BHW Solicitors > Enderby, England > Firm Profile

BHW Solicitors
1 Smith Way
Grove Park
ENDERBY
LE19 1SX
England

Corporate and commercial > Corporate and commercial: Elsewhere in East Midlands Tier 1

BHW Solicitors fields a 10-strong team of corporate and commercial lawyers, distinguished in the Leicester market for their specialist expertise in the aerospace, manufacturing and insurance sectors. Offering full-service M&A capabilities, the group has been increasingly busy on restructuring, commercial contracts and supply chain solution mandates. Practice head Ed Nurse and Matt Worsnop worked together with the principal shareholder of Staircraft Limited in the sale of the company, via its holding company P. H. Properties Ltd, to Travis Perkins Group. Stephen McElhone and Alex Clifton  are among the other key figures.

Practice head(s):

Ed Nurse

Other key lawyers:

Matt Worsnop; Stephen McElhone; Alex Clifton

Testimonials

‘BHW are our first choice recommendation for nationwide for corporate and commercial M&A transactions. BHW employ expert lawyers who are always friendly, enthusiastic and easy to get on with, a major strength against competitor firms. They are excellent communicators and very good at appraising and understanding the customer brief, simplifying the legal processes, and delivering on realistic targets.’

‘Matt Worsnop and his team are astute and extremely good at understanding the things that are important to each individual client, in addition to identifying and highlighting factors that the client may not have considered. Their service is personable, pro-active and responsive. Matt is a great person to work with, he is realistic on timescales and builds expectation in-line with reality, whilst being a committed and strong communicator.’

‘Ed Nurse has the ability to offer constructive and commercial challenges to ideas presented to him by clients and professional advisers. To be able to provide advice in very clear, unambiguous terms.’

‘Stephen McElhone has been amazing in making sure my deal/deals keep moving along and has been very prompt in ensuring that all of the work that needed to be done is done in a timely manner.’

Key clients

Correlation Investments Limited

Lavendon Group Limited

Gardner Group Limited

Oadby Plastics Limited

BPX Group Limited

NatWest Bank Plc

Nationwide Platforms Limited

Animal Friends Insurance Services Limited

HSBC Bank Plc

KCT Holdings Limited

Technicut Limited

Quartz Holdings Limited

HomePro Ltd

Creative Software Solutions (Europe) Limited

Verdon Timber Group Limited

Marks Electrical Limited

Colson Castors Limited

Staircraft Group Limited

Evergreens (UK) Limited

Delta Global Source Holdings Limited

Red Sands Insurance Company (Europe) Limited

AutoProtect Group Limited

SIL-MID Limited

Beowulf Mining Plc

Meet & Engage Limited

The Engineering Technology Group Limited

Work highlights

  • Advised the shareholders of Apption Labs Limited on their sale of the company to US barbecue manufacturer, Traeger Pellet Grills.
  • Advised the shareholders of Cildarn Limited on the sale of the company to Graco Roberts, a large US supplier in the same industry.
  • Acted for the principal shareholders of Seaton Partners Limited (consulting firm specialising in ‘Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Applications) in respect of the sale of the company to Ernst & Young.

Real estate > Commercial property: elsewhere in the East Midlands Tier 1

Leicester's BHW Solicitors ‘always deliver highly professional and efficient services’ in regard to commercial property work. Areas of particular focus are transactions involving logistics, storage and industrial premises, residential developments and pension schemes related property work. Recently, the practice has seen an increased number of instructions in the area of secured lending, which led to the creation of a secured lending team, led by Kate Burlinson, who was promoted to partner in May 2021. Beverley Merrell is the head of the overall commercial property department and has a focus on acquisitions, disposals and leases. Ian Sanders specialises in development work and Eleanor Rattay has a focus on high-value transactions. Pension scheme transaction focused Raj Hundal made partner in November 2021.

Practice head(s):

Beverley Merrell

Other key lawyers:

Kate Burlinson; Ian Sanders; Eleanor Rattay; Raj Hundal

Testimonials

‘BHW always deliver highly professional and efficient service, with clear and timely communication on all cases we work with them on. Most importantly, the partners and associates with whom we instruct, always remain the primary port of call for all cases we instruct them, which increasingly less common amongst other peer firms.’

‘Kate Burlinson, Ian Sanders and Raj Hundal maintain a very high standard and have done so for the several years that we have engaged with them.’

‘I have worked with BHW solicitors on multiple property matters over many years, we have developed a strong working relationship in that the are strong advocates on all property matters and understand us as a client very very well.’

‘Beverley Merrill – she understands my needs, she understands what specific terms and conditions are important for us in property matters and she can often have the solution thought through before we even ask the question.’

