Hawkins Hatton Corporate Lawyers Limited > Dudley, England > Firm Profile

Hawkins Hatton Corporate Lawyers Limited
CASTLE COURT
2 CASTLEGATE WAY
DUDLEY
DY1 4RH
England

Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: elsewhere in the West Midlands Tier 2

Hawkins Hatton Corporate Lawyers Limited’s ‘professional yet pragmatic’ practice is known for advising on disputes involving suppliers, customers, shareholders and partners within the manufacturing, IT, pharmaceutical and child care areas. The firm is also very strong in disputes related to tax and employment law. Harminder Sandhu, the firm’s managing director, has a wealth of experience dealing with shareholder, partnership and contractual disputes across different sectors.

Practice head(s):

Harminder Sandhu

Other key lawyers:

Colin Rodrigues

Testimonials

‘The main benefit of using Hawkins Hatton is the efficiency in which they deal with things, using a professional yet pragmatic approach.’

‘Harminder Sandhu’s knowledge was excellent and she gave us outstanding advice which enabled us to best negotiate through our case.’

‘Harminder Sandhu is very experienced in litigation matters and has a very good understand of the legal process. Also the attention to detail is exceptional.’

‘I’ve always found the people at Hawkins Hatton to be very friendly, responsive and personable.’

‘I have always admired and respected Harminder Sandhu – she always displays the right balance of legal, pragmatic and adversarial skills. She can be formidable and clients are always very happy to have her batting for them.’

Key clients

Simco External Framing Solutions Limited

SBS Cladding Limited

Genius Facades Limited

Celloglas Limited

Food Store International Limited

Dreams Living Limited

Acuity Professional LLP

Inshore Support Limited

Masterfreight Limited

Incontrol Marketing Limited

Work highlights

  • Acted for a specialist packaging company in respect of its claim of circa £2 million for business interruption as a consequence of the forced shut down due to Covid-19.
  • Attended a multi-party mediation in respect of a claim of £2.5 million being brought against the client for alleged fraud.
  • Acted on behalf of a client in a damages claim against a seller under a share purchase agreement for the acquisition of a substantial hotel valued at £1.5 million.

Corporate and commercial > Corporate and commercial: elsewhere in the West Midlands Tier 3

Consistently punching above its weight‘, Hawkins Hatton Corporate Lawyers Limited attracts praise from a litany of SMEs and commercial banks, who turn to the team for its ‘excellent‘ capabilities in transactional mandates. 'Hardworking and tenacious‘ practice chair Colin Rodrigues is a prolific advisor to corporate clients and high-profile lenders alike, helming a number of multi-million pound deals, often with a distinct cross-border aspect. Managing director and dispute resolution specialist Harminder Sandhu is also recommended. All named lawyers are based in Dudley.

Practice head(s):

Colin Rodrigues

Other key lawyers:

Testimonials

‘Hawkins Hatton assisted us in the sale of our business to an American company. Their team were faultless and looked after our best interests throughout.’

‘Colin Rodrigues and Harminder Sandhu at Hawkins Hatton took a personal interest in the sale of our business and were directly involved in the process from start to finish. They were highly knowledgeable and were able to navigate and negotiate with difficult 3rd party solicitor whilst maintaining our best interests and ensuring a constructive working relationship with all parties throughout the process.’

‘Over the years Hawkins Hatton have provided me with a one stop solution for all my commercial requirements. Its without any doubt the advice and service provided by HH is always extremely prompt, thorough, with clear and professional guidance allowing you to make informed decisions. Having recently sold my business for which HH acted on my behalf, I can only express my gratitude for the first class service they provided and highlight how much more pro-active and commercially astute they were in comparison to the purchasers lawyers.’

‘Colin Rodrigues and Harminder Sandhu are first of all extremely accessible and approachable, they always find a solution to your requirement, make you feel at ease instantly and genuinely have your best interest at heart. Due to their outstanding leadership, this personable characteristic resonates throughout the whole practice.’

‘High profile team in the local market, consistently punching above their weight. Work with clients in a collaborative way and often spends time ahead of formal engagements in a consultative capacity, helping to shape a client’s strategy.’

‘Colin Rodrigues leads the corporate team and has, for many years, had a high profile in the marketplace. Hardworking and tenacious in his approach.’

