The team at Addleshaw Goddard differentiates itself by offering real estate, private equity and share incentive tax specialists in collaboration with its Leeds and London offices. The firm’s international reach also ensures that it is regularly instructed to handle mandates at the intersection of domestic and non-UK tax mandates. Justine Delroy oversees the national practice, while Michael Hunter acts as the local department head. Legal director Catherine Concannon – whose broad workload spans advising on the tax aspects of mergers, acquisitions, and reorganisations of companies, as well as assisting with tax efficient structures for commercial operations – is another key contact.
Corporate tax in North West
Addleshaw Goddard
Practice head(s):
Justine Delroy; Michael Hunter
Other key lawyers:
Catherine Concannon
Key clients
Co-operative Group
Bruntwood
LDC
Abrdn plc
JD Sports Fashion plc
Inflexion
Peel Group
Phoenix Equity Partners
Aviva Investors
Federated Hermes
Work highlights
- Advised the Peel Group on the sale of 50%, and L&G of 100%, of their interests in Media City to Land Securities, and the joint venture between Peel and Land Securities for the continuing Media City business in a deal valued at £425.6m.
- Advising Terra Firma on the £110m acquisition of the entire issued share capital of Kier Living.
- Advising Par Equity on tax issues concerning the formation of a forestry fund on behalf of Aviva Investors.
DLA Piper
At DLA Piper, private equity, M&A and reorganisations are the core areas of focus. Funds, portfolio companies and management teams make up a significant proportion of the firm’s client roster, as do local and national listed and larger privately owned businesses. Recently, the team has been increasingly acting for US corporations and other overseas companies with investments in the UK and EU; legal director Stephen Jones has been instrumental in leveraging his strong links with the firm’s US and Italian offices to develop this area. David Thompson heads up the practice.
Practice head(s):
David Thompson
Other key lawyers:
Stephen Jones
Key clients
Clearway Group Limited
Parcel Monkey Group Limited
Inflexion Private Equity Partners LLP
Duke Street LLP
The Hut Group
Hercules Capital
Amdocs (UK) Limited
CREDEM Private Equity SGR
LCM Capital LLP
Lloyds Development Capital
Alteri Investors
Work highlights
- Advising the Hut Group on the acquisition of Cult Beauty.
- Advising Inflexion Private Equity Partners on the acquisition of CMS Payment Intelligence.
- Advising Parcel Monkey on its pre-sale reorganisation and sale issues.
DWF
Employee incentives and share schemes form the cornerstone of the practice at DWF – this expertise is driven by North West practice head James Cashman‘s extensive experience in these areas. Tax issues with a nexus to private equity, M&A and real estate are also areas of strength; the arrival of senior associate James Collinson, formerly of DLA Piper, in August 2021 has further strengthened the team’s offering in these fields. The Birmingham-based Jon Stevens, who heads up the firm’s UK-wide tax group, regularly collaborates with the department.
Practice head(s):
James Cashman; Jon Stevens
Other key lawyers:
James Collinson
Key clients
Bollington Wilson Limited
The shareholders of Ross Care Limited
SGS United Kingdom Limited
The Village Bakery (Wrexham) Limited
Belluscura PLC
Future Planet Capital (UK) Limited
The Data Capital Group Limited
Cirrus Connect Limited
Advanced Supply Chain Group Limited
Miroma SET Limited
Work highlights
- Advised Belluscura on, and implemented the establishment of, the enterprise management incentive share scheme, employee benefit trust and restricted share scheme prior to its listing on AIM.
- Advised Advanced Supply Chain Group and its shareholders on the disposal of the entire issued share capital of the client to Reconomy Group.
- Advised the independent directors of Miroma Set on the share options and exercise of the share options held by employees in the US and UK as part of the recommended acquisition by Miroma Holdings.
Squire Patton Boggs
As well as its established proficiency in mandates relating to major corporate finance, private equity and property transactions, the team at Squire Patton Boggs is also noted for its expertise in employment-related, employee share incentive and pensions-related tax advice. Sectors in which the group is particularly knowledgeable include energy, technology, recruitment, chemicals, real estate and sport. Practice head Patrick Ford is capably supported by CTA-qualified senior associate Victoria Murphy. The firm is also able to leverage an international network spanning five continents to provide seamless assistance with cross-border matters.
Practice head(s):
Patrick Ford
Other key lawyers:
Victoria Murphy
Testimonials
‘Key strengths and capabilities are to focus on the key issues and to give clear direction on the level of risk to our business.’
‘Tax is a complex topic yet Patrick Ford is able to cut through the complex matters and keep the messaging to clients clear, with a risk assessment attached. He is extremely professional and commercial.’
‘Highly responsive and capable team across the whole spectrum of corporate tax and employment taxes.’
‘Patrick Ford gives great practical advice and has a great understanding of complex situations providing solutions that are workable for a business.’
‘The SPB Corporate Tax practice in the UK has an impressive wealth of experience in the sorts of challenges we see in our private acquisitions, and effectively translates that experience into common sense understanding and advice. I’ve been repeatedly impressed with their ability to explain complex tax concepts in everyday language and help our acquisitions team to understand the real risks and options on the table. It’s not everyday you meet tax lawyers that talk your language!’
‘Patrick Ford and Victoria Murphy have been critical players in both advising us on difficult tax and share option issues arising on our acquisitions, and effective negotiating solutions with the sellers. We have come to rely on their expertise and judgement, to the point that we use their practical advice and assessment of risk as our barometer when navigating difficult questions of tax risk and approach. They are regularly available on short notice, and I rest easy knowing when I hand over an issue to them to resolve it is in safe hands.’
