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Burges Salmon LLP’s ‘excellent’ nine-partner team, which is headed by the highly rated Chris Godfrey, acts for clients including FirstGroup and ECI Partners on a range of domestic and multi-jurisdictional matters. It acted for Cobham on the disposal of its ERA technology business via a private equity backed management buyout. Dominic Davis was made up to partner in May 2011. Nick Graves is ‘a very knowledgeable and pragmatic adviser’.

‘Excellent in every way’, Osborne Clarke is ‘proficient and efficient’, and acts for clients including Motorola, LDC and Imperial Tobacco. It also advised the purchasing vehicle on the $200m buyout of SPTS Technologies UK. Alisdair Livingstone and Lara Burch lead the team, which was strengthened by the hire of funds expert Tim Simmonds from Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP.

‘Outstanding’ firm TLT LLP provides ‘London standards at Bristol prices’, and ‘focuses on what the client wants’, with sector specialisms including retail, renewables and private equity matters. It acted for WHSmith on a programme of international franchises and joint ventures, and counts Savills, TUI Travel and the Co-operative Group among its other clients. Bill Hull leads the team; Richard Tall is ‘very commercial and practical in his advice’; John Wood is ‘a sensible negotiator who gets things done’; and Perran Jervis demonstrates ‘experience, personality, business acumen and professionalism’.

DAC Beachcroft LLP provides ‘excellent levels of service’, has a ‘commercial, “can-do” attitude’, and is ‘best in class for corporate healthcare matters’. It acts for clients including Bupa, Fidelity and Finseda. It advised Moonray Energy on an acquisition of shares and investment in semiconductor company Amanyts, and acted for Spire Healthcare on its acquisition of Lifescan. John Williams heads the team, which includes respected partner Jocelyn Ormond.

Corporate boutique Roxburgh Milkins LLP fields an ‘impressively high-calibre’ five-partner team, which is ‘technically and commercially astute’ and represents ‘excellent value for money’. It acted for the shareholders of Premia Group on its sale to global industrial group Trelleborg. Charles van der Lande is ‘down to earth, approachable, knowledgeable but above all completely in control of any situation that gets thrown at him’; Ian Grimley is an ‘outstanding practitioner’; and Bruce Roxburgh and Jason Milkins are ‘extremely competent and capable, yet refreshingly straightforward and pleasant to work with’.

Ashfords LLP’s four-partner team gives ‘well-focused advice’ and has ‘a thorough understanding of the business and commercial context of clients ’ deals’. It advised Timothy James Consulting Limited on its sale to Hamilton Bradshaw, and acted for an investor syndicate led by private equity firm India Value Fund Advisers on its $20m investment in FMG. Corporate finance expert Andrew Betteridge leads the team.

Bond Pearce LLP’s expertise includes oil and gas, M&A and private equity transactions, and clients include LV=, RWE npower, and Coral Racing. Simon Hewes’ team advised Piper Private Equity and other minority shareholders on the sale of Bottlegreen Holdings to SHS Holdings, and acted for Countrywide Farmers on its £2.7m acquisition of Heart of England Grain Company.

Clarke Willmott LLP’s four-partner team acted for Rethink on its purchase of Berkley Recruitment and for Amber on the sale of its Ambratec-Matecra industrial repair and maintenance business. The ‘readily available, very professional and extremely attentive’ Simon Thomas heads the team, which is praised for its ‘clear and concise’ manner and ‘exceptional’ client service.

Veale Wasbrough Vizards focuses on regional SMEs and start-ups, and is highlighted for its ‘good industry knowledge, excellent strategic advice in acquisitions, and multidisciplinary support team’. It advised New Esporta Holding on the reorganisation of the Esporta Group prior to its sale, and acted for publisher Origin during its sale to BBC Magazines. Nathan Guest heads the team, which was bolstered by the arrival of corporate partner Anthony Young from Bevan Brittan LLP.

Thrings LLP acts for a range of high-profile regional SMEs as well as larger clients including Watson Petroleum, Citipost and Co-Op Bank. The team has a strong specialism in the engineering sector. Bristol-based Anthony Harris acted for Rodele Hall and John Hall on the purchase of Dick’s Alpine Bars.

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Legal Developments in South West for Corporate and commercial: Bristol

  • 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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