‘Colin Rodrigues and Harminder Sandhu are outstanding corporate lawyers. They kept the relationship light and bright throughout some fairly serious topics. Their attention to detail ensured no surprises for our bankers, accountants, shareholders and directors in a recent key transaction. The consistency of information and people was unlike many other similar institutions and has really stood out over a relationship now spanning several years.’ 

‘Colin Rodrigues and Harminder Sandhu runs tight ship, and the firm and its staff embody their principals of providing excellent services at a reasonable cost.’

Key clients

GT Access Limited

New Century Global Limited

Homecare4 U Limited

Green Sheep Group Limited

IBC Healthcare Limited

SBS Cladding Limited

SRM Group Limited

Fidelis Contract Services Ltd

Integrated Pest Management limited

HSBC Bank PLC

Work highlights

  • Acted on behalf of the MBO in its acquisition of Green Sheep Group Limited.
  • Acted on behalf of IBC in its acquisition of the shares in Lester Hall Apartments Limited.
  • We were instructed by the shareholders of Fidelis to act for them on the sale of their entire shareholding to React SC Holdings Limited.

Finance > Banking and finance Tier 4

The team at Hawkins Hatton Corporate Lawyers Limited is led by Colin Rodrigues, who represents prominent banking clients, assisting them on their work within the manufacturing, IT, leisure and hospitality sectors. The firm advises mainstream lenders such as HSBC, NatWest and Barclays Bank.

Practice head(s):

Colin Rodrigues

Other key lawyers:

Harminder Sandhu

Testimonials

‘Good communicators with a diverse workforce. Wealth of knowledge with a hands on approach from all involved.’

‘Speed of response and immediate understanding of transaction is second to none.’

‘First class client service and attentive team.’

‘Highly motivated, vibrant team willing to make themselves available to answer questions from clients and provide practical and workable solutions.’

‘Colin Rodrigues is always available to discuss complex positions and demonstrates a key ability to apply legal knowledge to somewhat unusual legal/finance positions.’

‘The Hawkins Hatton team are a breath of fresh air when it comes to completing deals for bank customers, be it a transaction or a property purchase. They double head the cases, which ensures there is always someone on hand to help, and make sure the deal progresses in a timely fashion.’

‘Colin Rodrigues is the go to partner for all transactions – he knows his stuff, is very well connected and above all very commercial and practical.’

‘Harminder Sandhu is a first class partner when it comes to disputes and litigation.’

Key clients

HSBC (UK) Bank Plc

NatWest Bank PLC

Royal Bank of Scotland PLC

Lloyds Bank

Barclays Bank PLC

Frontier Development Capital

Finance Birmingham

Invest & Fund

Jerroms Mortgage & Finance Ltd

Central Business Finance

Eximia Commercial Finance Limited

CAPC UK Limited

Work highlights

  • Acted for HSBC and its borrower on a £6 million refinance of four substantial properties located across the UK.
  • Acted for HSBC on a refinance of £8 million for a pharmaceutical business with a portfolio of over 30 pharmacies.
  • We acted for NatWest in respect of a refinance worth £3million for its customer who is the UK’s leading supplier of commercial vehicle tyres with a £30 million plus turnover.

Real estate > Commercial property: elsewhere in the West Midlands Tier 4

Based in Dudley, Hawkins Hatton Corporate Lawyers Limited is widely praised by clients for its ‘exceptional’ service in a litany of multi-million pound transactions. The practice is chaired by Colin Rodrigues, a prolific advisor to corporate clients and mainstream lenders alike, whose recent highlights include residential portfolio sales and large-scale refinancings for corporate occupiers. Harminder Sandhu is also recommended.

Practice head(s):

Colin Rodrigues

Other key lawyers:

Testimonials

‘They offer a great deal of support to clients through the legal process, keeping them fully informed. They operate a fixed fee arrangement where possible which clients really appreciate.’

‘Very interactive, and responds immediately to all queries. Very thorough.’

‘This was my first commercial purchase, the team were very supportive and knowledgeable and made the whole process comfortable. I would have no hesitation in recommending them to anyone.’

‘Whilst Hawkins Hatton are corporate lawyers, their services are personalised to each client, unlike traditional corporate lawyers. The depth and experience of their partners is rich and varied, and they have a good rapport and giving you the confidence you seek when dealing with legal matters. We have no hesitation in recommending them to any of our clients.’

