http://www.ashfords.co.uk/Corporate Last modified June 24, 2008 14:27
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Corporate & Commercial

Introduction

Corporate activity, Contractual relationships, Employment and Debt are critical to all business activity. Many of the issues are central to a business strategy. Our commercial lawyers combine strategic understanding and technical excellence to ensure that our clients' activities are soundly and securely based. The breadth of experience of our commercial services team is vast, and our partnering approach to meeting clients' business needs means we are retained advisers to management teams, institutions and private investors.

The Corporate & Commercial team at Ashfords is dedicated to providing a service of the very highest quality and value. The team has a depth of experience across the full spectrum of corporate transactions, and delivers a service that is fully tailored to and integrated with each client's specific needs.

Armed with this commitment and know-how, the corporate team has attracted a wide spectrum of clients ranging from start ups to multinationals.

Our Services

  • Banking & Finance
    Asset finance and leasing | Acquisition and General Corporate finance | International capital markets | Investment funds | Private equity | Property and Development Finance | Quasi-equity and debt structuring | Commercial banking | FSA and Regulatory Advice | Dispute Resolution | Banking Litigation | Fraud | Public International Law 

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  • Charities
    Formation and registration of charities | Incorporation of existing charities | Advice upon governance and trustees' powers, duties and liabilities | Advice upon applications for Schemes and Orders | Mergers, amalgamations and collaborative working | Trading by charities, social enterprises and trading subsidiaries | Property transactions and mortgages by charities | Fundraising | Grants and grant conditions | Winding up and the application of charitable assets | Taxation

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  • Commercial Contracts
    Terms and conditions of purchase and sale | Agency agreements | Distribution agreements | Manufacturing and supply agreements | Outsourcing agreements | FSA regulated contracts

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  • Corporate Governance
    Directors' duties, liabilities and powers | Corporate social responsibilities | Constitutional issues and regulatory compliance | Shareholders' meetings | Shareholders' agreements | Transactions with directors | Proxy voting rights

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  • Corporate Restructures
    Corporate Tax | Insolvent Restructurings | Inter-Group Asset Restructurings | Inter-Group Assets Re-organisations

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  • Corporate Tax
    Company mergers and acquisitions | Cross broader and multi-jurisdictional tax issues | Employee termination payments | Exit strategy for shareholders including share buy backs | Group reorganisations and reconstructions | Management Buy In (MBI)  | Management Buy Out (MBO)  | Sales and Acquisitions  | Stamp duty and stamp duty land tax planning | VAT on commercial property transactions

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  • Debt Recovery
    Local authority debts (personal and business related) | Trade debts | Unpaid invoices

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  • Employment
    Contracts and Terms and Conditions of Employment | Data Protection | Discrimination issues of all types including harassment and bullying | Employment aspects of business and company sales | Equal pay | Grievance, disciplinary and capability procedures | Handbooks policies and procedures | In-house Training | Litigation and advocacy | Maternity issues and family friendly policies | Minimum wage | Negations of warranties and indemnities | Post-termination restrictions | Restructures and redundancy | Severance packages | Tax and employee incentives | Trade Union recognition and Industrial disputes | TUPE | Unfair dismissal | Whistle blowing | Working time | Wrongful dismissal and breach of contract

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  • Joint Ventures and Share Schemes
    Preparation and negotiation of Shareholders Agreements and Articles of Association | Establishment of new JV companies | Preparation and negotiation of JV Agreements and Articles of Association | Preparation and negotiation of Collaboration Agreements for Contractual Joint Ventures

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  • Licensing
    Extensive licensing work under the Licensing Act 1964 and Betting Gaming and Lotteries Act 1963 | Dealing with conversion and variation applications for Premises Licences | Obtaining new Premises Licences, Provisional Statements and Club Premises Certificates | Contested new licence and variation applications | Appeals against the decisions of Local Authorities | Applications for Personal Licences | Applying for Temporary Event Notices | Applying for Variations and Transfers of Premises Licences | Advising clients subject to regulatory investigations and prosecutions by Trading Standards, Health & Safety and Environmental Health | Advising and representing parties in reviews of Premises Licences | Advising on Judicial Review proceedings | Acting for Licensing Authorities at Hearings and Appeals under the 2003 Act | Advising clients on the Health Act 2006 (Prohibition of smoking in enclosed public spaces)

