Our business services group provides a comprehensive advisory service for businesses and professional practices of all sizes.

The team draws on the specialist talent and experience of lawyers from different legal disciplines to provide a complete legal service for your business at highly competitive rates. Our advice is commercial, practical and clear and is provided in a friendly manner by lawyers with considerable cross industry and sector experience.

Typical work covered

Corporate law: business formation, acquisitions & disposals, MBO/MBI, fund raising & financing, reorganisations, shareholder agreements, director appointments and removals, partnerships and LLPs. Malcolm Sadler heads the corporate team and is the main contact for corporate advice.

Commercial law: commercial contracts, distribution, agency, franchising, joint ventures and other 'channel to market' arrangements. Rachel McCullough has a broad range of experience and is the main contact for commercial matters.

Intellectual property: advice on IT and software contracts, web-related matters and all aspects of the commercialisation process for a range of intellectual property assets including patents, copyright material, software, databases, trademarks and designs for commercial and third-sector clients. Stephen Brett has a broad range of experience, having worked for clients in the IT, healthcare and publishing sectors. He has particular expertise in the academic and technology transfer field.

Property & real estate: acquisition & disposals, business leases, sales & lettings, development schemes, secured lending, options, planning and environmental issues acting for landlords, tenants and developers. Adrian White specialises in property development work and is the principal contact in the team.

Dispute resolution: commercial contracts, sales of goods & services & other business disputes, insurance, professional negligence, debt recovery, insolvency, mediation & alternative dispute resolution. Andrew Crocombe heads and is the contact for litigation and dispute resolution advice.

Employment: HR advice & documentation, dismissals & redundancies, discrimination, tribunal and other claims, severance agreements, TUPE, outsourcing, health & safety, share & EMI schemes. James Simpson heads the employment team.

Accidents and workplace safety: specialists in personal injury litigation, we have substantial experienceof dealing with the whole range of claims, from large 'disease' cases to the smallest 'recovery' claims. We also represent companies and individuals under investigation or facing prosecution by the HSE or other regulatory authorities. Mary Duncan, head of personal injury, is the contact for accident and workplace safety advice.

Types of businesses we help

We advise businesses of all sizes from small start-ups and family concerns, professional practices through to listed and complex international concerns.

Sectors

We have clients in all sectors but we have particular expertise in:

• Agricultural
• Automotive and transport
• Education and publishing
• Financial services
• Healthcare & pharmaceuticals
• Hospitality & leisure
• Technology & IP
• Academic and technology transfer

Professional practices

We have a considerable reputation for acting for professional practices particularly in relation to partnership and LLP advice, commercial terms and insurance matters and so can advise professionals with specialist advice on all their needs.

To discuss how we can help your business and the services we offer please call James Simpson on 01865 781000, or email.

The business services group also runs workshops, seminars and directors briefings on a variety of commercial subjects so if you would like to be invited to one of our seminars or would like to discuss specialist training for your business, please call James on 01865 781000.