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Acuity Law Advises Tri-Wall UK LTD On The Acquisition Of The Corrugated Case Company

Acuity Law Advises Tri-Wall UK LTD On The Acquisition Of The Corrugated Case Company

Acuity Law has advised the UK arm of global packaging specialists Tri-Wall on its acquisition of The Corrugated Case Company, a Derbyshire-based sheet plant manufacturer.

This latest deal between Monmouth-based Tri-Wall UK Ltd and The Corrugated Case Company, (CCC) is the latest in a string of large-scale deals for the leading commercial law firm.

The acquisition pushes Tri-Wall past a turnover of £60 million in the UK and expands its product range.

Jon Lawley, lead partner at Acuity, said: “Since 2017 we have worked closely with Tri-Wall on its expansion in the UK, advising it on its acquisition of sites in South Wales, the North East, the West Midlands, and Manchester. I’m delighted that we have once again been able to assist CEO Gavin Peters and his team with their ambitious growth plans as they expand the Tri-Wall team into the East Midlands.”

Gavin Peters CEO UK Operations at Tri-Wall, said: “I’ve been really impressed by Jon and the Acuity team. This is the third deal we have done with them and I find them to be focused and responsive with a pragmatic, commercial and risk-based approach to negotiations. The Acuity team is a great fit as legal partners for Tri-Wall and their emphasis on entrepreneurship and commerciality fits well with our ethos. We look forward to working with them further in the coming months.”

For further information about these deals, and how our award-winning Corporate team can help you and your business, contact our Corporate Team today.

Acuity Law Advises Sinclair Group In Acquisition In Latest String Of Major Deals

Acuity Law Advises Sinclair Group In Acquisition In Latest String Of Major Deals

Acuity Law was selected to act for motor retailer Sinclair Group in its recent major acquisition, the latest in a string of large-scale deals for the leading commercial law firm.

Acuity Law advised on the purchase of Shukers from the Rubery Owen Group, expanding the Sinclair Group’s Welsh territory up to Aberystwyth in mid-Wales where it will take over the Land Rover operation and also represent Hyundai for the first time. The company will also cross into England for the first time with ownership of the Land Rover retailer in Ludlow.

Beverley Jones, Partner at Acuity Law, said: “We’re delighted to have supported Sinclair Group once again on this major acquisition which provides such an exciting opportunity for its future. We look forward to seeing these dealerships go from strength to strength under Sinclair Group’s ownership.”

Andy Sinclair, Sinclair Group Managing Director, said: “Like us, Shukers is a well-established, family business and we share a similar culture and the same core values, focus, and passion for providing outstanding customer service so this is a great fit for us.

“The Jaguar Land Rover brand is extremely strong in the UK and is already an important part of our group. The addition of two very successful Land Rover sites will significantly increase our territory for the brand and will double the points of representation we have following our takeover of retailers in Swansea and Brecon since 2018.”

He added: “The opportunity to represent Hyundai for the first time is equally exciting, especially with its reputation for being so progressive on the electric vehicle front.  The Hyundai product line-up is expanding rapidly so it’s a brilliant time to be involved with the brand as it will enable us to offer something very different to our current portfolio and presents our customers with even more choice.”

Established in 1999, the Acuity team has grown to more than 100 exceptional and instinctively commercial lawyers working throughout the UK, including 25 consultants shaping the business’ growing consultant community. The firm has offices in Cardiff, Swansea, London, and most recently, Bristol.

For further information about these deals, and how our award-winning Corporate team can help you and your business, contact our Corporate Team today.

Acuity London Corporate M&A Deals Round Up

Key Contact: Tessa Laws

Acuity’s award-winning Corporate M&A Team have had yet another busy year, advising a number of clients on a wide range of often complex and high-value deals. Here are just a few of the highlights:

Acuity supports Digital Radish on the sale of its business to Selbey Anderson

Acuity advised Digital Radish, a brand and ABM agency for high-growth B2B businesses, on the acquisition of the business by Selbey Anderson, the UK’s fast-growing independent marketing group. Aided by Yannick Ramsamy in Acuity’s employment team, this deal was Acuity’s 12th M&A in the past year.

