Spearheaded by the ‘invaluable’ Sarah Riding and Chris Towle, the Birmingham-based Gowling WLG practice has vast expertise in the retail, automotive, and real estate industries, routinely handling corporate disposals and pre-sale reorganisations. The firm’s commercial offering is extensive, notably covering IP, logistics agreements, and consumer contract proceedings. Working between London and Birmingham, Riding focuses on manufacturing arrangements, while Birmingham-based Towle is highly knowledgeable in multi-jurisdictional restructurings. Anurag Singh is an M&A specialist; Sharon Ayres is experienced in real estate joint ventures; and Elizabeth Williams advises public and private sector clients. Christopher Letters and Amar Adatia are each highlighted for their investment work.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Highly knowledgeable, extremely commercial, and totally reliable.’
‘We work with Sarah Riding - her knowledge and understanding of both the sector we work in, together with the general automotive market, is invaluable.’
‘Gowlings provides a very joined-up service with their corporate/funds team and their property team. We have confidence that nothing is being dropped and that everyone on the Gowlings side is working together effectively.’
‘Sharon Ayres is a trusted advisor for complex real estate joint ventures, having helped us structure and document a number of key joint ventures across many years now. Sharon takes a commercial and pragmatic approach to getting deals done. We feel very safe in her hands.'
'Exceptional talent who deliver their service in a friendly and familiar way. They deliver well-managed teams and are very responsive.'
'Gowlings as a firm have exceptional talent who deliver their service with friendly and familiar way. They deliver well managed teams and are very responsive.'
Key clients
- A F Blakemore & Sons
- All Saints Retail Limited
- Asda
- Aston Manor
- Aston Martin
- Atcore Technology Group Limited
- Avison Young
- Azumi Restaurants Limited
- Bakkavor
- Banyan Software
- Baylis & Harding
- Bentley Motors Limited
Work highlights
Advised Dyson on the renegotiation of its business-critical freight and logistics outsourcing contracts, involving guidance in the tender process and drafting the contract and statement of works and parallel negotiations with six suppliers against a strict deadline across EMEA and Singapore.
Advised US-headquartered insulated work apparel provider, RefrigiWear LLC (RefrigiWear), a Sentinel Capital Partners portfolio company, in its expansion into the UK and European market through a significant acquisition of UK-headquartered sub-zero temperature workwear supplier FlexiTog UK Limited and its Dutch subsidiary, FlexiTog EU B.V.
Advised TT Electronics PLC (TT) on the extensive pre-sale reorganisation and sale of three business units within its GMS and Power and Connectivity divisions to the Cicor Group.
Lawyers
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Leading partners
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Next generation Partners
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Practice head
Chris Towle; Sarah Riding
Other key lawyers
Anurag Singh; Sharon Ayres; Elizabeth Williams; Christopher Letters; Amar Adatia; Alison Richards; Dominic Richardson; Frank Beeton; Vic Sewak; Rory Chatterton; Rachel Pennell; Charlotte Avery; Danielle Klepping; Matt Harris