The practice at CMS is formed of ‘true experts’ and harnesses strong abilities to advise a roster of clients which features FTSE companies, start-ups and multinational corporations across the array of industry sectors. The team's employee incentives work includes advising on the related aspects of high-value and cross-border sales and acquisitions; the team also has a reputation for its ability to ’navigate the complexities of EOT structures’ and is developing an employment securities disputes practice, which is led by noteworthy practitioner Jaspal Pachu. The broader team is led by Andrew Quayle, who has expertise handling the creation of bespoke management incentive plans for private equity-houses and privately owned companies. Further names to note include Dilpa Raval, bespoke equity and cash incentives expert Catherine Merry, and specialist Graham Muir.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Very good strength and depth.’
‘Jaspal Pachu's knowledge of the legislation relating to EOT's is exceptional.’
‘Andrew Quayle and Dilpa Raval provided practical advice in a complex area and took time to understand our business.’
‘Both Andrew Quayle and Dilpa Raval were responsive to all questions, ensuring we fully understood the various nuances of the legal advice we received.’
‘True experts in employee ownership trusts. The team really understood this area in detail and supported us to navigate the complexities of EOT structures. They came up with a creative solution to a fairly unique set of challenges and played a critical part in the success of our project.’
‘Jaspal Pachu is extremely knowledgeable and well-connected in the industry. He is creative with solutions and converts technical complexity into clear guidance and recommendations. He was an essential part of our successful project.’
‘The CMS team bring a practical can-do approach to their work and focus on the real commercial issues for a client.’
‘Jaspal Pachu is bright, easy to deal with, and focuses quickly on the real issues. It is a pleasure to work with Jaspal.’
Key clients
- Phoenix Equity Partners
- Finsbury Food Group plc
- Pendragon plc
- Natwest Group plc
- Bridges Fund Management Limited
- Box to Box Films Limited
- ActiveOps plc
- Zoe Limited
- InstaDeep Ltd
Work highlights
Advised Phoenix Equity Partners on its acquisition of 4most Group Holdings Limited from a global Employee Ownership Trust, including the complex tax and incentive aspects of the transaction.
Advised Pendragon PLC on the sale of its UK motoring business and its strategic partnership with US-based dealership Lithia Motors; a cross-border deal worth circa £400m.
Advised InstaDeep on all share aspects of its sale to BioNTech for up to £562m.
Lawyers
Next generation partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Practice head
Andrew Quayle
Other key lawyers
Jaspal Pachu; Dilpa Raval; Graham Muir; Catherine Merry