm is a cohesive team of specialists with seamless interdepartmental communication and support rather than individual departments of a large corporate. In my experience it provides the same breadth and quality of service as a large corporate but with a personal touch and excellent level of client care. It is very much partner led but juniors are used in an appropriate fashion with good supervision and cost savings. As a client I feel valued and supported but never stupid. The advice received and work undertaken has been recognised by all concerned in my business matters as being clear and of the highest quality. They inspire confidence and client loyalty and there are never any issues in respect of costs which are agreed in advance. Invoices are also explained and agreed before submission so there are never any surprises."

@SlaterHeelisLaw /slaterheelis