Acuity completes two cross border transactions for Finn Partners

Acuity completed two cross border acquisitions for the US based Finn Partners, the independent and fast-growing agency group ‘with a heart and a conscience’ headed by the charming and modest Peter Finn, one business focused on healthcare (expanding the F&P offering here) and the other in digital marketing.

Acuity advises owners of Chameleon on the sale of its business to MikeWorldWide

Acuity advised the owners of The Reptile Group Limited, trading as Chameleon, an award-winning European technology Public Relations consultancy, on the sale of the business to MikeWorldWide (formerly MWWPR), one of the world’s leading independent public relations firms. Chameleon’s technology & B2B communications experience adds further depth to MikeWorldWide’s UK presence, creating one of the UK’s largest technology firms. The combined entity creates one of the top five B2B and top fifteen technology firms in the UK, with a team of almost 30 PR, content, and digital professionals.

Acuity advises PLMR on the acquisition of Advent Communications

Acuity advised PLMR, one of the UK’s most successful and fast-growing multi award-winning political lobbying and media agencies, on the acquisition of Midlands-based Advent Communications, a well-established public relations and media services consultancy based in the Midlands, and the acquisition of East Anglia-based PR and digital marketing agency Genesis. The two acquisitions, which both completed in the space of a month, are part of a strategic growth plan that focuses on growing PLMR’s regional network and expanding and deepening the range of skills the company offers to clients.

Acuity advises the owners of Omnifi on its sale to The Access Group

Acuity advised Omnifi, whose Orderbee Mobile Order and Pay technology gives hospitality operators the technology to drive efficiency, on the sale of the business to The Access Group, a leading provider of business management software and solutions. The acquisition will allow Access to add Orderbee to its hospitality software suite, allowing their clients to maximise profits, drive efficiencies and reduce administration time.

Acuity acts for the owners of TopLine on its acquisition by Definition Agency

We acted for TopLine Film, one of the UK’s top independent video production companies, on the acquisition of the business by Definition Agency, a multi-award winning reputation management agency group with ‘an ambitious growth strategy’. The deal continues Definition’s recent spate of acquisitions, which include the acquisition of our client Redhouse Communications in November 2020, and enhances the group’s ability to drive brand creation, recognition, engagement and growth for clients, through seamlessly integrated internal and external communications.

Acuity advises Karian and Box during its acquisition by Ipsos

Acuity advised Karian and Box, the UK’s leading specialist in employee research and experience, on the acquisition of the business by Ipsos, the global market Research and public opinion specialist. Ipsos is developing its Employee Relationship Management capabilities and this deal will help build on 15 years of growth, allowing them to become an even stronger employee research and advisory partner for their clients.

Acuity advises owners of Larsen Walsh on its sale to Gravity Global Ltd.

Acuity advised the owners of Larsen Walsh Consultants, a global strategic marketing agency based in London, on the sales of the business to Gravity Global Ltd, an award-winning specialist B2B marketing agency network.

Under the guidance of Partners Tessa Laws, Phil Pugh, James Hardy and Simon Wilson, our busy Corporate M&A London Team continue to support clients across a wide range of complex and high-value transactions regionally, nationally, and internationally. This significant growth and development of our expansive client base further enables us to increase the variety and size of the transactions we work on.

The team is further strengthened with the expertise of Associate Chiara Howfield, Trainee Solicitor Benedetta Cocconi and Paralegal Daniel Onafuwa.

For further information about these deals, and how our award-winning Ganton Street based London Corporate team can help you and your business, contact Tessa Laws or a member of our Corporate Team today.

Acuity Deal Round-up April-June 2021

Acuity Deal Round-up April-June 2021

Whatever the size or complexity of the transaction, Acuity can guide businesses through all stages of corporate development, aligning business strategies and growth ambitions with transactions that minimise risks and maximise returns. We’ve highlighted below a few of the deals our industry-leading experts have advised on from the past 3 months.

