Corporate, Commercial & Finance

Our exceptional team of specialist partners and associates provides specialist corporate advice to a wide range of clients, including companies, professional partnerships, directors, founders, investors and lenders who are active in the UK and internationally.

We work with start-ups and established international businesses, covering all their corporate requirements, from sales and acquisitions to structuring their equity, corporate governance to advising on directors’ duties and the terms of joint ventures.

We are ranked in the Legal 500 for Corporate Mergers and Acquisitions under £50m.

We advise on all forms of commercial contracts, from traditional contracts for services to tech, retail and outsourcing agreements to commissioning, broadcast and distribution agreements for film and TV and publishing.

We receive instructions from a broad range of corporate clients requiring standard terms and conditions for their websites, as well as reviewing licensing and supplier agreements and negotiating franchising, procurement and endorsement agreements on their behalf.

We also provide guidance on limitation of liability, data protection, and termination provisions where our clients may be concerned about their obligations or exposure under their existing commercial agreements.

We advise on all aspects of corporate finance, traditional secured asset finance and specialist media and film finance with expertise in securing intellectual property rights.

Our team regularly advises lenders on secured property lending, complex asset-backed structured lending arrangements, including Sharia finance, and also assists borrowers in negotiating terms with mezzanine and senior lenders.

Our clients include banks, property developers, private equity houses, growing businesses, secured lenders, high net worth individuals, media companies and international investors.

We have a unique and leading practice that helps household-name brands build and develop national and international networks. Relying on cross-departmental strength, we act for top restaurant chains, fashion brands, public schools, and retailers of all types, at all stages of brand development.

We also advise companies and public bodies domiciled in Singapore, Denmark, UAE and China, in addition to representing  a number of market-leading organisations based in the UK on cross-border matters.

We have a team of industry experts with significant in-house experience, enabling us to give informed, pragmatic advice. Maninder Gill, head of the department, was previously Legal Director of a publishing powerhouse and a global luxury fashion store. He has niche franchising expertise in the specialist areas of publishing and education sectors, having franchised a number of leading publications and schools.

Partner Natalie Wright has worked alongside retail clients for over ten years and is especially experienced in the beauty industry.

The team are regularly called upon to speak at retail and franchising conferences in the UK and overseas.

“They provide a first class service and assure attention to detail on the finer points of M&A transactions.”
Legal 500, 2021

“Peter Weiss – the partner and visionary behind a first-class team of associates and juniors. Without his inspiration, we would not have been as well looked after.”
Legal 500, 2021 

“The team has a very strong franchises background in different countries.”
Legal 500, 2020

“The firm has knowledge in the targeted country, and is cost effective and always very quick in its reactions.”
Legal 500, 2020

“Extremely friendly, approachable and razor-sharp.”
Legal 500, 2020

“The firm’s knowledge of today’s complex media market is second to none.”
Legal 500, 2020

“A very serious firm that delivers results.”
Legal 500,2020

“Provides ‘excellent support’ and leaves clients ‘exceptionally happy’.”
Legal 500, 2018

“Very clear communication, are quick to respond and are available when I need them.”
Chambers & Partners, 2019