Sector Focus
Law firm supports major acquisition
The East Midlands corporate team at law firm Shakespeare Martineau played a key role in the multimillion-pound acquisition of a financial coaching business. It supported Adam Price, the
founder of financial planning firm Hatch Financial Planning, throughout the takeover by Octopus Group on all its legal aspects. Hatch, which works with the likes
of MoneySuperMarket, Sony Interactive Entertainment, Epson, and Experian in offering affordable expert financial coaching, will rebrand to Octopus Moneycoach. Ambitious plans are in place to
grow the business from 30 to 200 employees over the next two years and to bring financial coaching to the mass market, with both AI and human advice services available to customers. Partnering with other established financial advice businesses already housed within the Octopus Group – one of the UK’s fastest growing financial services companies – Octopus Moneycoach will focus on offering financial coaching and planning to the employees of businesses looking to further support their
workforce. Shakespeare
Martineau Corporate Partner Michael Squirrell (pictured), who led the legal support team, said: “It was a pleasure to act for Adam on the sale, playing our small part in this important step forward on Hatch’s mission. “The creation of Octopus
Moneycoach to complement Octopus’s existing financial services businesses is the perfect next stage for Hatch.” Adam Price, founder and CEO of
London-based Hatch, added: “I am hugely grateful to Michael and the rest of the corporate team at Shakespeare Martineau, whose expertise and guidance made the acquisition as smooth as possible.”
64 CHAMBERconnect Spring 2021
Family lawyers welcome vouchers for mediation
couples to access mediation. Vouchers are now being offered by the Ministry
F
of Justice, up to the value of £500, for participants in family mediation who are not eligible for legal aid. Dawn Lowry, a family law expert at
amily law experts at Sheffield’s Taylor&Emmet LLP are welcoming the introduction of a new voucher scheme that will enable more local
would be sufficient to resolve the issues. The Family Mediation Council has been allocated
‘The
Taylor&Emmet’s Rotherham office and qualified Mediator, said: “There are huge delays in the family courts at present, so the introduction of mediation vouchers is a boost for separating couples wishing to move on with their lives. Not only will they save money, but they will also have the opportunity to reach a settlement that works for them, in a less stressful and confrontational environment.” Free mediation is available to individuals who
introduction of mediation vouchers is a boost for
separating couples’
qualify for legal aid, however, if their partner is funding the mediation privately, they are responsible for their fees from the second session onwards, which can cause disengagement. Using the voucher scheme, the private client can access additional funding, allowing them to continue with the process. In some circumstances, this may mean another two or three mediation sessions can be undertaken before payment is required and, in many cases, this
£1m to administer the Mediation Voucher Scheme, in a bid to reduce the costs of separation and keep couples out of the courts. Vouchers will be granted to participants in pre-mediation meetings (MIAMs) and paid directly to mediators registered with the scheme. Dawn added: “The average
legal fees associated with taking children proceedings to court range from £3,000 to £5,000, depending on their complexity. Mediation was already a cost- effective alternative for separating
couples willing to enter into meaningful discussions about the future of their family, but the new
voucher scheme will significantly reduce the
costs further and we urge private clients to give it serious consideration.” In cases where both parties are funding a
separation privately, MIAMs would be payable at £108 each, before the voucher could be applied. This should then fund two sessions, or one longer meeting, as required.
Call: 0114 218 4000 Visit:
www.tayloremmet.co.uk
L-R: Michaela Heathcote and Dawn Lowry of Taylor&Emmet
The latest news from Sheffield City Region businesses operating in the Legal, Corporate Hospitality, Finance and Skills & Training sectors.
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