Teacher Stern LLP > London, England > Firm Profile

Teacher Stern LLP
37-41 BEDFORD ROW
LONDON
WC1R 4JH
England

Corporate and commercial > M&A: smaller deals, up to £50m Tier 3

Teacher Stern LLP‘s client base includes UK and international corporates, entrepreneurial companies as well as high profile individuals within sport, film and music. The practice has expanded beyond focusing on real estate transactions, with increasing volumes of general corporate deals. Kelly Whitfield leads the team, providing advice across all aspects of M&A, investments and disposals related to private companies. Co-head David Salisbury has considerable experience in the field of sport, acting for owners and purchasers of Premier League and Football League clubs in takeovers. Claire Rollo is recommended for supporting businesses, security service providers and property developers. David Ponsford is another key name to note. Frank Jennings joined the firm as head of commercial in May 2022.

Practice head(s):

Kelly Whitfield; David Salisbury

Other key lawyers:

Testimonials

‘David Ponsford understands the commerciality of a transaction and is prepared to depart from the standard norms to provide the advice and contracts needed for each individual transaction.’

‘Go-to choice when it comes corporate and M&A related matters.’

‘David Ponsford is always dedicated to the work, very honest and transparent, commercially oriented and offers great reliability.’

Key clients

Baudoin & Lange

BetCris

Big Time Gaming

Cardiff Road Estates

Centennial Properties Limited

Cityfleet

Continent 8

Corona Corporate Solutions

David Rubin & Partners

Duke & Dexter

El Al Airlines

Fidelity Group

Football Writers Association

Ganfeng Lithium

Gastronomy Limited

Genius Sports Group

Metroline

PMY Group

Pozitive Energy

Replay Gaming

Sports Invest UK

Wildstone Estates Limited

Work highlights

  • Advised Corona Group, who acquired the shares in a provider of office solutions and equipment.
  • Advised Ganfeng Lithium Co Ltd in their joint venture with Bacanora Lithium Plc in respect of Bacanora’s lithium Sonora mining project in Mexico.
  • Advised Scottish Citylink Coaches Limited on its acquisition of the marketing, retail and customer service activities of the Megabus and Falcon businesses and Braddell Limited on its purchase of the shares in Scottish Citylink.

Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: mid-market Tier 5

Key areas for Teacher Stern LLP‘s commercial litigation team are contractual and shareholder actions, professional negligence, fraud/asset tracing claims, and mis-selling disputes against institutional defendants. Commercial litigation team head Jack Rabinowicz specialises in significant cross-border litigation and arbitration claims; Rajesh Pabla acts for clients from the property, IT, sports, media, fashion, banking, fintech and real estate finance sectors; Clare Toomer focuses on corporate and shareholder disputes, in addition to contentious IP; and Sarah Emerson is an insurance disputes expert.

Practice head(s):

Jack Rabinowicz; Rajesh Pabla

Other key lawyers:

Clare Toomer; Sarah Emerson; Michelle Mollaghan; David Bowman

Key clients

Moises Gertner

Crosslet Vale

Various BOS SAM holders

Handelskredite Montenegro

Various Barclays SAM holders

Primekings Holding

Marashen

BDO

Carter Backer Winter

Invescap (Lojj)

George J Goff Limited

Kings Security Systems

NatWest Bank

Ape Properties

Satyam Enterprises

Work highlights

  • Acted for Moises Gertner and Crosslet Vale in relation to very high-value insolvency proceedings at first instance, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court level.
  • Acted for well-known Malaysian businessman Tan Sri Nasir in relation to complex company law claims against him by a UK Plc at first instance, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court level.
  • Acting in a group professional negligence action for 161 individuals, who were mis-sold shared appreciation mortgages by Bank of Scotland between 1997 and 1998.

Real estate > Property finance Tier 6

Teacher Stern LLP‘s team focuses on bilateral, syndicated and peer-to-peer facilities involving developments and property portfolios for borrowers and lenders. Islamic commodity finance transactions is also an area of strength for the group. Practice head Phil Berry specialises in finance, but additionally has expertise in construction, insolvency and enforcement matters. Claire Gibson is also noted.

Practice head(s):

Testimonials

‘The Property Finance team delivers exceptional service to its clients.’

‘They are always a pleasure to work with; dedicated, commercial and personable.’

‘Claire Gibson understands what her clients need; she combines her wealth of knowledge with a commercial outlook to deliver a stellar service time and again.’

‘Associates Heledd Jones and Luke Shelley display the same great qualities as the partners heading the group. They are responsive, efficient and great assets to the team.’

‘Lorna Clarke is a pleasure to work with. Very responsive and commercial in her approach to transactions.’

‘Heledd Jones is an excellent lawyer. She is an expert in development finance and a pleasure to work with – friendly, efficient, responsive and always willing to go the extra mile to get a deal done. These combined qualities make her stand out.’

