The Legal 500

Work Department

Corporate finance.

Position

Edward is a specialist corporate law advisor on joint venture issues in relation to project transactions (including the structuring of bidding consortia). Edward has recently been working closely with Local Partnerships (formerly 4Ps) to establish an efficient process for local authorities to evaluate and deliver effective joint venture solutions. Significant transactions: advised one of the consortium members in relation to the Blackpool Street Lighting PFI and ensured the transaction was structured in a way which enabled the shareholder to dispose of the investment in an efficient manner; negotiated and prepared the contractual documentation to establish both the UK’s first local housing company and first independent electricity distribution network operator; has acted on leading corporate transactions, including Euromoney Institutional Investor’s £222m unsolicited takeover of Metal Bulletin, the acquisition of Laing Construction by O’Rourke, and the establishment of Telereal and the BT property outsourcing which remains the UK’s largest ever real estate transaction. Edward’s practice spans the corporate, projects and energy disciplines. He is experienced in structuring joint venture arrangements and delivering secondary market transactions and has particular expertise in relation to low carbon infrastructure delivery, energy regulation, outsourcing transactions, fund structures and complex transactions with public sector bodies.

Career

Trained Nabarro Nathanson; qualified 2000; partner Wedlake Bell 2010 to date. Publications: ‘How a Local Authority might participate in a corporate vehicle’ (PLC Public Sector, September 2010); ‘Carbon Reduction Commitment: ready, steady go!’ (Property Law Journal, September 2009); ‘Ofgem can’t deliver both lowest price and sustainability’ (Utility Week, October 2009); ‘Community Interest Companies’ (Company Secretary’s Review, June 2009); ‘Opening Doors Report: the potential of joint ventures to deliver new homes via Local Housing Companies’ (February 2010). Also a contributor to ‘Local Authority Companies and Partnerships’ loose leaf legal textbook (Ham Barton Publishing), chapter on local authority joint ventures. Directorships: Breams Registrars and Nominees Limited, Breams Corporate Service Limited.

Languages

German, French.

Member

Procurement Lawyers Association; corporate ?governance committee of the Quoted Companies Alliance; ?active member of a number of industry bodies in the low ?carbon energy space.

Education

Reigate Grammar School; Nottingham University (1997 LLB Law 2(1)); Nottingham Law School (Nottingham Trent University) (1998 Diploma in Legal Practice merit).

Leisure

Small children, running, allotment, walking.

Practice Areas

Energy and natural resources; Local government