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  • Marine & Transport
    Aircraft and helicopter sale and purchase including disputes | Cargo claims and disputes | Claims arising under Protection & Indemnity insurance policies | Collision, salvage, unsafe port disputes and unseaworthiness claims | Crew wage and personal injury disputes | EC legislation and practice (including European Court cases, dealing with fishing quotas) | Fatal accident and injury | Harbour Authorities: advice on HEO's and HRO's | Oil shortage claims and related insurance disputes | Prosecution of fishing/marine environmental offences for government agencies | Rail industry disputes | Rail sector service agreements | Sale and purchase of fishing vessels and licences | Ship arrest | Ship finance – mortgages, deeds of covenant, deeds of priority | Ship repair disputes, repair contracts and Harbour Authorities' interests, Merchant Shipping legislation | Ship sale and purchase transactions (including floating businesses/homes) | Shipbuilding contracts | Speed and performance disputes, demurrage and laytime and other charterparty and contract of carriage disputes | Total losses, investigation of fire and explosion damage

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  • Private Equity
    Advising management teams on Management Buy Outs and associated matters | Advising on investment structures | Advising on refinancing and restructuring | Drafting & negotiating Investment Agreements and other investment documents

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  • Professional Practice
    Advice on taxation issues and employment issues | Director, member, partner and shareholder disputes | Establishment of Limited Companies | Establishment of LLPs | Establishment of Partnerships | Property advice

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  • Projects / PFI
    Procurement | Finance | Commercial Contracts including project agreements, sub contracts, interface agreements | Creation of SPVs | State Aid and EU Competition | Public sector governance | Employment and Pensions | Corporate | Construction | Planning | Property | Banking

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  • Public Companies and Fundraising
    New listings on PLUS (formerly Ofex) and AIM | Stock Exchange Regulations | Capital Raising and Placings | Take-over Code | Underwriting

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  • Restructuring and Insolvency
    Administrations | Liquidations | Administrative Receiverships | Restructuring & Business / Asset Sales | Company and Individual Voluntary Arrangements | Insolvent Partnerships | Bankruptcy | Insolvency Litigation | Investigations | Directors Duties | Disqualification Proceedings

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  • Sales and Acquisitions
    Company Mergers | Management Buy In (MBI) | Management Buy Out (MBO) | Sale or Acquisition of Business and Assets | Sale or Acquisition of Shares in a Company

What others say about us

Regional commentators remarked on a practice "full of reliable, high-quality lawyers" and with a refreshingly "business and client relationship-oriented ethos"
Cementing its position in the highly competitive Bristol market, the team is continuing to gain further recognition as "a genuine key player in the region."
"highly experienced and well-respected" team
Chambers Guide to the Legal Profession, 2008 Edition

A consistent delivery of high-quality service and deal flow ... service substantial clients in the most complex of deals
Chambers Guide to the Legal Profession, 2007 Edition

Ashfords "had the lead role in some 37 deals in the West Country in 2005, as well as travelling the world in the course of advice to Schlumberger, China Education Group, Actaris and Centrax."
Legal 500, 2006 Edition

Interviewees lauded this firm because, "occasionally we throw something unusual at them and they have never been stumped!"
Simon Rous is "an inspirational leader with first class connections." He is "amazing - immensely experienced, to the point and commercial" as well as "an amusing guy to work with."
Chambers Guide to the Legal Profession, 2006 Edition

Ashfords' managing partner Simon Rous is recommended for complex corporate work. The firm is praised for 'always looking to add value' and for keeping clients up to date on the progress of instructions.
Legal 500, 2005 Edition

Clients recommend the team as "experienced across the whole spectrum. It brings a keen legal sense to the table along with top legal skills." With a strong corporate presence across both its Exeter and Plymouth offices, the firm is recognised as "one of the leaders of the region ."
Simon Rous who heads up the corporate/commercial team "shows great commerciality, co-operation and practicality."
Chambers Guide to the Legal Profession, 2005 Edition

"Enjoys a genuinely national reputation for its mid-range M&A work, consistently handling over £3bn-worth of deals a year. Clients express high satisfaction with work done at all levels of the firm"
Legal 500, 2004 Edition

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