Europe team

Our lawyers have decades of experience working across European borders and supporting clients wherever they go. Whether a company or individual’s concerns are limited to a single country or include several jurisdictions, we can help. From corporate deals to complex regulatory challenges we support our clients across the European continent.

We act for companies operating in Europe looking to establish or further their operations in the UK, as well as support our UK and international client base in Europe, providing them with the legal expertise to achieve their business objectives.

Following Brexit, companies are faced with the rapidly changing regulatory environment both in the UK and the EU. Our lawyers have significant expertise advising clients from start-ups to long established companies on the relevant European and UK regulations. Our expertise stetches from data protection and privacy to financial services and travel law as we support our clients in the sectors that will be most affected by regulatory divergence. Our IP team also has a strong track record advising on brand protection in the UK, EU and national EU territories including co-ordinating infringement disputes.

With the new immigration rules in the UK beginning to take effect, we continue to build on our strong track record of providing immigration and employment advice to European companies and individuals looking to move to the UK.

Our wider international strategy of fostering relationships with like-minded lawyers in key jurisdictions has allowed us to continue to provide our clients with high quality service wherever they do business. Our dedicated teams for countries such as Switzerland, Germany and France deepen our knowledge of these jurisdictions and foster our relationships with key legal and business professionals.

This is solidified by our membership of the International Association of Lawyers which includes legal experts from across the continent and through active and significant involvement with the IBA. We also host and attend conference events with European contacts which includes our well renowned Pre-Moot, regularly attended by teams from the leading European universities as well as worldwide.

Europe team experience

• Advised German-headquartered international venture capital firm yabeo on its investment in digital mortgage lender Molo as part of a £266m debt and equity funding. The capital raise comes after a first tranche of £10m for the Series A round on which Fox Williams also advised yabeo. The investment was led by Macquarie and Patron Capital, a pan-European institutional investor focused on property-backed investments.

• Advised LHV Pank, an Estonian bank, on its investment in Commercial & Northern Limited. Fox Williams advised on PRA “change of control” issues and regulatory due diligence. Our corporate team also advised on related corporate and commercial matters.

• Advised one of the world’s largest travel companies on all of its travel regulatory matters in the UK and Europe. We advised on obtaining an ATOL from the Civil Aviation Authority, so that it can start selling flights in the UK. We have also helped our client comply with similar European legislation concerning its sale of flights in Europe.

• Advising a well-known Spanish bank on immigration issues arising for an EU headquartered bank and its UK branch, obtaining a sponsor licence, advising on the employment contract issues including the transfer to the UK of non-UK nationals, advising on Brexit related repercussions and new immigration rules.

• Advised £16 billion market cap Telia Company AB (Sweden’s largest telecoms company) as majority shareholder, as well as the other shareholders of Springworks AB on the sale of their connected-car technology business to Tantalum Corporation, a UK connected car technology company, for £16.2 million.

• We manage and give strategic advice to Glanbia on its brand protection in the UK, EU and national EU territories. We are coordinating trade mark infringement disputes in these jurisdictions where third parties have filed identical or similar marks. Such actions are of key importance for Glanbia’s brand protection. A highlight is our advice and coordination of anti-counterfeiting and cross border actions in Poland and Slovakia. As a result, the instances of counterfeits decreased. This was important for Glanbia’s business in Eastern Europe.

• Working on the client’s international Merchant Agreement for online shopping. The matter is important as it is crucial to the operation of the company, based in LA and the operator of several shopping websites, and is required to be compliant with UK and EU data privacy laws. We have been advising on the terms of the agreement and relevant privacy issues.

• Graziani has been manufacturing candles and accessories in Italy for over 200 years. It is a supplier to a major European supermarket. We have advised Graziani on a supply agreement with the leading British multinational consumer goods company.

• Advised on PXG’s B2B distributorship arrangements in the EU following the end of the Brexit transition period, including advising on the applicability of tariffs to PXG’s products after this time pursuant to the rules of origin requirements set out in the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

• Defending a €65m claim brought against our clients by KMG International NV arising out of the alleged fraudulent dissipation of the shares in a German automotive company and their eventual sale to Laird plc. The claimant alleged fraud under Dutch law against KMG.

• Advised the investment arm of a worldwide German liqueur company in relation to its investment in an energy solutions company, as part of a pre-Series A funding round. The transaction was the client’s first UK investment.