Key clients

Cambridge & Counties Bank Limited

HSBC UK Bank Plc

Handelsbanken Plc

Black and White Hospitality

DHL Parcel UK Limited

Nationwide Platforms Limited

Staircraft Limited

Boolers

BPX Group Limited

T Systems Limited

Crowfoots Carriers Limited

Marks Electrical Limited

KCT Group Limited

WKM Wealth

Invicta Developments Limited

Merch CMT Limited

Oneseat Limited (trading as Frovi)

Parkers Motor Services Limited

WKM Wealth

Gardner Aerospace

Geosynthetics Limited

The Obstrat group of companies

Fischer Future Heat UK Limited

Morningside Holdings Limited

Work highlights

  • Advised DHL Parcel UK Limited in its acquisition of purpose-built depots.
  • Advised Cambridge and Counties on the refinance of a property investment portfolio.
  • Assisted Mr White’s Leicester Square Limited on an acquisition of a prominent restaurant in Leicester Square, London.

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

BHW Solicitors sports a ‘very well managed commercial litigation team' under Paul Davis' 'excellent' leadership, which ‘fights fearlessly for their clients’. The team represents clients across all types of commercial litigation matters, including contractual disputes, directors and shareholder disputes and professional negligence claims as well as claims concerning loans, construction, insolvency and property matters. Clients of the firm hail from a broad variety of sectors, including retail, telecommunications, aerospace and manufacturing and appreciate the ‘unique quality of service’.

Practice head(s):

Paul Davis

Testimonials

‘BHW Solicitors are very good at understanding a client issue and giving straight forward and understandable legal advice and / or coming up with good solutions.’

‘Highly relevant knowledge, listened to my needs and understood the challenges we faced quickly. Calm approach and easy to be respected. Strong brand and identity which helped give me the confidence in representation of our company.’

‘The team are a friendly and efficient group of lawyers. I have had only positive experiences working with them.’

‘Paul Davis stands out as a very good partner. He is very efficient and provides clear, timely and well-considered instructions. I enjoy working with Paul and the team generally.’

‘A very well managed commercial litigation team under the effective leadership of the excellent Paul Davis. Each team member understands their role and meets the expectations of them. The team combine seamlessly together as a highly responsive, very effective and highly capable unit. The breadth of the firm’s corporate and commercial work has fed the litigation team and given it a much greater depth of commercial litigation experience than other firms in its location.’

‘Paul Davis combines judgement beyond his years and very capable leadership with excellent litigation skills and strategic vision.’

‘BHW are unique in the quality of service they provide and the level of support give to their clients throughout the litigation process. They are a friendly and approachable firm which fights fearlessly for their clients.’

‘Paul Davis – excellent litigator. His talents lie in giving firm, direct and practical advice and having a forensic eye for detail. Paul acts fearlessly for his clients and is a true tactician.’

Key clients

Gardner Group Limited

Nationwide Platforms Limited

Boxfields Limited

Imperial Corporate Events Limited

T-Systems Limited

Cosmo Beauty Limited

PH Properties Limited

BRI Insolvency Limited

Geosynethics Limited

Reep (Midlands) Limited

Work highlights

  • Acted for Nationwide Platforms Limited in respect of injunctive relief in the High Court.
  • Acted for Boxfields Limited in respect of a commercial dispute in the High Court.
  • Acted for BRI Insolvency Limited in respect of contentious advice in a complex insolvency matter.

TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > IT and telecoms Tier 3

BHW Solicitors' team handles software infrastructure projects as well as M&A, and restructuring and refinancing of software, telecoms and IT companies. The ‘incredibly helpful, considerate and responsive’ Matt Worsnop (also a qualified electronic systems engineer in software development),  specialises in IT contracts, advising on software development, licence, hosting and implementation agreements.

Practice head(s):

Matt Worsnop

Testimonials

‘Always very helpful and clear about the work they are undertaking. Always very good at coming back and being clear in the work they are undertaking.’

‘BHW have been exceptional. When we engage with BHW, our expectations are always far exceeded. BHW have expert knowledge of the IT industry and legal implications of associated business decisions within the sector. Their experience of the IT sector is evident and reassuring.’

‘Matt Worsnop always brings considerations to our attention that we would never have thought of. They include practical considerations that are tailored to us and our position. This gives us confidence in the business decisions that we make which is invaluable. Matt never oversells, he doesn’t pressure us and yet he’s receptive and engaging.’

‘Matt Worsnop – he’s been incredibly helpful, considerate and responsive. He’s taken time to understand our needs and to draft contracts that are cost effective for us and are palatable to our clients.’

‘Matt Worsnop provides an excellent service, always makes himself available to answer questions and to perform contract review. I find his advice invaluable.’

Key clients

Lavendon Group / Loxam

Nationwide Platforms Limited

Vehicle Vision Limited

Atomic Multimedia Consultants Limited

Forward Action Ltd

Viva IT Limited

Best Path Limited

Creative Software Solutions (Europe) Limited

Netdocs Digital Mailroom Solutions Ltd

Xapsys Limited

AutoProtect (MBI) Ltd

Work highlights

  • Prepared entirely new SaaS Agreement for Netdocs Digital Mailroom Solutions Ltd to use with all of its future clients.
  • Prepared entirely new Master Services Agreement for BestPath Limited to use with all of its future clients.
  • Prepared entirely new SaaS Agreement for Viva IT Ltd to use for its Infinity system.