Key clients

Brydg Capital Limited

Emirates NBD Bank

Burger & Lobster

Limecourt Finance & Investments

Century Capital

Englander Group

Kenfin Holdings Limited

Westcity Property Group

Elyseum Finance S.C.A.

PRMO Properties

Aviv Holdings

Merchant Money Limited

Work highlights

  • Advised Emirates NBD on the amendment and restatement of an LMA development facility for £62m.
  • Advised “Better Properties” group companies on a £108.6m refinance with NatWest Plc of a portfolio of properties located throughout the UK.
  • Advised group company borrowers on a refinance of an investment portfolio with Barclays Bank Plc for £122m.

Teacher Stern LLP is a full-service commercial law firm with an offering that includes all aspects of real estate work, corporate/commercial transaction, dispute resolution, employment and immigration, private client and tax.

The firm: Teacher Stern was founded in 1967 in London and was created, and now grows and thrives, as a full-service commercial law firm. Currently with over 90 fee-earners, the firm is enjoying organic growth and is confident that this will continue.

Teacher Stern is a firm that punches significantly above its weight. It is fiercely independent and collegiate, and rates and values its hugely talented and business-minded pool of lawyers with proven business acumen and staff. Its client base includes UK and international corporates, entrepreneurial companies of all sizes and high-net-worth individuals both resident and non-resident in the UK.

It is a top-class entrepreneurial firm with a multi-disciplined approach, introducing ideas from a new perspective. Clients value its business acumen and plain-speaking advice. Its vision is to be the pre-eminent legal advisers to entrepreneurial businesses such as corporates, decision-makers and their funders.

Types of work undertaken
Commercial: whether clients are looking for guidance on a major strategic issue or simply a quick answer to a day-to-day matter, Teacher Stern’s commercial team will act speedily to provide advice that’s based on insight, knowledge and understanding. The commercial deals it puts together are highly innovative in their approach, and specifically designed to help capture the next opportunity. Areas covered include contracts, employment, intellectual property and media.

Corporate: whatever the corporate transaction, the team at Teacher Stern can be relied upon to resolve issues with its proactive approach, its commitment to deliver, and its swiftness to respond that ensure it completes deals on time. Areas covered include AIM, banking, corporate restructuring, joint ventures/shareholder agreements, MBOs/MBIs/earn outs, partnerships and LLPs, real estate, sales/purchases/M&A, and venture capital/private equity.

Corporate tax: Teacher Stern applies technical expertise and innovative thinking together with a meticulous understanding of client’s business to provide a practical and bespoke solution in every case that has a real monetary value, whether by reducing risk or by enhancing returns. It advises on all aspects of UK business taxation, with particular strengths in tax planning of corporate and real estate transactions. Its tax advice is always succinct, pragmatic and robust. Its corporate tax experience covers all areas of business activity, mergers and acquisitions, reorganisations, joint ventures, private equity/venture capital structures and work outs.

Dispute resolution: Teacher Stern has an excellent track record of success in dispute resolution. The members of its dispute resolution team are tough and commercially sensitive litigators who all have one thing in common: their determination to win. The specialist team is expert in the following areas: commercial disputes, commodities, insolvency, intellectual property, landlord and tenant, secured lending, and technology and communications.

Employment/employee benefits: employment legislation changes all the time. Teacher Stern guides clients through the legislative maze, giving instant answers to questions and solving any problems relating to employment and employee benefits.

Immigration: the firm provides specialist advice to a wide range of high-net-worth individuals, private clients and corporate clients on personal and business immigration. It advises on all aspects of UK immigration, naturalisation and European rights of free movement, providing clear and practical guidance. It manages the process from start to finish, providing a thorough and reliable service designed to achieve a successful outcome in a timetable that suits its clients.

Private client: although Teacher Stern is primarily a corporate law firm, it also has a strong private client base comprising high-net-worth individuals. Specialist teams throughout the firm provide legal expertise to private clients in the following areas: employment advice, residential, sport, and wills and inheritance tax.

Property: Teacher Stern boasts a well respected and experienced team of over 35 lawyers, with expertise in acquisition/disposal; asset management; development and construction; finance; and residential.

Other expert groups include education, intellectual property, media, sport, and technology and communications.

DepartmentNameEmailTelephone
Joint Managing Partner David Salisburyd.salisbury@teacherstern.com
Head of Property and Joint Managing Partner David Irwind.irwin@teacherstern.com
Commercial Litigation Sarah Emersons.emerson@teacherstern.com
Employment Matthew Crantonm.cranton@teacherstern.com
Immigration Matthew Crantonm.cranton@teacherstern.com
Private Client Elizabeth Jonese.jones@teacherstern.com
Banking & Finance Claire Gibsonc.gibson@teacherstern.com
Property Litigation Nazia Hussainn.hussain@teacherstern.com
Corporate David Ponsfordd.ponsford@teacherstern.com
Corporate Kelly Whitfieldk.whitfield@teacherstern.com
Number of UK partners : 30
Number of other UK fee-earners : 63
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