‘Excellent, practical tax advice. Patrick Ford really understands how to communicate complex issues simply and how to easily get to the heart of what matters and what a wider board need to know. Great understanding of business issues and applying practical tax advice to those issues.’
Key clients
EDF Renewables
Co-operative Group
Greggs plc
Grafton Group plc
GB Group plc
Watkin Jones plc
ECI Partners
Lucite International
Studio Retail Group plc
H2 Equity Partners
Coventry Building Society
Boeing
Smiths Group
Richemont
Superdrug
Veolia
Morrisons
Jury’s Inn
Skyscanner
CEVA
University of Law
Hippo Digital
Habitat Energy
Sigmat
Work highlights
- Assisting EDF Renewables with the sale of a gas and turbine power station and battery plant in Nottingham to EIG, including advising on the structure of the transaction and all tax aspects and documentation.
- Advising Hippo Digital and its shareholders on a private equity investment into the company by Growth Capital Partners, in particular on the tax treatment for the sellers/option holders and the tax aspects of the documentation.
- Advising GB Group on the renewal and relaunch of the client’s international savings-related employee share plan in multiple jurisdictions.
Brabners LLP
At Brabners LLP, the offering is focused on five key areas with a nexus to tax: specialist VAT and real estate issues; advisory services for entrepreneurs, start-up companies and owner-managed businesses; employee incentives, including share option schemes and LTIPs; litigation, including handling claims under tax covenants in share sale agreements; and transactional support. Mark Whiteside, who splits his time between the Manchester, Liverpool and Preston offices, thus ensuring the group’s presence across the entire north west region, heads up the practice.
Practice head(s):
Mark Whiteside
Testimonials
‘Very personable and take the time to fully understand each individual client’s business needs.’
‘Mark Whiteside was incredibly helpful, knowledgeable and explanatory regarding the issue he was dealing with. Wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Brabners. Just a genuinely easy and painless process!’
‘Brabners has a deep tax practice that has the requisite experience and expertise yet also operates efficiently for smaller scale transactions.’
‘Brabners have a good all round team for corporate matters and a good supportive tax function.’
‘Mark Whiteside is efficient and readily available when needed.’
‘We have used a numbers of solicitors from Brabners over the years and always found them very knowledgeable giving good unbiased advice.’
‘Always give sound advice that you can rely on at an agreed timescale and cost.’
Key clients
Peel Ports
Alphavet International Ltd
Beaverbrooks the Jewellers
CRP Subsea Limited
Suez Recycling and Recovery Limited
Human Recognition Systems (HRS)
Begbies Traynor Group plc
Open Outdoor Media Ltd
Lucid Games Limited
Manchester Airport/The Airport City Limited Partnership
Manchester & Sale Rugby Club (Sale Sharks)
J W Lees & Co (Brewers) Limited
Oldham Borough Council
CorpAcq Group
Rhenus Logistics
Codeweavers Ltd
Innox Trading Ltd T/A Chemist-4-U
Sykes Seafood Holdings Limited
Chase de Vere Group
Cityheart Developments
Glenbrook
Home Bargains
ION Property Developments
LaSalle Investment Management
McColl’s Retail Group plc
Work highlights
MSA Law Limited
Boutique corporate tax firm MSA Law Limited specialises in providing advice to corporates, owner managed businesses, and the individuals behind them. Founders Fiona Sutherland and Bernard McIlroy have extensive transactional expertise, with the former also offering a breadth of knowledge in the structuring and implementation all types of employee share incentives for a broad range of private and public companies. The firm also frequently assists with property-related tax issues, including stamp duty land tax.
Practice head(s):
Fiona Sutherland; Bernard McIlroy
Testimonials
‘MSA are excellent tax lawyers, responsive and a pleasure to work with.’
‘Fiona Sutherland is a superb technician, but also very commercial, so doesn’t set out to score points. We love working with her.’
Key clients
The shareholders of LCBSG Limited
Work highlights
- Advised the shareholders of LCBSG, the holding company of Leonard Curtis, on the £15m investment by multi-family investment office Arete and Svella into Leornard Curtis Group.
Weightmans LLP
Under the leadership of Haydn Rogan, the Weightmans LLP team expertly advises on the tax aspects of corporate acquisitions, disposals and restructurings. Assisting owner-managed businesses with the design and implementation of employee incentives is another area of strength, as is providing tax support to other professionals, including accountants.
Practice head(s):
Haydn Rogan
Key clients
Sonoco
ANS Group Limited
Bestway National Chemists Limited t/a Well pharmacy
Bruntwood
DSW Angels LLP t/a DSW Ventures
Populo Design and Build Limited
S Norton & Co Limited
George Roberts (North West) Limited
Liverpool Media Academy (LMA)
Apadmi Limited
Community Integrated Care
OBG Pharmaceuticals Limited
Seventeen Group
Indigo Environmental Group
Work highlights
- Advised tool hire chain HSS Hire Group on the sale of its heating, ventilation and air-conditioning business, All Seasons Hire, to Cross Rental Services.
- Advised the shareholders on the sale of plastics recycling solutions company Indigo Environmental Group to THG.
- Advised Silverbean, an affiliate marketing specialist, on the design and implementation of a flexible, tax efficient share incentive scheme.