“We are delighted to share our deal highlights from the last three months. In what has been an extremely busy period for us, the success of these recent deals is testament to the resilience of the M&A market and the continued hard work from the team in collaboration with our clients. We are seeing a marked trend in transactions geared towards creating growth and with liquidity levels remaining very high, the next few months look equally as busy for us as many of our clients ramp up their buy and build strategies . There are many more exciting deals in the pipeline!”

Corporate Partner, Christian Farrow.

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Portman Dental Care

Our clients Portman Dental Care achieved a fantastic milestone of 150 practices earlier this year. We are delighted to work with them. Acuity Corporate Partner, Jon Lawley commented “I am delighted with the strength and depth demonstrated by Acuity’s Portman team.  This is a true testament of our relationships as ‘trusted business advisors’ to Portman Healthcare.

Owens Group

Acuity advised Owens Group on their acquisition of Celtic Couriers, a reputable family-run business that operates the APC parcel network and Fortec pallet network in South-West Wales. Corporate Partner Phil Pugh said: “Owens Group is a fantastic client and we are very pleased to see its continued growth. The Celtic Couriers business is a great complement to the existing business and we enjoyed working with the team on another successful acquisition.”

Premier Forest Group

Acuity acted as lead legal advisers to Premier Forest Group on the disposal of its Irish subsidiary, Premier Forest ROI Limited. Rachelle Sellek, Partner, commented “Premier Forest Group has been a long-standing client of Acuity’s and we are delighted to have advised the shareholders on the sale of their Irish business. We believe that this transaction, in the middle of a global pandemic, is a fantastic achievement and we wish the Brooks and Premier Forest groups every success for the future.”

Can we help your business? Speak to our Corporate Team today to discuss your needs.

We are sad to announce the loss of Peter Jones

We are sad to announce the loss of Peter Jones

The Welsh legal community is sad to have lost a highly respected member, with the passing away of Peter Jones on Monday 31 May 2021.

Peter, aged 74, had a long and successful career that started with Peter joining a Swansea firm named Collins Wood and Vaughan Jones. Peter became a partner of that firm in the 1970s. Later the firm merged to form Morgan Bruce, the precursor to the firm that became Morgan Cole and is now Blake Morgan.

In the period to his retirement from Morgan Cole in 2011, Peter established himself as the leading commercial and business lawyer in Swansea and West Wales. With a passion for business and the practice of law, Peter carved an unrivalled reputation for himself and for his firm. Peter headed up the Swansea office of Morgan Cole and was the lead partner for a team of lawyers who were involved in many of the major projects and developments in Swansea.

Peter, was involved in the successful SA1 development and was proud to be its first tenant. His dedication to the development of Swansea and the region, saw him take up the Chairmanship of Swansea Bay Futures and to become Legal Counsel at Swansea University during the period that it successfully developed its Bay Campus.  He successfully mixed his legal work with an active participation in business and this included a period as the Deputy Chairman of the Swansea Building Society. He was also Chairman of Swansea College now Gŵyr College for a period.

Above everything else, Peter recognised the value of building and maintaining business relationships and working to connect people to make deals and projects happen. He had a tremendous network of business contacts, and was renowned for his ability to bring people together. He was proud to be a long serving Deputy Lieutenant for West Glamorgan, a role that reflected his commitment to public service.

In retirement, Peter continued to work as a lawyer joining Hutchinson Thomas in Neath as a Consultant . Prior to his death he was a consultant with Acuity Law where he made a valuable contribution to the firm’s Swansea office. Peter will be sadly missed by all of his former colleagues and clients.

Noise Campaign Against Local Residents In Ongoing Skatepark Expansion Case Criticised

Noise Campaign Against Local Residents In Ongoing Skatepark Expansion Case Criticised

Key Contact: Hugh Hitchcock

An ongoing case challenging plans to expand a skate park in Mumbles has recently sparked an anti-social behaviour campaign against the residents who launched the legal action.

A small group of residents in the Mumbles area of Swansea have taken legal action to oppose a £360,000 project to develop a sea-front skate park.

