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Dentons is highlighted for its ‘industry experience, reliability, expertise and value for money’. The Milton Keynes office won a significant instruction from Sainsbury’s in 2011, advising it in its acquisition of online entertainment company Global Media Vault. It also advised Home Retail Group in outsourcing contracts for its Argos and Homebase businesses. Andrew Harris heads the department, while managing associate Chris White leads the commercial practice. The ‘very reliable and thorough’ Francesca Bettermann provides automotive sector expertise.

Shoosmiths acted for August Equity in the disposal of the entire share capital of Planit Holdings Ltd to Vero Software, and also represented JER Capital in a £120m property development with United House. On the commercial side, it assisted on all the online licensing agreements for Cranfield University. Sanjeev Sharma heads the corporate team.

B P Collins LLP’s four-partner team is ‘very responsive and flexible in its approach’, with Diane Yarrow singled out as ‘particularly effective’. 2011 saw it appointed to the panel of The Co-operative Bank, and act on the merger between chartered patent attorneys Mathisen Marcara & Co and Compass Patents LLP.

The ‘well-organised’ EMW was recently reappointed to Santander’s legal panel, and also acted for the shareholders of a waste company in its sale to Viridor Waste Management, valued at £15.8m. On the commercial side, it advised Rightmove Group in relation to the valuation of a major bank’s mortgage portfolio. Ian Mabbutt is head of corporate, and Liz Appleyard heads the commercial practice.

The team at IBB (Iliffes Booth Bennett) is headed by David Clark, who has considerable experience in corporate finance. The firm represented AIM-listed Trans-Siberian Gold in its conversion of debt facilities worth close to £7m into new ordinary shares. Other clients include Renault and Esselte Holdings.

2011 saw the merger of Kimbells LLP and Freeth Cartwright LLP, to form Kimbells Freeth LLP. The new team acted for Wells & Young’s Brewing Company on the acquisition of various brands from Heineken, a substantial transaction involving trade marks in many jurisdictions worldwide. Jonathan Hambleton is ‘always trustworthy and always willing to offer sound, practical advice’.

Matthew Arnold & Baldwin LLP is ‘impeccable across the board’. In 2011 it closed its office in Milton Keynes, with partners now dividing their time equally between Watford and London. Its extensive client list includes HSBC, Encore Capital, Standard & Poors, Europcar UK and Playboy TV.

SA Law LLP has ‘a strong corporate and commercial offering’. The ‘extremely down-to-earth and practical’ Chris Wilks heads the practice, which advises SMEs across the manufacturing, media, IT, healthcare and retail sectors. The firm advised Paul di Resta on his appointment as a racing driver for the Force India Formula One team.

Taylor Walton LLP’s ‘professional, informative and fully comprehensive’ practice provides ‘extremely high levels of personal advice’. The corporate and commercial team includes three partners, and counts as clients the University of Hertfordshire, Admiral Group and NatWest Bank. Mike Pettit is recommended for his pragmatism.

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Legal Developments in South East for Corporate and commercial: Beds, Bucks, Herts, Middx

  • US rules regarding offshore accounts

    The Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act 2010, enacted on 18 March 2010, imposes a new US withholding tax and reporting regime, known as the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA). The FATCA regime applies generally to payments made after 31 December 2012, except on obligations (to be defined in future guidance) outstanding on 18 March 2012. Substantial effort is required by foreign entities to bring their worldwide operations and policies into compliance with the FATCA rules as of the effective date.

    - Jones Day

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