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Business Legal Services
Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)
Merging with or acquiring another company is a major event for any business and can have far reaching implications for you and your stakeholders. Make sure you get it right by engaging our experienced M&A lawyers
Mergers and acquisitions can be a great way to expand your business, whether into other sectors, geographies or simply to make economies of scale. Even in the early stages however, good legal advice is essential as these transactions can become protracted and harmful to your existing business. We can support you along every step, from evaluating a company for acquisition, conducting due diligence, advising on the Takeover Code, through to making any necessary filings with government agencies.
Supporting you with the complexities of a merger, acquisition or sale
Our M&A lawyers will work closely with your tax and accounting advisers to ensure that tax liabilities are agreed pre-completion and that the transaction is as tax-efficient as possible. Our team of corporate solicitors can support you with:
Your M&A strategy and making sure you’ve chosen the right target
We have considerable experience in M&A transactions and have helped businesses, large and small, scale and grow, thanks to our holistic approach to the deal from the outset.
Conducting due diligence
We will help you identify any red flags or risks associated with your target and support you in mitigating these if possible.
Handling issues relating to shareholders and investors
We can advise you on what consents may be necessary and help you obtain these.
Understanding what you need to achieve from the sale and making sure that our negotiations and all the required documents reflect those needs.
Drawing up the necessary legal documents as part of the transaction
Including a letter of intent, exclusivity agreement, non-disclosure agreements, sale and purchase agreement for shares, banking documents and release of security to name a few.
Any real estate assets
Working seamlessly with our property team to ensure any leasehold or freehold interests are delt with effectively.
Competition issues
If your proposed merger has competition law implications, we can advise you on the Takeover Code and deal with the authorities on your behalf.
Earn-out issues
If your seller will remain in your business for a period post-sale, we can assist you in agreeing appropriate terms that protect both sides.
Protecting you post-completion by making sure that the warranties and indemnities you receive from the seller are sufficiently extensive.
Mergers and acquisitions can have far-reaching implications for your existing and the target’s employees, and the TUPE rules may mean that your target’s staff transfer automatically to you.
Part of our M&A specialist team will include our employment lawyers who will make sure this aspect of the deal is handled efficiently to avoid disruptive and costly claims.
If you’re a seller as part of an M&A transaction we can help you exit smoothly and negotiate with a fair set of warranties and indemnities.
Essentials of mergers and acquisitions
Getting the right legal support at the outset of any potential deal will help make sure this is completed as swiftly and painlessly as possible.
Working with you to understand what you are hoping to achieve from the deal, we will help you answer the following questions so your M&A transaction can be executed in time and to budget:
- Should you acquire your target’s shares or its assets?
- Are your shareholders and investors on board with the deal? Will you need their consent?
- Do you understand the tax implications of the deal?
- If intellectual property is a major part of the transaction, have you established who owns this?
- Would you like the seller to remain in the company for a period after the transaction to help you integrate the new business?
- Have you considered the pitfalls of the transaction? How will you protect yourself against these?
- Will you be taking on your target’s staff, and are there any potential issues like pension rights?
Why work with specialist M&A lawyers?
Clear-cut advice based on experience
By drawing on our practical and varied experience across a range of M&A transactions, acting for both buyers and sellers, we’re focussed on delivering value to you and your business. We will always provide you with a clear route to take when challenges arise during negotiations keeping your long-term goals in mind at every step.
A joined up approach
From employment issues such as dealing with changes to directors’ service agreements, to IP licensing considerations, acquiring another business is rarely a simple and solely corporate transaction. That’s why we will always offer you an integrated approach. Our business acquisition lawyers will work alongside our employment, IP and commercial specialists, when required, to ensure that you get well-rounded, strategic advice to successfully support you throughout the transaction.
Detailed risk management and mitigation
Our thorough due diligence processes, close collaboration with your tax and accounting team, and streamlined approach across all practice areas throughout the M&A transaction means that we have a clear view of any potential risk to your business. This helps us to quickly identify and resolve any challenges you may face, clearing the route to a successful transaction.
Peace of mind
Even where negotiations may be tricky or due diligence checks take longer than expected due to uncovering outstanding litigation proceedings, for example, we will take on the stress of the process for you. We will always strive to get the best outcome possible for your business, communicating with you at each step in plain English. Rest assured, that we have every possible angle covered.
