Tax on transactions

Tax rules are becoming increasingly complex.

The need for expert tax advice has never been greater in both domestic and cross-border commercial and corporate transactions.

We work closely with our colleagues across the firm to provide pragmatic high-quality tax advice tailored to each client’s needs and circumstances.

Our tax team is involved early in the transactional process to ensure that efficient tax structures are put in place and liabilities are minimised, whilst also ensuring that the transaction documentation adequately protects our clients against unexpected tax liabilities.

Our clients range from listed companies to owner managed businesses and entrepreneurs.

Where necessary, we are happy to work alongside existing external or overseas advisors, and we have access to a wide international network should non-UK tax advice be required.

Tax on transactions experience

• Advised TSX-listed Constellation Software and its Volaris, Vela, Jonas, Harris, Perseus and TSS operating groups on numerous UK acquisitions of vertical market software companies.

• Advised the main shareholders of the cinema and film distribution group, Curzon, on the sale to USA based, Cohen Media Group.

• Advised NYSE-listed Rollins Inc on its acquisitions of Van Vynck Environmental Services and Albany Environmental Services.

• Advised a market leader in food to go packaging in relation to the refinancing of a convertible bond held by a private equity firm, in particular advising on the capital restructuring, including in relation to existing and new equity incentive structures to be put in place for senior management and the tax impact on other shareholders.

• Advised the Ticketer senior management team and Corvia Limited on a substantial investment by Tenzing Private Equity.

• Advised Trustbridge Global Media, owned by international private equity firm Trustbridge Partners, on its landmark acquisition of the children’s book publisher Walker Books Limited. The complex transaction involved the acquisition of the majority shareholding in Walker Books from two discretionary trusts which held the shares for the benefit of employees and authors, and the acquisition of the remaining shares from over 300 employees and authors who held shares either directly or through the Walker Books’ share incentive plan.

• Advised the shareholders and management of regulatory infrastructure provider Lawson Conner on the £48 million sale of the business to Astorg private equity.

• Advised the management team of fintech business, Risk First Group, on its sale to USA-based Moody’s Analytics.

• Advised the shareholders of Adam Phones on the sale of the company’s entire issued share capital to Radius Payment Solutions, a leading independent service provider to the fleet and logistics market.

• Advised DirectaPlus, the AIM quoted producer and supplier of graphene-based products for use in consumer and industrial markets, in relation to its EIS and VCT status and making appropriate advance assurance applications to HMRC.