Employment Tier 4

Leicester-based BHW Solicitors is mandated by regional clients in the aerospace, packaging, insurance sectors, as well as owner managed businesses, on the full suite of employment law issues, with TUPE, restructuring and and disputes being its most busiest areas of instruction. With over 20 years’ experience, Amanda Badley , serves as head of department.

Practice head(s):

Amanda Badley

Testimonials

‘Amanda Badley and her team are technically excellent and pragmatic in their approach to our staffing issues. They are also quick to respond to queries and problems. They take time to get to know the business and its operations. Amanda has a history of working with our company and we have developed a very good relationship with her over the years.’

Key clients

Gardner Group Limited

RG & P Limited

Correlation Risk Partners Limited

Thurne Middleby Limited

Delta Global Source Holdings Limited

Hamilton Adhesive Labels Limited

Arkay Group

Macfarlane Group UK Limited

KCT Holdings Limited

Qualvis Print & Packaging Limited

S&B Clothing Limited

City Computing Limited

Imperial Corporate Events

Cérélia UK Limited

Work highlights

  • Provided due diligence advise to the principal shareholders of Apption Labs Limited (manufacturer of the leading Bluetooth meat thermometer) in respect of the sale of the company to Traeger Pellet Grills.

BHW Solicitors is a specialist commercial law firm in Leicester which provides advice to businesses and organisations of all types and sizes. In addition to its core commercial services, the firm specialises in several industry sectors including aerospace, automotive, agriculture, renewable energy, information technology, plant hire, retail, pension fund property transactions, secured lending and estate agency M&A.

The firm: BHW was established in 2003 and has grown to become a major regional player in respect of its following and the complexity, value and importance of the work it undertakes.

BHW’s clients range from owner-managed businesses to some of the UK’s best-known companies and organisations.

The firm operates leading systems to guarantee the highest levels of quality and maintains the Lexcel Legal Practice Quality Mark. In 2015 BHW achieved a perfect result on audit against the latest Lexcel standard (v6).

Despite the fact that BHW is a comparatively young firm, its regional impact should not be underestimated. In terms of the firm’s client following and the complexity, value and importance of the work it undertakes it is the equal of any firm in the East Midlands.

Types of work undertaken
Corporate and commercial: the department handles a full range of mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructures, employee ownership trusts and other company and commercial matters. It has sector-specific specialisms, including aerospace, plant hire, secured lending and estate agency M&A.

Commercial property: BHW’s commercial property department advises on all aspects of freehold and leasehold property for its business clients. The department has sector-specific specialisms, including agriculture, retail, pension fund property transactions and secured lending.

IT and telecoms: BHW advises on procurement and tendering protocols for IT projects; software development agreements; configuration and implementation agreements; software licences; software maintenance agreements; hosting agreements; website terms of business and e-commerce facilities.

Dispute resolution: BHW’s dispute resolution department handles all forms of commercial litigation, dispute resolution and mediation. The department also specialises in contentious probate and has one of only a handful of ACTAPS members in the East Midlands (Association of Contentious Trust and Probate Specialists).

Employment: BHW deals with a wide range of contentious and non-contentious employment matters, acting principally on behalf of employers.

DepartmentNameEmailTelephone
Managing partner Nick Bridle
Corporate/commercial Ed Nurse
Commercial property/real estate Bev Merrell
Employment Law Amanda Badley
Dispute Resolution Paul Davis
Corporate/commercial Stephen McElhone
Commercial property/real estate Ian Sanders
Commercial property/real estate Eleanor Rattay
Corporate/commercial Alex Clifton
Commercial property/real estate Kate Burlinson
Corporate/commercial Matt Worsnop
Employment Law Aimee Johns
PhotoNamePositionProfile
Amanda Badley photoMs Amanda BadleyPartner & Head of Employment
Nick Bridle photoMr Nick BridleManaging Partner
Kate Burlinson photoMrs Kate BurlinsonPartner
Alex Clifton photoMr Alex CliftonCorporate and Commercial Partner
Paul Davis photoMr Paul DavisPartner & Head of Dispute Resolution
Aimée Johns photo Aimée JohnsAssociate Solicitor
Stephen McElhone photoMr Stephen McElhoneCorporate and Commercial Partner
Beverley Merrell photoMrs Beverley MerrellPartner & Head of Commercial Property
Ed Nurse photoMr Ed NursePartner & Head of Corporate and Commercial
Eleanor Rattay photoMrs Eleanor RattayPartner
Ian Sanders photoMr Ian SandersPartner
Matt Worsnop photoMr Matt WorsnopCorporate & Commercial Partner
Number of UK partners : 17