Who we help: Buyers and sellers, from SMEs to larger listed companies
Our M&A lawyers appreciate that the disposal or acquisition of a business can be a stressful time for all those involved, whether you’re the business owner of an SME or from the executive leadership team of a large national company. We’re also aware of the nuances and the time constraints when completing a transaction on a deadline and to budget. We’re pro-active from the outset and always aim to help you and your strategic partners to navigate this process to reach a successful outcome.
Working with business buyers and sellers
Notable projects
Our corporate lawyers have been involved in a variety of M&A deals and transactions, including:
Industry | Financial services
Type | Seller
We assisted Meet Parker, an AI-powered digital engagement tool with their early-stage seed round and acquisition, making sure their convertible loan notes, due diligence, sales preparation and share purchase agreements were watertight as they made the move to scale.
Industry | Care homes
Type | Buyer
We helped Harbour Healthcare, a family-owned care home operator restructure their group to facilitate better borrowing power and assisted in four large acquisitions of ‘trading’ care homes.
Industry | Agriculture and horticulture
Type | Buyer
We assisted with Greosn’s acquisitions, including advising on the whole spectrum of M&A, due diligence and making sure deals close quickly.
Industry | Financial services and wealth management
Type | Seller
We acted for the sellers in the sale of the entire issued share capital of Barry Fleming and Partners to Kingswood for £6.2m.
Industry | Customer engagement
Type | Seller
We advised Tactful AI, an intelligent AI-powered customer engagement platform on their acquisition to Dstny Group. We made sure the acquisition went as smoothly as possible, making sure the founders got the best deal terms.
Industry | Financial services
Type | Seller
We assisted Meet Parker, an AI-powered digital engagement tool with their early-stage seed round and acquisition, making sure their convertible loan notes, due diligence, sales preparation and share purchase agreements were watertight as they made the move to scale.
Industry | Care homes
Type | Buyer
We helped Harbour Healthcare, a family-owned care home operator restructure their group to facilitate better borrowing power and assisted in four large acquisitions of ‘trading’ care homes.
Industry | Agriculture and horticulture
Type | Buyer
We assisted with Greosn’s acquisitions, including advising on the whole spectrum of M&A, due diligence and making sure deals close quickly.
Industry | Financial services and wealth management
Type | Seller
We acted for the sellers in the sale of the entire issued share capital of Barry Fleming and Partners to Kingswood for £6.2m.
Industry | Customer engagement
Type | Seller
We advised Tactful AI, an intelligent AI-powered customer engagement platform on their acquisition to Dstny Group. We made sure the acquisition went as smoothly as possible, making sure the founders got the best deal terms.
Testimonials
What our clients say
As with any business, we need access to good quality legal advice without the fear of facing huge legal fees. The service provided by Harper James is ideal because they are always available to assist and we know that the advice provided is of outstanding quality, with pricing that is cost effective and completely transparent.
Laura Bowen
Director,
Admedo
Choosing Harper James was one of the best choices we made as a start-up. The firm has provided invaluable advice and insight throughout the early stages of our business.
Leigh Purnell
CEO,
Petalite
The support, advice and guidance from Harper James was absolutely vital. Shubhu, Callum and the team there were always on hand to deal with any issues that we needed help with as the deal progressed. This is an exciting new stage in the development of the business.
Sam G Bose
CEO and Founder,
IntelliSense.io
For us, the support of Harper James Solicitors has been a gift. The collaboration we have had has been of tremendous importance. The service has been superb value for money.
Iraklis Bourantas
COO,
Novoville
Harper James is the right fit for us, I was attracted to the firm by the experience and reputation of their large team of specialist solicitors. And best of all, I have this support at a price point that’s very competitive compared to their competition.
Andrew Worsley
Chairman,
Harbour Healthcare
Matt and Paul understand the brief, and they understand our business. Their attention to detail and joined-up approach is excellent. They’re able to understand exactly what we need and the vision of the group going forward. Growing at this rate presents some risk, so having a legal team that appreciates this and supports us with the legal advice we need to take on every challenge in our mission to scale is key.
Alex Newey
Chairman,
Greosn
Matt’s been a pleasure to work with – we were looking for a lawyer who would be able to think outside of the box. To Matt’s credit, he understood our needs immediately. Having a legal team on our side who understands and supports us has been great.