In retaliation, a campaign involving beeping car horns outside the resident’s homes has been ongoing for a number of days.

The actions of these campaigners have been criticised by both parties as the noise has been reported to continue into the early hours of the morning.

Swansea councillors who represent West Cross and neighbouring Blackpill said it was time for the beeping to stop. West Cross councillor Mark Child said there were “other ways of expressing frustration” and asked people to stop beeping their horns.

Jason Williams, chair of the Mumbles Skate Park Association commented, “We don’t condone it, but it’s brought to the fore the strength of community feeling for the redevelopment.”

Acuity Partner, Hugh Hitchcock, who is representing the residents group has been quoted in a recent article featured in The Times stated: ‘It is unacceptable that one of the seven applicants to this judicial review should be subjected to this appalling campaign of abuse and harassment for exercising their democratic right to challenge the unlawful decision made by Swansea council. We hope Swansea council will now recognise the distress and hurt that has been caused here and unreservedly condemn the despicable behaviour of those who have engaged in these actions.’

For more information on any of the subjects raised in this article, please contact our litigation team.

Community Success As Plans To Convert Local Hotel Are Scrapped

Community Success As Plans To Convert Local Hotel Into A Centre For Female Offenders Are Scrapped

Key Contact: Hugh Hitchcock

Author: Jennifer Butcher

The Ministry of Justice has officially scrapped proposals to use the Atlantic Hotel in Porthcawl as a centre for female offenders.

Acuity acted on behalf of a number of Porthcawl residents, against the Ministry of Justice, who was represented by planning consultants Cushman & Wakefield.

Local resident Mark Davies commented “Many thanks to all at Acuity, I truly believe the fact that we showed we were organised, along with the fast response from Acuity and your unrivalled reputation did truly have a bearing on the final outcome.”

Initial plans to use the hotel as a residential shelter for women convicted of low-level crime was met with great concern in the local community as they had received no prior consultation or notice.

The Atlantic hotel was one of a number of locations in Wales shortlisted for the centre which also included the Sunnyside development in Bridgend, and Willow House in Newport.

Many residents and local politicians were opposed to the plans to use the Porthcawl and Bridgend sites for the service, arguing it would damage the local economy, increase local crime rates and drain public resources.

Council Leader Huw David said he previously contacted the MOJ objecting to both sites being used in Bridgend county borough because it is “absolutely the wrong place” for the service.

“Not only are we already home to South Wales’ largest prison, we also feature Wales’ only youth offending institute and medium-security facilities for people with complex mental health needs,” he stated. “Despite this, the area does not receive the level of additional resource or funding required for delivering the kind of essential support associated with such facilities.”

Jamie Wallis, Conservative MP for Bridgend, also commented he is “pleased that common sense has prevailed in Porthcawl” noting that there was “a lot of anxiety” in the community about this proposal. Wallis added that he is “really grateful” that local councillors, Senedd candidates and residents “came together to help get us the right result”.

Hugh Hitchcock, leading Partner from Acuity’s litigation team said “We are delighted and proud of the outcome in this matter for Porthcawl, its local residents and businesses. It is a testament of the hard work and support from the community, in particular the group led by Mark Davies and local councillor Sean Aspey. We are very grateful for the positive feedback the team received.”

“I am very happy for all of us concerned to see such a positive script. The prompt end result achieved by Acuity, and consequently much lower than expected legal costs, enabled the residents fundraising efforts to make a larger than expected donation to the RNLI and Sea cadets.” – Nigel Evans, Nigel Evans Property Group.

“I will be eternally grateful for you leading us on this with such a good team of solicitors – I think you and I know without them we would have had a different result.” Paula Luke, Luke Properties.

For further details or advice on any topics raised in the article, please contact our litigation team.

Acuity Welcomes Two Key New Members to Growing Firm

Acuity Welcomes Two Key New Members to Growing Firm

This week in Acuity Law, we have been joined by two new colleagues, bringing their expertise to our continuously growing and developing firm. Adele Carter, Chief People Officer said, “I am delighted to welcome these incredibly talented people to Acuity and very much look forward to working with them.”

