42 corporate finance
Relationships at the heart of Herrington & Carmichael’s success
As the economy continues to slowly improve, 2014 is set to be a year of change for the corporate world, writes Alison Dewar of The Business Magazine
Confident businesses will be looking at new investment opportunities and acquisitions and setting their project priorities, and a key component of success is ensuring you are working with the right partners.
With offices in Wokingham and Camberley, legal firm Herrington & Carmichael is well placed to provide tailored support for businesses across the Thames Valley and the Blackwater Valley.
Its recently expanded corporate and commercial department, led by partner Yavan Brar, not only has in-depth experience, but also top level insight from the commercial world, thanks to fellow lawyer Mark Chapman, who previously worked as legal counsel at Acromas (which owns and operates the AA, Saga and BSM Brands), as well as EMEIA legal counsel at Apple.
Herrington & Carmichael’s core focus is on owner-managed businesses, and it prides itself on providing value for money combined with a partnership approach.
“We see ourselves as relationship lawyers, being proactive with clients. Talking to them early on in the planning stages about their requirements is really important to the way we work,” said Brar. “Of course that relationship needs to be backed up with having the requisite skills and our firm has invested heavily in getting these skills.
“For example, if a client is looking at an acquisition, wants to invest in new technology or is keen to move into different jurisdictions, it all starts with getting the money in place. Fundraising is a particular area of expertise for us; we can provide valuable input and ideas on solutions involving both mainstream lenders, private equity funders and alternative sources of finance. We also work with an excellent network of contacts who can assist with business planning.”
Ensuring long-term partnerships is important, as evidenced by the fact that Herrington & Carmichael has seen a number of clients through from original
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Described as a “business specialist” and “excellent dealmaker and strong networker” in The Legal 500, recent projects he has been involved in include setting up a national franchise network for a financial services business; a group restructuring for an AIM-listed company; and advising on the sale of a controlling interest in an online retailer and subsequent joint venture agreement, in a deal worth £120 million.
While Brar’s own expertise has a particular focus on transactional work, corporate restructuring, banking and intellectual property matters, colleague Mark Chapman brings an added dimension from the commercial world.
“Mark’s high-level expertise, especially in the financial services sector, is extremely valuable and it’s quite unusual for a team of our size to have such an in-depth skill set,” concluded Brar.
“It helps us deliver very high quality transactional work for clients and we also often undertake project work to support some of the large organisations with their commercial work, acting as a cost-effective overflow for in-house legal teams.”
Alex Canham offers an additional service in the form of intellectual property advice - having worked with the legal department of a major US software house, Canham has a sound understanding of copyright and software licensing matters.
Yavan Brar, partner
incorporation right up to the point of flotation and beyond.
Brar says the team specialises in “extremely complex” corporate and commercial work, often effectively undertaking legal assistance in the fundraising requirements for clients, helping identify on-going strategies as well as handling more pressing issues.
“For us, it’s not simply about dealing with the immediate problem but understanding how they make their money and helping them to be more efficient in the longer term,” he continued. “Learning about a client’s business means you are in a much better place when it comes to articulating solutions for them.”
It’s clearly a strategy which works. During the firm’s last financial year the corporate and commercial department saw a 33% increase in business, which had grown 27% the previous year.
added to its skills base with the arrival of solicitor, Emma Morris who joined from Virgin Media, and trainee Matthew Lea.
Brar says much of the increase in corporate work has been due to continuing growth in the mergers and acquisitions and MBO markets.
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – DECEMBER13/JANUARY14
Part of the relationship focus is on ensuring the client leaves feeling satisfied with not only the advice but also with the experience. One approach in the M&A field is the investment into IT with Michelle Lamberth, the team’s company secretarial specialist, running multiple online datarooms enabling the client to view the progress being made.
It is this level of investment in relationships which has been key to the team’s growth and success.
Details: Yavan Brar 0118-9774045
yavan.brar@
herrington-carmichael.com www.herrington-carmichael.com
It has also recently
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