Freddie Savundra
Founder,
Meet Parker
The Enable plan was just the right plan for us. It’s economic and we were really pleased with the numbers. As a start-up, it was important for us to seek the right legal advice while keeping costs to a minimum. It’s given us a breadth of high-quality legal knowledge at a great price point – something we just wouldn’t get at a traditional firm.
Freddie Savundra
Founder,
Meet Parker
It’s been great working with Adam. He’s approachable and very friendly. When initially contacting Harper James, I wanted an experienced advisor that knew how to maneuver the acquisition landscape. Adam certainly knew how to do this, and his timing and responsiveness was second to none.
Mohammed Elmasry
CEO,
Tactful AI
Brilliant support and smooth completion of acquisition.
Rajiv Agrawal
Shareholder,
Poise Group
Nikki Reid, one of Harper James’s Corporate Partners supported us from the outset and throughout our M&A journey. Nikki was always there when needed providing sound, experienced advice. She was able to negotiate very effectively with the other side, managed expectations and ensured that the transaction progresses smoothly at each stage. If we were to have another similar transaction I would definitely want Nikki on my side of the table. Cannot praise Harper James enough.
Chris Kurt-Gabel
Founder and Executive Chair,
A to E Training & Solutions
For the past 3 years, A to E Training have been an enable client of Harper James utilising a range of the services provided from immigration, employment and property. When an exit was envisaged and a buyer found it was extremely easy to get the right advice and have a great corporate lawyer appointed to support us.
Chris Kurt-Gabel
Founder and Executive Chair,
A to E Training & Solutions
The switchover process from our previous advisors was incredibly smooth. Brigitta was efficient, fast, and quickly understood our requirements. Her pragmatic approach helped us cut through the legal complexities, and we were able to achieve our goal within the tight timeframe.
Steve Carrod
Co-Founder,
DMPG
We thought we knew our business inside out, but the due diligence process highlighted gaps we hadn’t anticipated. Having your team on hand made a big difference - what felt overwhelming quickly became manageable once we had experts guiding us through the details.
Tom Marianczak
Co-Founder,
DMPG
Choosing Harper James was the best decision we made during this process. At one point, we felt stuck and struggled with providing certain documentation. Brigitta and the team knew how to explain what was needed and suddenly the process became much clearer. The guidance we received helped us avoid unnecessary delays and expenses. It made all the difference.
Steve Carrod
Co-Founder,
DMPG
For any small business looking for the right law firm to guide you through an acquisition I would highly recommend Harper James. My personal experience was with Matt Shakesheff who looked after my sale and passed me over to their team who looked over my new contract of employment as I was staying with my buyer for a 2 year handover. They delivered on budget and on time.
Richard William Turbutt
Director,
CorroGuard
As with any business, we need access to good quality legal advice without the fear of facing huge legal fees. The service provided by Harper James is ideal because they are always available to assist and we know that the advice provided is of outstanding quality, with pricing that is cost effective and completely transparent.
Laura Bowen
Director,
Admedo
Choosing Harper James was one of the best choices we made as a start-up. The firm has provided invaluable advice and insight throughout the early stages of our business.
Leigh Purnell
CEO,
Petalite
The support, advice and guidance from Harper James was absolutely vital. Shubhu, Callum and the team there were always on hand to deal with any issues that we needed help with as the deal progressed. This is an exciting new stage in the development of the business.
Sam G Bose
CEO and Founder,
IntelliSense.io
For us, the support of Harper James Solicitors has been a gift. The collaboration we have had has been of tremendous importance. The service has been superb value for money.
Iraklis Bourantas
COO,
Novoville
Harper James is the right fit for us, I was attracted to the firm by the experience and reputation of their large team of specialist solicitors. And best of all, I have this support at a price point that’s very competitive compared to their competition.
Andrew Worsley
Chairman,
Harbour Healthcare
Matt and Paul understand the brief, and they understand our business. Their attention to detail and joined-up approach is excellent. They’re able to understand exactly what we need and the vision of the group going forward. Growing at this rate presents some risk, so having a legal team that appreciates this and supports us with the legal advice we need to take on every challenge in our mission to scale is key.