‘Not only are their fees extremely competitive, but their service is also exceptional.’

‘The friendly and dynamic staff have been polite and professional. My recent dealings with Andrew Cox, Colin Rodrigues and Harminder Sandhu have been a pleasure.’

‘Harminder Sandhu and Colin Rodrigues have both worked with us for years on many projects. I respect their judgement and professionalism.’

‘We have used the team to sell a £15m HMO portfolio. The efficiency, accuracy and personal care is world-class.’

Key clients

IDS Transport (UK) Limited

Arca Living Limited

MSA Global Holdings Limited

New Century Global Limited

IBC Healthcare Limited

Dovecote Care Limited

Multi Stroke Limited

Medico Healthpro Limited

Mitre Oak Limited

Siren Property Limited

Work highlights

  • Acting for the shareholders of New Century Global Limited in respect of the sale of their shares for £15.1m. New Century owns a portfolio of over 30 residential properties.
  • Acting on behalf of Arca Living Limited in the acquisition of a new build 50,000 sq ft warehouse in the Midlands for circa £7m.
  • Acted for MSA Global Holdings Limited in the refinancing of 16 freehold and leasehold properties for the sum of £9m.

This is a niche corporate law firm based in Dudley, primarily dealing with corporate and commercial work, together with commercial property and litigation. Its client base includes European and Anglo-US companies, as well as regional and national clients, and individuals.

The firm: Hawkins Hatton was formed in December 2005 with the single ambition of creating a different type of practice; one that not only delivers the desired results for clients, but puts the smooth running of their business at the forefront of everything the practice does. The firm sets out to provide a true legal partnership based on a refreshingly different and commercial approach. Its client base includes a number of banks, notably RBS, Lloyds, HSBC and Santander, and a large number of small and medium-sized enterprises.

Now with three directors and 20 staff, the firm is continually expanding and operates out of purpose-built premises at Castlegate Business Park in Dudley, which enables it to facilitate corporate transactions. Hawkins Hatton is a forward-thinking practice focused on providing excellent services for clients.

Types of work undertaken: Hawkins Hatton provides a full range of company and commercial services. It is known particularly for private equity work for management teams, management buyouts, sales, mergers, acquisitions and disposals for shareholders of small and medium-sized enterprises, and a broad range of day-to-day corporate work, including restructuring of companies (eg section 110, statutory demerger and capital reduction) and related tax issues. Services include drafting of sale and purchase agreements, disclosure letters, tax deeds, loan notes and ancillary matters. Commercial contract expertise includes agency and distribution, consultants, franchises, guarantees, intellectual property, joint ventures, partnerships, shareholder agreements, terms of business, technology/IT and mortgage securitisation for banks and other financial bodies.

Commercial property expertise includes large-scale site acquisitions and disposals, property development, property finance and investment, corporate support for major transactions and commercial leases. Hawkins Hatton can offer clients advice on a broader range of specialist areas, including property investment and finance, development schemes, compulsory purchase issues, construction, and commercial leases for clients including landlords and tenants, public companies, banks, private companies, developers and investors.

A wide range of complex and high-value litigation is expertly handled by the expanding commercial litigation department, which routinely deals with injunctive proceedings, breaches of directors’ duties, derivative claims, shareholder and partnership disputes, and serious white-collar fraud claims on behalf of both claimants and defendants. In the last 12 months the commercial litigation department has enjoyed noteworthy successes. Insurance litigation (including professional negligence) continues to be a key feature of the department. The firm is a keen advocate of alternative dispute resolution, including mediation and arbitration, in appropriate cases.

Hawkins Hatton will continue to expand, broadening the range and depth of experience that it provides to clients.

DepartmentNameEmailTelephone
Finance director Colin Rodrigues
Managing director Harminder Sandhu
PhotoNamePositionProfile
Colin Rodrigues photo Colin RodriguesCorporate partner with Hawkins Hatton, heading up the firm’s corporate team. Involved…
Harminder Sandhu photo Harminder SandhuManaging partner with Hawkins Hatton advising and conducting complex professional negligence claims…
Number of UK directors : 3
Number of other UK fee-earners : 12