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.

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 12^th 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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.