Tom Justice
Muckle LLPWith an ‘incredibly commercial and knowledgeable’ corporate and commercial offering, Muckle LLP is regularly instructed to advise on leading regional transactions, private equity investments, and the full range of commercial work by regional, national, and international clients. Practice co-head Anthony Evans leads the corporate offering and takes point on corporate finance instructions, attracting praise for his ‘unparalleled’ expertise in the area. Philip Clare is another key name on the corporate front, as well as Adam Rayner, who advises on corporate finance, investments, and private equity issues. Matthew Walsh acts for acquisitive public companies, advising on buy-and-build programmes as well as refinancings, while Sarah Forster handles strategic private equity investments, and is well supported by Stephanie Brown. On the commercial front, practice co-head Alex Craig handles IP, data, and technology issues, including licensing deals, media rights agreements, and data protection compliance matters. Tom Justice is another key contact for commercial work, handling contracts, IP, and patent work for clients in the tech and data industries. Andrew Davison left the team in March 2024.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘The team is incredibly commercial and knowledgeable, easy to work with and I have utter confidence they have my best interests at heart. ’
‘The Muckles LLP practice at Newcastle distinguishes itself with a client-centric approach, tailored to individual needs and objectives. Their team fosters easy communication and enriches perspectives. Overall, Muckles' corporate and commercial practice epitomises excellence, positioning them as a trusted partner for businesses seeking practical and reliable legal solutions.’
‘Muckle's commercial team always goes the extra mile to deliver results for their clients. They have a breadth of knowledge and expertise which they are able to apply to the work they undertake. As well as being knowledgeable and capable, their approach is collaborative and values-led, which is one of the main reasons we chose Muckle to act on our behalf.
‘Matthew Walsh understands our business very well, which means he is always able to offer advice and support both on specific engagements and also ad hoc advice. He leads effectively across all aspects of our legal portfolio of work and brings the right colleagues to the table to support where necessary.
- 'Stephanie Brown is a talented and very capable individual who frequently leads material pieces of work. She communicates effectively and delivers on time and budget to ensure we get what we need when we need it.'
- ‘The team is entirely dedicated but more than anything, flexible. Always there when we need them, they continually pull out all of the stops to help us get the deal done. ’
‘Anthony Evans ensures that the right thing is done for the business holistically and engages with all other legal departments to ensure continuity of service and consistency. His depth of knowledge is unparalleled.'
‘Alex Craig is the stand-out staff member for us. She possesses an innate understanding of our business and so can very quickly respond to a request and add value. Moreover, she ensures that she tracks all of our activity within Muckle and is aware of all events - even those outside her direct scope.’
Key clients
- Vertu Motors plc
- Kitwave Group plc
- Fairstone Group Limited
- Hays Travel Limited
- iamproperty group
- Banks Group
- Sofina Foods Group
- The University of Newcastle upon Tyne
- Express Engineering Group
- Aspire Technology Solutions Limited
- Hadrian Healthcare
- Cleveland Containers
- SkinBioTherapeutics plc
- Therakind Limited
- The Lakes Distillery plc
- Tekmar Group plc
- Newcells Biotech
- F. Duerr & Sons
- Everflow Limited
- Mercia Asset Management
- Tees Valley Combined Authority
- Foresight Group LLP
- LDC Private Equity
- Growth Partner LLP
- NorthEdge Capital
- Simpsons Malt Limited
- PX Group
- Houghton International Electrical Services Limited
- Samuel Knight International
- The Port of Tyne
- NG Bailey Limited
- Everything Managed Group
- Wilton Engineering Services
- Vaulkhard Group Limited
- Geopura Limited
- INEX Microtechnology Limited
- British Business Bank plc
- ITPS
- Newcastle College Group
Work highlights
- Advised the iamproperty group and its shareholders on its successful secondary buyout and investment from Perwyn Private Equity with debt funding from Barclays and NatWest.
- Advised Tekmar Group plc on its significant strategic investment from SCF Partners including a Rule 9 waiver under the Takeover Code and a Placing and Retail Offer.
- Advised Everflow Holdings and its shareholders on an MBO and refinance of which involved a partial exit for PE fund Perwyn.
Lawyers
Leading associates
Leading associates with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.
Stephanie Brown
Muckle LLPLeading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Anthony Evans
Muckle LLPPhilip Clare
Muckle LLPNext Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Adam Rayner
Muckle LLPMatthew Walsh
Muckle LLPSarah Forster
Muckle LLPPractice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Anthony Evans, Alex Craig