Read more about our new colleagues below.

Yannick Ramsamy joins our strong employment team as a Senior Associate. He brings with him extensive experience in advising major national and international corporate clients on the full range of issues throughout the employment cycle. Yannick prioritises building strong relationships with clients and focuses on providing employers with clear and practical advice in order to address their employment law issues. 

yannick.ramsamy@acuitylaw.com

Nicola Wellman joins Acuity as HR Manager. She is a well-experienced HR professional with significant experience within the legal industry and will no doubt be an asset to our firm with her knowledge and professionalism.

nicola.wellman@acuitylaw.com

Are you interested in joining our award-winning, forward-thinking law firm? Visit our Careers page for more information or email Adele Carter to discuss a career at Acuity today.

Emerging Dealmaker of The Year – An Interview with Tom Saunderson

Emerging Dealmaker of The Year – An Interview with Tom Saunderson

Following our recent success at the Insider Media Wales Dealmakers Awards, at which we won Legal Team of The Year and our own Tom Saunderson was crowned Emerging Dealmaker of The Year,  we sat down for a virtual chat with Tom to discuss what this award means to him and his work at Acuity.

Congratulations on your recent award as Emerging Dealmaker of The Year. We are very proud of your achievement, what does this mean to you?

I feel incredibly honoured to receive this award, especially in a field of such talented lawyers, bankers, and corporate financiers. Winning is a huge achievement and I am grateful for the recognition. It is fair to say that I wouldn’t have been in the running if it wasn’t for the trust, support, and guidance that I receive from my amazing team.

What does a corporate lawyer do?

We work with companies and stakeholders to close their deals quickly, efficiently, and on the best possible terms. We also guide businesses through all stages of corporate development, aligning business strategies and growth to minimise risks and maximise returns.

Being a corporate lawyer is so much more than just knowing the law or being good at drafting (those are a given) – you need to understand your client’s business and be prepared to actually offer solutions to their problems (rather than just posing the risks). It sounds clichéd, but it is absolutely key to have an appreciation that the best legal solution isn’t necessarily the best commercial solution.

What type of clients do you work with?

The majority of our clients are SMEs, many of which have been with the firm for a very long time. I regularly work with the likes of Brickability, Admiral, and Newport Wafer Fab, but I’m particularly enthusiastic about my work with start-ups and high-growth companies. There are some real success stories coming out of Wales – Sure Chill, Bond Digital, and AU Vodka to name but a few. Helping those companies grow from strength to strength is really gratifying.

Did you always want to work as a corporate lawyer?

No – I wanted to be a doctor but found myself being steered towards law when it came to picking my A levels. At that point, I also had a preconceived notion about what being a corporate lawyer meant – long hours and demanding clients – and had decided it wasn’t for me. However, I did a seat in corporate during my training contract and, whilst it didn’t really go any way to dispelling those notions, I also worked out that it is incredibly varied, I’m good at it (I think!?) and it is very rewarding (the satisfaction you get from closing a deal isn’t really matched in any other area of law – it is a little bit addictive!).

How do you see the corporate landscape changing over the next 12 months?

In terms of the M&A market, we’ve seen incredibly high levels of activity since September of last year and I can’t see that rebound slowing down any time soon. I envisage a continued acceleration of deal activity over the next 12 months (or at least until the Autumn Statement), supported by a release of pent-up M&A demand from COVID-affected sectors (such as aerospace, energy, real estate, and retail) as business conditions improve with increased vaccinations and relaxation of restrictions.

I also hope to see a return to some semblance of social normality, with people returning to offices, in-person meetings resuming and BD events back again (fingers crossed there are some corporate golf days this year!) but there is no doubt that the last 12 months has permanently changed the way we will work and conduct business. I think we will continue to hear the phrase “you’re on mute” for many years to come.

Acuity would like to thank Tom and the Corporate team for all of their hard work recognised at this year’s Deal Maker Awards and once again offer them our congratulations. If you’d like to work with an award-winning Corporate law firm, contact our Corporate team today to see how we can help your business.

New Colleagues 2021 – January to March

New Colleagues 2021 – January to March

The first three months of 2021 saw Acuity grow its ever-expanding pool of talent within the firm. Adele Carter, Chief People Officer said, “we are delighted with the incredible calibre of knowledge and expertise displayed by our new colleagues.” Meet our newest Acuity colleagues below.

Evangeline O'Dowd, Paralegal at Acuity Law

Paralegal Evangeline O’Dowd joined us in January 2021 from Manhattan-based The Mandel Law Firm. Evangeline has experience assisting with undertaking factual research on technical points of law, maintaining client contact, and drafting legal documentation.

evangeline.o’dowd@acuitylaw.com | +44 (0)7398 223 985

Huw Roffe, Partner at Acuity Law

Huw Roffe is an experienced commercial disputes solicitor who joined us as a Partner in January 2021. He has a strong track record of providing advice within a range of business sectors with particular experience in construction-related disputes.  Huw has experience in both High Court Litigation and Arbitration as well as all forms of Alternative Dispute Resolution. 

huw.roffe@acuitylaw.com | +44 (0)7572 235 818

Henry Clarke, Partner at Acuity Law

In January 2021, Henry Clarke joined Acuity as a Consultant Partner. Henry has worked as general counsel for a growing investment firm in which he dealt with a wide range of corporate, commercial, and finance matters. Henry has a Distinction in his MBA which enables him to provide extra value when advising companies and senior management.

henry.clarke@acuitylaw.com |+44 (0)7980 290 341

Mike Allenby-Smith, Partner at Acuity Law

Mike Allenby-Smith is an experienced commercial litigator who joined us in January 2021 as a Consultant Partner. He specialises in shareholder disputes as well as having advised on construction, property, general contractual, and fraud disputes. He is also experienced in breaches of director’s duties, breaches of warranties, and professional negligence.

mike.allenbysmith@acuitylaw.com | +44 (0)7838 162 164

Cristina Benezet, Associate at Acuity Law

Associate Cristina Benezet joined Acuity in January 2021. She is an experienced commercial lawyer with a demonstrated history of working as an in-house lawyer and in private practice. She is skilled in negotiating and drafting commercial agreements and advising clients on commercial transactions in both English and Spanish law.

cristina.benezet@acuitylaw.com | +44 (0)7583 042 227

Consultant Partner Steven Conybeare is a hands-on entrepreneurial commercial lawyer, who provides a pragmatic and solutions-driven transaction and commercial advisory service. Steven is ranked by Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners for his corporate/M&A work and the latest edition highlights that he is “very practical and business-oriented,” and “his advice is rock solid.”

steven.conybeare@acuitylaw.com | +44 (0)7802 498 404

Katrina McWhinnie joined Acuity as a Consultant Partner in March 2021. She is a qualified Solicitor, Customs Practitioner, and Chartered Manager professional and a strategic thinker adept at adding value and mitigating risk. Katrina has an established track record of helping businesses improve performance, productivity, and operational efficiency using her leadership credibility and values-driven attitude.

katrina.mcwhinnie@acuitylaw.com | +44 (0)7595 024 389

Consultant Partner Gemma Cullis joined us in March 2021. She is a commercial lawyer with specialist experience in intellectual property, advertising and marketing law, and sponsorship law. She has over 20 years of experience in private practice and in-house legal roles including Sky, British Gas and Reynolds Porter Chamberlain.

gemma.cullis@acuitylaw.com | +44 (0)7976 564 235

Saskia Musacchio joined Acuity in March 2021 as a Trainee Solicitor providing support and assistance to the Real Estate Finance team. Prior to joining Acuity, Saskia graduated with a first-class honours degree in English Literature and completed the GDL at the University of Sheffield before attaining a Distinction in the LPC from City, University of London.

saskia.musacchio@acuitylaw.com | +44 (0)7980 563 035

Are you interested in joining Acuity Law? Visit our Careers page for more information or email Adele Carter to discuss a career at Acuity today.

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