Alex Newey
Chairman,
Greosn
Matt’s been a pleasure to work with – we were looking for a lawyer who would be able to think outside of the box. To Matt’s credit, he understood our needs immediately. Having a legal team on our side who understands and supports us has been great.
Freddie Savundra
Founder,
Meet Parker
The Enable plan was just the right plan for us. It’s economic and we were really pleased with the numbers. As a start-up, it was important for us to seek the right legal advice while keeping costs to a minimum. It’s given us a breadth of high-quality legal knowledge at a great price point – something we just wouldn’t get at a traditional firm.
Freddie Savundra
Founder,
Meet Parker
It’s been great working with Adam. He’s approachable and very friendly. When initially contacting Harper James, I wanted an experienced advisor that knew how to maneuver the acquisition landscape. Adam certainly knew how to do this, and his timing and responsiveness was second to none.
Mohammed Elmasry
CEO,
Tactful AI
Brilliant support and smooth completion of acquisition.
Rajiv Agrawal
Shareholder,
Poise Group
Nikki Reid, one of Harper James’s Corporate Partners supported us from the outset and throughout our M&A journey. Nikki was always there when needed providing sound, experienced advice. She was able to negotiate very effectively with the other side, managed expectations and ensured that the transaction progresses smoothly at each stage. If we were to have another similar transaction I would definitely want Nikki on my side of the table. Cannot praise Harper James enough.
Chris Kurt-Gabel
Founder and Executive Chair,
A to E Training & Solutions
For the past 3 years, A to E Training have been an enable client of Harper James utilising a range of the services provided from immigration, employment and property. When an exit was envisaged and a buyer found it was extremely easy to get the right advice and have a great corporate lawyer appointed to support us.
Chris Kurt-Gabel
Founder and Executive Chair,
A to E Training & Solutions
The switchover process from our previous advisors was incredibly smooth. Brigitta was efficient, fast, and quickly understood our requirements. Her pragmatic approach helped us cut through the legal complexities, and we were able to achieve our goal within the tight timeframe.
Steve Carrod
Co-Founder,
DMPG
We thought we knew our business inside out, but the due diligence process highlighted gaps we hadn’t anticipated. Having your team on hand made a big difference - what felt overwhelming quickly became manageable once we had experts guiding us through the details.
Tom Marianczak
Co-Founder,
DMPG
Choosing Harper James was the best decision we made during this process. At one point, we felt stuck and struggled with providing certain documentation. Brigitta and the team knew how to explain what was needed and suddenly the process became much clearer. The guidance we received helped us avoid unnecessary delays and expenses. It made all the difference.
Steve Carrod
Co-Founder,
DMPG
For any small business looking for the right law firm to guide you through an acquisition I would highly recommend Harper James. My personal experience was with Matt Shakesheff who looked after my sale and passed me over to their team who looked over my new contract of employment as I was staying with my buyer for a 2 year handover. They delivered on budget and on time.
Richard William Turbutt
Director,
CorroGuard
Why choose Harper James Solicitors?
At Harper James Solicitors, we provide the legal help required to take entrepreneurs from start-up to scale up, providing you with the support you need at each stage in your business’ growth. We do this by making legal support more accessible. Our subscription plans allow you to access our expertise when you need it, with the option of accruing hours too. In fact, you could be paying as little as £145 per hour. With our transparent pricing model, an ambitious approach to supporting businesses across the country, and a commercially driven team, you can rely on us to help you take your business forward. Find out more about the team here:
Pricing and service plans
Legal support designed
to fit your business needs
Our three transparent service plans are designed to give you the widest possible access to high-quality legal advice, whatever the size and nature of your business:
Engage
Flexible access to senior solicitors at highly competitive rates
An alternative to our subscription plans, offering access to full service legal expertise on a project-by-project basis.
Enable
Purpose built legal support for start-ups and smaller businesses
Monthly subscription plan for £215 per month, with £145 monthly credit and access to all legal services at 50% discount on our Standard Rates.
Extend
Comprehensive legal partnership for established businesses
Fully account managed and scalable annual subscription plan with support from a curated team of partners and senior solicitors, with up to 34% discount on our Standard Rates.
Examples of our work
Experts in mergers and acquisitions
Our team can assist you across all areas of corporate law, including: