Commerciality is our lawyers’ defining factor. It runs through every piece of advice we offer our clients and underpins the relationships we build with them. Our expertise focuses all aspects of law, supported by a range of full-services practice areas such as corporate, tax, employment, real estate and private wealth.
- All Services
- Banking & Finance
- Charity & Not for Profit
- Commercial
- Competition
- Construction & Engineering
- Corporate
- Data Protection
- Debt Capital Markets
- Employment
- Energy – Oil, Gas & Power
- Energy – Renewables & Energy Transition
- Equity Capital Markets
- ESG
- Immigration
- Infrastructure & PPP Projects
- Insurance & Reinsurance
- Intellectual Property
- Litigation & Dispute Resolution
- Mergers & Acquisitions
- Partnerships
- Private Client Work
- Private Equity Real Estate
- Real Estate
- Regulatory
- Restructuring
- Technology, Media & Telecoms
- Tax
- Venture Capital & Private Equity
Banking & Finance
Our banking and finance lawyers act for lenders and borrowers on a variety of secured and unsecured financing transactions from straightforward senior lending through to mezzanine debt and convertible loan notes. Traditionally firms have treated some of this work as commoditised and largely pushed it down to junior lawyers, but we believe that this led to documentation being found wanting when the financial crisis hit in 2008 and that partner-level attention is never out of place in financing transactions.
Particular areas of expertise include:
- real estate finance: acting on property development and investment financings, including lending against single assets and portfolios of commercial projects (including hotels, pubs and other leisure facilities) and on urban regeneration and mixed-use projects.
- acquisition finance and structured finance: acting for corporate borrowers, senior/mezzanine lenders and hedge fund/other alternative lenders in relation to pre-IPO financings, advising issuers on bond and note listings and management buy-out/buy-in teams and private equity backers on all aspects of acquisition finance.
- project finance including PFI/PPP: acting on the financing of domestic and international infrastructure including projects in the rail, telecoms, water, natural resources, energy, waste, health and education sectors.
The team regularly advises leading domestic and overseas lenders on the taking of security over UK assets and the related intercreditor arrangements. We also co-ordinate the taking of security across multiple jurisdictions.
For more information about our expertise in banking and debt finance please contact Wayne Rapozo.
Related Lawyers
Banking and Finance
Our banking and finance lawyers act for lenders and borrowers on a variety of secured and unsecured financing transactions from straightforward senior lending through to mezzanine debt and convertible loan notes. Traditionally firms have treated some of this work as commoditised and largely pushed it down to junior lawyers, but we believe that this led to documentation being found wanting when the financial crisis hit in 2008 and that partner-level attention is never out of place in financing transactions.
Particular areas of expertise include:
- real estate finance: acting on property development and investment financings, including lending against single assets and portfolios of commercial projects (including hotels, pubs and other leisure facilities) and on urban regeneration and mixed-use projects.
- acquisition finance and structured finance: acting for corporate borrowers, senior/mezzanine lenders and hedge fund/other alternative lenders in relation to pre-IPO financings, advising issuers on bond and note listings and management buy-out/buy-in teams and private equity backers on all aspects of acquisition finance.
- project finance including PFI/PPP: acting on the financing of domestic and international infrastructure including projects in the rail, telecoms, water, natural resources, energy, waste, health and education sectors.
The team regularly advises leading domestic and overseas lenders on the taking of security over UK assets and the related intercreditor arrangements. We also co-ordinate the taking of security across multiple jurisdictions.
For more information about our expertise in banking and debt finance please contact Wayne Rapozo.
Related Lawyers
Charity & Not for Profit
Charities, not for profit and social enterprises have a number of unique elements, whilst also needing legal support in the same way as any other business. We recognise the difference between those unique elements and the more commonplace and use our specialist knowledge to provide advice to a wide range of charities in respect of all of the legal issues that they face. Many of our partners serve as charity trustees themselves and we understand from both sides of the fence the challenges, opportunities and problems charities encounter.
We advise organisations with all types of legal structure, pursuing a diverse range of causes. These include grant-makers, benevolent funds, Royal Charter bodies, livery company charities, “in house” charities of businesses, public sector services and UK and international cross border charities. Causes range from social care, medical, scientific research, almshouses, community organisations, arts, cultural and heritage, education, independent schools, sports and recreation, military, religion, the environment and animal welfare.
The myriad of organisations providing support and services to charities, such as fundraisers, landlords and donors, also seek our in-depth and specialist knowledge.
We advise on everything charities face in their lifetimes, from formation through to winding up. Our charities team has seen and advised on the day to day issues faced by charities, and those working with charities, as well as those tricky, complex and unusual matters which only arise once in a generation. Some examples of our work are:
Governance, Constitution and Formation
We advise on all aspects of governance of charities, from the formation of new charities, through to the interpretation and amendment of existing constitutions, mergers, collaborative working and restructuring and best practice on running charities. Where the approval or engagement of regulatory bodies, such as the Charity Commission or the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, is required, we advise on the process and liaise with the relevant bodies.
We provide training for trustees on their duties and responsibilities, both statutory and common law, a clear understanding of which is essential to the smooth and legal operation of a corporate or trust charity.
We are also experienced in advising charities responding to statutory enquiries and dealing with appeals to the Charities Tribunal process (our team has appeared several times before both the First Tier Tribunal and the Appellate Tribunal).
Ensuring that public benefit obligations are met is fundamental for trustees and we assist them in navigating the complexities of the legislation and statutory guidance.
Fundraising
Fundraising is a very wide and intricate area covering issues from fundraising events to statutory fundraising such as commercial participation, professional fundraising (including street and house-to-house collections) and lotteries. However it does not end here, as it also encompasses the rules relating to collection tins, film placement, individual donations, sponsorship and corporate partnerships.
We advise charities, those organisations supporting charities and those proving fundraising services on these issues, ensuring that effective and compliant systems are developed to maximise the funds raised.
Trust Matters
Charities and donors face many complicated trust issues, sometimes dating back many decades or even centuries. These may relate to restricted donations, the use of permanent endowment property and investments and the application of income. We are experienced in advising on all such matters, as well as those arising from potential breaches of trust by trustees and the operation of unincorporated charities.
Businesses and Employers with In-house Charities
Many organisations manage their corporate social responsibility obligations through “in house” or linked charities. Such organisations face difficulties relating to the potential conflict of interests arising from their close relationship with their main funder. We have extensive experience of balancing these conflicting obligations and requirements and maintaining the charity’s independence, whilst meeting the requirements of the funder and managing the close relationships between the two.
Lifetime Philanthropy and Legacies
The culture of philanthropy remains strong in the UK despite the pressures on the economy over recent years. We assist and advise on all aspects of the philanthropic process, ensuring that philanthropists can meet their own requirements in respect of the process without fettering the discretion of trustees and undermining the gift being made.
Legacy income may be an occasional windfall or a significant funding stream, depending on the charity. We are experienced in advising on legacy literature and materials, as well as all aspects of legacy receipt, including where conditions apply or contentious matters arise.
Real Estate
Dealing with charity land, whether as a charity or a third party, can be convoluted because of the many related legal requirements, such as the need for specialist advice for trustees when selling real estate to the obligations on purchasers to ensure that matters have been effectively managed.
Research and Publication
A particular area of interest to McCarthy Denning is that of scientific and related research. There are many complexities between the need to protect and develop the intellectual property in research, whilst ensuring that knowledge is disseminated to meet public benefit objectives.
Our intellectual property team is experienced in advising not only on the protection of intellectual property, but on achieving a balance between protection and publication. This can involve dissemination of confidential information along with the management of trade mark and patent portfolios, as well as the management of free information resources.
Tax
The Corporation Tax Act and the Income and Corporation Taxes Act make special provisions for charities in a wide range of areas from income to investment and spending. We are adept at taking charities through the HMRC registration process and to provide tax advice on all areas of a charities operations.
For more information about our expertise in charity and not for profit please contact Benjamin James.
Charity and Not for Profit
Charities, not for profit and social enterprises have a number of unique elements, whilst also needing legal support in the same way as any other business. We recognise the difference between those unique elements and the more commonplace and use our specialist knowledge to provide advice to a wide range of charities in respect of all of the legal issues that they face. Many of our partners serve as charity trustees themselves and we understand from both sides of the fence the challenges, opportunities and problems charities encounter.
We advise organisations with all types of legal structure, pursuing a diverse range of causes. These include grant-makers, benevolent funds, Royal Charter bodies, livery company charities, “in house” charities of businesses, public sector services and UK and international cross border charities. Causes range from social care, medical, scientific research, almshouses, community organisations, arts, cultural and heritage, education, independent schools, sports and recreation, military, religion, the environment and animal welfare.
The myriad of organisations providing support and services to charities, such as fundraisers, landlords and donors, also seek our in-depth and specialist knowledge.
We advise on everything charities face in their lifetimes, from formation through to winding up. Our charities team has seen and advised on the day to day issues faced by charities, and those working with charities, as well as those tricky, complex and unusual matters which only arise once in a generation. Some examples of our work are:
Governance, Constitution and Formation
We advise on all aspects of governance of charities, from the formation of new charities, through to the interpretation and amendment of existing constitutions, mergers, collaborative working and restructuring and best practice on running charities. Where the approval or engagement of regulatory bodies, such as the Charity Commission or the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, is required, we advise on the process and liaise with the relevant bodies.
We provide training for trustees on their duties and responsibilities, both statutory and common law, a clear understanding of which is essential to the smooth and legal operation of a corporate or trust charity.
We are also experienced in advising charities responding to statutory enquiries and dealing with appeals to the Charities Tribunal process (our team has appeared several times before both the First Tier Tribunal and the Appellate Tribunal).
Ensuring that public benefit obligations are met is fundamental for trustees and we assist them in navigating the complexities of the legislation and statutory guidance.
Fundraising
Fundraising is a very wide and intricate area covering issues from fundraising events to statutory fundraising such as commercial participation, professional fundraising (including street and house-to-house collections) and lotteries. However it does not end here, as it also encompasses the rules relating to collection tins, film placement, individual donations, sponsorship and corporate partnerships.
We advise charities, those organisations supporting charities and those proving fundraising services on these issues, ensuring that effective and compliant systems are developed to maximise the funds raised.
Trust Matters
Charities and donors face many complicated trust issues, sometimes dating back many decades or even centuries. These may relate to restricted donations, the use of permanent endowment property and investments and the application of income. We are experienced in advising on all such matters, as well as those arising from potential breaches of trust by trustees and the operation of unincorporated charities.
Businesses and Employers with In-house Charities
Many organisations manage their corporate social responsibility obligations through “in house” or linked charities. Such organisations face difficulties relating to the potential conflict of interests arising from their close relationship with their main funder. We have extensive experience of balancing these conflicting obligations and requirements and maintaining the charity’s independence, whilst meeting the requirements of the funder and managing the close relationships between the two.
Lifetime Philanthropy and Legacies
The culture of philanthropy remains strong in the UK despite the pressures on the economy over recent years. We assist and advise on all aspects of the philanthropic process, ensuring that philanthropists can meet their own requirements in respect of the process without fettering the discretion of trustees and undermining the gift being made.
Legacy income may be an occasional windfall or a significant funding stream, depending on the charity. We are experienced in advising on legacy literature and materials, as well as all aspects of legacy receipt, including where conditions apply or contentious matters arise.
Real Estate
Dealing with charity land, whether as a charity or a third party, can be convoluted because of the many related legal requirements, such as the need for specialist advice for trustees when selling real estate to the obligations on purchasers to ensure that matters have been effectively managed.
Research and Publication
A particular area of interest to McCarthy Denning is that of scientific and related research. There are many complexities between the need to protect and develop the intellectual property in research, whilst ensuring that knowledge is disseminated to meet public benefit objectives.
Our intellectual property team is experienced in advising not only on the protection of intellectual property, but on achieving a balance between protection and publication. This can involve dissemination of confidential information along with the management of trade mark and patent portfolios, as well as the management of free information resources.
Tax
The Corporation Tax Act and the Income and Corporation Taxes Act make special provisions for charities in a wide range of areas from income to investment and spending. We are adept at taking charities through the HMRC registration process and to provide tax advice on all areas of a charities operations.
For more information about our expertise in charity and not for profit please contact Benjamin James.
Commercial
A wide range of advisory and contract services fall under the general banner “commercial”. Generally we consider this to relate to commercial contracts and assisting you with an understanding of the legal implications of your commercial relationships and arrangements. We advise on both tradition agreements and e-commerce agreements.
The advice that we give brings together many legal disciplines so that holistic advice can be provided on the full relationship. This includes employment, intellectual property, public law, litigation and projects. We provide our advice to individuals, companies, charities, trusts and partnerships.
We advise on a full range of commercial contracts, advising everyone from entrepreneurs to multi-nationals, financial service institutions to individuals and charities. We draft complex bespoke contracts as well as advising on the implications of standard documents. We also prepare template agreements for use by clients on a regular basis, these include advisory notes and are easy to adapt for different situations.
Examples of agreements which we draft include:
- bespoke agreements;
- standard terms and conditions for the sale and supply of goods and/or services;
- lease agreements;
- procurement agreements;
- joint venture and collaboration agreements;
- partnership and shareholders agreements;
- website, software and hosting agreement;
- licensing agreements;
- outsourcing agreements;
- agency and distribution agreements
For more information on our expertise in commercial matters please contact Benjamin James.
Related Lawyers
Construction and Engineering
Our construction and engineering lawyers work with clients undertaking a variety of different projects from large regenerations to individual house builds. They have worked with major real estate developers, retailers, luxury hotel chains, energy companies, and public services providers in healthcare, transport and education. One of our lawyers even worked with the Olympic Delivery Authority to help deliver facilities for the London 2012 Games.
Our lawyers have particular expertise with critical infrastructure projects, particularly those projects which require the construction sector to work together with energy, technology and telecommunications. Our lawyers’ work on data centre projects, “smart city” projects and other critical infrastructure has received many accolades. Our team works in the UK and internationally, since contracts are frequently let under English law.
We are not afraid to roll our sleeves up, to understand the construction methodology and the technology being used, in order to identify risks and help our clients to manage them effectively.
For more information about our expertise in construction and engineering please contact Ed Cooke.
Competition
With Julian Maitland-Walker’s long established reputation as an EU & competition law specialist we can boast one of the leading niche UK practices in the field.
Our areas of expertise include the following:
- Anti-competitive practices – we offer advice on EU and UK competition law, covering all aspects of commercial activity including marketing, distribution, franchising, IP licensing, R&D agreements and specialisation.
- Compliance programmes – undertaking competition compliance audits, establishing corporate compliance programmes and providing monitoring and “hotline” advice services.
- Regulatory investigations – the team has considerable experience in handling “dawn raids” and other investigations by regulatory authorities, providing a rapid and effective response when required.
- Mergers & acquisitions – one of the team’s principal activities is advising on the regulatory and filing requirements under EU and UK law with regard to mergers and acquisitions. We offer the complete service from initial advice to the preparation of the required filings and obtaining clearance.
- Leniency – the team is experienced in assisting clients in leniency applications for competition law infringement and the obtaining of immunity from proceedings on behalf of directors and officers.
- Competition/anti-trust litigation – members of the team have unrivalled experience in competition law litigation having acted for both claimants and defendants in competition law litigation. They acted for the claimants in the first case in which damages for infringement of competition law were awarded. They also acted for the claimant in the first ever grant of interim measures by the Office of Fair Trading.
- Trade law – members of the team advise clients on all aspects of international trade.
In addition the team regularly offers advice on:
- state aids and public procurement;
- EC anti-dumping investigations; and
- implementation of EU regulatory provisions under national law.
For more information on our expertise in EU and competition law please contact Julian Maitland-Walker .
Related Lawyers
Debt Capital Markets
Our debt capital markets lawyers cover the whole spectrum of debt capital markets transactions including securitisation, structured debt, regulatory capital, high yield, trusts, structured credit derivatives and Shari’ah compliant capital markets transactions.
We advise both issuers and underwriters and work on innovative “first time” transactions in established and new frontier/emerging markets. Our expertise in debt capital markets products include investment and sub investment grade bonds; MTN programmes, repackaging programmes, asset backed securities (ABS), commercial mortgaged backed securities (CMBS), residential mortgage backed securities (RMBS), conduits, commercial paper programmes and hybrid transactions.
We also provide a London-based US Securities practise which advices on all aspects of US securities laws and regulations.
For more information about our expertise in debt capital markets and US securities laws please contact Wayne James Rapozo.
Construction & Engineering
Our construction and engineering lawyers work with clients undertaking a variety of different projects from large regenerations to individual house builds. They have worked with major real estate developers, retailers, luxury hotel chains, energy companies, and public services providers in healthcare, transport and education. One of our lawyers even worked with the Olympic Delivery Authority to help deliver facilities for the London 2012 Games.
Our lawyers have particular expertise with critical infrastructure projects, particularly those projects which require the construction sector to work together with energy, technology and telecommunications. Our lawyers’ work on data centre projects, “smart city” projects and other critical infrastructure has received many accolades. Our team works in the UK and internationally, since contracts are frequently let under English law.
We are not afraid to roll our sleeves up, to understand the construction methodology and the technology being used, in order to identify risks and help our clients to manage them effectively.
For more information about our expertise in construction and engineering please contact Michel Lequien.
Energy
Our energy practice comprises oil, gas, LNG and power, working in multi-jurisdictional environments and with complex value chains. In oil, gas and LNG, our lawyers have acted across the up, mid and downstream sectors. In the power sector our lawyers have acted variously for sponsors, lenders, fuel suppliers and power offtakers and traders.
Their experience encompasses:
- public offerings, corporate finance and M&A;
- gas and oil exploration and production matters, Licences, PSCs, JOAs, Unitisations, Farm Ins and supply chain management;
- gas and crude oil transportation and processing, crude oil storage and lifting;
- gas liquefaction, maritime transportation, receipt, storage, regasification and system entry, as well as LNG sale and purchase agreements, price reviews and disputes;
- gas transmission, distribution and supply in regulated networks and liberalised markets;
- gas trading and gas sales and master sales agreements in wholesale and hub markets as well as gas sales agreements in end user and power markets;
- gas storage projects, ownership, operation and use of storage facilities;
- the regulation of gas terminals, regasification facilities, storage facilities and transmission and distribution networks;
- international gas transmission and crude oil pipeline projects for sponsors and international gas and crude oil transit for shippers;
- crude oil and refined product sales;
- independent (CCGT) power generation projects, project agreements, gas sale and purchase agreements, secondary fuel purchasing, tolling, power purchases;
- restructuring and privatisation of energy networks;
- financing major energy projects, structured and project finance;
- Dispute resolution, mediation, arbitration and litigation;
- Intellectual property matters;
- multilateral and bi-lateral investment treaties;
- preparation of energy legislation and regulatory instruments; and
- host government agreements, concessions, licences and inter-governmental agreements.
For more information regarding our energy practice, please contact Rafique Khan.
Corporate
As well as our expertise in Equity Capital Markets work, Mergers and Acquisitions and Venture Capital and Private Equity, our corporate lawyers bring their many years of experience to bear in handling a full range of other corporate and commercial matters including:
- joint ventures and shareholder agreements
- reorganisations
- financial services regulation
For more information about our expertise in corporate matters please contact Richard Beresford.
Related Lawyers
Equity Capital Markets
Whether you are launching an IPO, undertaking a secondary fund raising or simply coming to the market, you need senior lawyers who not only know what they are doing, but are willing to use their networks of contacts (including PR agencies, sponsors, nomads, brokers, investor relations specialists and accountants) to help you pull together the right advisory team. Our corporate lawyers will do just that. They act for nomads and brokers as well as companies coming to, or raising money on, markets such as the Official List, AIM or GXG and this has given them a wealth of connections and skills which can be put at your disposal. More often than not these public markets transactions involve an international element with the team’s recent IPO’s involving countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Malta, China and Macau.
For more information about our expertise in equity capital markets please contact Richard Beresford.
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Data Protection
Our Data Protection team can provide their expertise on all aspects of the GDPR and its consequences for businesses. Areas of particular challenge include cross border data transfers in light of Brexit; managing security incidents within the 72 hour window and dealing with DSARs.
McCarthy Denning will help you gain competitive advantage by embracing the GDPR and deliver on your global objectives and strategies whilst travelling through the innumerable differences between jurisdictions which further complicate the data protection sector and you will be supported by the reputable expertise of our top data protection specialists.
Our expertise includes:
- Advising on developing and implementing a data protection strategy reflecting privacy by design and default; and compliance with obligations arising from GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018;
- Assistance with managing data protection breaches and steps to be taken to minimise loss and statutory liabilities including liaison with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) or other Supervisory Authorities;
- Ensuring that data can be transferred internationally in accordance with the limited mandatory security measures prescribed by the Commission;
- Assistance with managing subject access requests and identifying any available Schedule 2 part 4 derogations;
- Advising and handling the prosecution and defence of civil claims arising from data, privacy and confidentiality breaches;
- Advising in relation to ancillary employment issues;
- Advising in relation to ancillary intellectual property issues.
For more information on our expertise in Data Protection matters please contact Louise Marshall
Insurance and Reinsurance
Our insurance and reinsurance team advise businesses from around the world involved in the transfer of risk. Our lawyers have decades of experience in representing insurers, reinsurers, Lloyd’s syndicate, brokers, underwriting agencies, run-off entities and ILS funds in relation to disputes and deals. They have been involved in some of the most complex multijurisdictional disputes and innovative transactions.
Our team prides itself on its commercial approach to issues and seeks to take a strategic view to problem solving to add commercial as well as legal value to the client’s business.
Our lawyers have particular experience in:
- reinsurance arbitration and litigation;
- Bermuda form arbitration;
- recovery of reinsurance debts;
- wording drafting;
- product development;
- alternative risk transfer;
- insurance linked securities;
- insurance and reinsurance brokers;
- underwriting agents;
- run off solutions; and
- regulatory issues.
For more information about our expertise in insurance and reinsurance please contact Clive O’Connell.
Debt Capital Markets
Our debt capital markets lawyers cover the whole spectrum of debt capital markets transactions including securitisation, structured debt, regulatory capital, high yield, trusts, structured credit derivatives and Shari’ah compliant capital markets transactions.
We advise both issuers and underwriters and work on innovative “first time” transactions in established and new frontier/emerging markets. Our expertise in debt capital markets products include investment and sub investment grade bonds; MTN programmes, repackaging programmes, asset backed securities (ABS), commercial mortgaged backed securities (CMBS), residential mortgage backed securities (RMBS), conduits, commercial paper programmes and hybrid transactions.
We also provide a London-based US Securities practise which advices on all aspects of US securities laws and regulations.
For more information about our expertise in debt capital markets and US securities laws please contact Wayne James Rapozo.
Employment
Employment matters go to the heart of most businesses, and getting the best possible advice has to be a priority. Our employment lawyers have several years of experience covering both contentious and non-contentions employment law matters. That experience enables them to guide our clients confidently through the complex arena that employment law represents for many. Our lawyers adopt a pragmatic and commercial approach when advising business clients, and are focused on remaining sympathetic to the wider commercial and managerial concerns of a business, when handling sensitive, employment-related matters. In a traditional firm, employment law work can get pushed down to the more junior lawyers of the department, but, in our view, the employer-employee relationship is a mission-critical aspect of any successful business, which requires the range and depth of experience only available at partner level.
Directors and members of senior management need employment law advice from an experienced lawyer who can grasp the complex and delicate dynamics that can exist at the highest levels of an organisation. Whether you are negotiating the terms of your employment or the termination thereof, our employment specialists can help you achieve your goals in a cost-effective and pragmatic way.
Areas covered by the team include:
- Appointment and dismissal of employees and senior executives
- Negotiating and drafting appointment letters, service and employment agreements
- Consultancy agreements
- Drafting and implementing employment policies and handbooks
- Negotiating and drafting settlement agreements
- Redundancy and termination advice and assistance
- Drafting and advising on restrictive covenants and confidentiality restrictions
- Employment related input on transactional matters, including changing terms of employment and TUPE advice
For more information regarding our employment law practice, please contact James Froud.
Private Client
Our model is specifically designed to assist and support private clients. Access to partner led advice is often essential as the experience built up by our team allows us to provide clear and concise advice quickly in an easily understandable way, no matter the issue which is brought to us.
We have excellent international relationships and can advise on issues which are centred in the UK and also have international implications. We can either refer you for specialist advice in other jurisdictions or work with an international team to provide the necessary solutions. Our international tax team are able to advise on all issues of taxation impacting on UK tax payers.
Often individuals have unique problems on which we will also seek to provide contrastive comment and innovative solutions. However, where there are simple answers we do not seek to reinvent the wheel and provide the simplest means of achieving an aim.
For individuals the main work that we undertake comprises:
- Wills and Codicils;
- Probate and Estate Administration;
- Care of the Elderly including living wills, powers of attorney and lasting powers of attorney; and
- UK and International Tax Planning
In addition, advising on:
- the making of large gifts;
- charitable gifts and philanthropy; and
- creating and administering trusts.
We also advise individuals on commercial agreements, employment, privacy, conveyancing, partnerships and liability issues. Often there is an element of overlap with traditional corporate and commercial services and the only difference is that we are advising individuals rather than companies. The types of agreements for individuals are often different from when advising companies, for example, when an individual employs another person for a specific role, such as a carer.
For more information please contact Benjamin James.
Energy – Oil, Gas & Power
Our energy practice comprises oil, gas, LNG, power and renewables working in multi-jurisdictional environments and with complex value chains. In oil, gas and LNG, our lawyers have acted across the up, mid and downstream sectors. In the power sector our lawyers have acted variously for sponsors, lenders, fuel suppliers and power offtakers and traders. For all Renewables and Energy Transition matters, you can find a dedicated section in the dropdown above.
Their experience encompasses:
- public offerings, corporate finance and M&A;
- gas and oil exploration and production matters, Licences, PSCs, JOAs, Unitisations, Farm Ins and supply chain management;
- gas and crude oil transportation and processing, crude oil storage and lifting;
- gas liquefaction, maritime transportation, receipt, storage, regasification and system entry, as well as LNG sale and purchase agreements, price reviews and disputes;
- gas transmission, distribution and supply in regulated networks and liberalised markets;
- gas trading and gas sales and master sales agreements in wholesale and hub markets as well as gas sales agreements in end user and power markets;
- gas storage projects, ownership, operation and use of storage facilities;
- the regulation of gas terminals, regasification facilities, storage facilities and transmission and distribution networks;
- international gas transmission and crude oil pipeline projects for sponsors and international gas and crude oil transit for shippers;
- crude oil and refined product sales;
- independent (CCGT) power generation projects, project agreements, gas sale and purchase agreements, secondary fuel purchasing, tolling, power purchases;
- restructuring and privatisation of energy networks;
- financing major energy projects, structured and project finance;
- Dispute resolution, mediation, arbitration and litigation;
- Intellectual property matters;
- multilateral and bi-lateral investment treaties;
- preparation of energy legislation and regulatory instruments; and
- host government agreements, concessions, licences and inter-governmental agreements.
Energy – Renewables & Energy Transition
A famous lawyer once said “The Stone Age came to an end not for the lack of stones, and the oil age will end, but not for the lack of oil”. This quote is well known in the energy sectors, and has never been more prescient when we consider energy transition and decarbonisation.
Whilst natural gas and LNG have their place in the transition from hydrocarbons, the oversupply of crude oil, falling demand, and indeed the impact on hydrocarbon demand during the coronavirus pandemic, have affected the appetite for investment in new production serving mature markets. The pandemic itself has accelerated many structural changes in national economies, not least in viewing investment in energy saving and transition technologies as an economic driver for future growth.
Solutions for green economies to meet the challenges of sustainability and climate change will be found in technology and in the market. The approach of national governments and regulators to the technologies required, investment in those technologies and the market will evolve rapidly. In 2021 the United Kingdom hosts COP26, and in the United Kingdom, the Government has set ambitious targets in the pursuit of a net carbon zero future.
At McCarthy Denning, our team of highly experienced Energy, Project, Finance, Corporate, and IP and Technology lawyers have been working in ‘renewables’ for some years. We now look forward to the new technologies and projects which will drive energy transition and decarbonisation.
Please contact Rafique Khan for further information.
Offer
We are a full service City law firm working on a competitive cost basis which can advise project developers, partners, investors, and lenders in the following:
- Renewable energy in all its forms, including on and offshore wind, solar, biomass and waste to energy as well as EV networks and clean technologies.
- Grid connections and operations.
- Energy contract trading.
- Distributed energy storage and power, and the development of new technologies and systems.
- Transport including battery charging, hydrogen (all colours), new engines and transmissions for automotive, aerospace, water transport, logistics and supply solutions.
In energy transition and decarbonisation we can work across:
- Implementing energy efficiency and decarbonisation strategies.
- Project Joint Ventures and Investments.
- Structured and project finance together with Green Funding initiatives.
- Capital markets and listings for the new energy transition companies.
- M&A across the energy transition sectors.
- IP and Technology.
Experience
In recent years our Partners have acted on the following:
- Sale of Chargemaster to BP, now the UK’s leading electric car charging provider
- Funding for flypop, a carbon-neutral low-cost airline.
- Solar power projects in Germany.
- IP and commercial licensing agreements relating to a waste gasification project.
- A wind farm project development in Wales.
- Commercial agreements relating to a facility for testing wind turbines.
- A biomass power plant in the UK.
- Patent licensing relating to the use power generation from biomass.
- IP strategy, IP licences, revenue sharing, and research and development in a new energy storage technology.
- IP licensing in respect of wind turbine technology, and the IP issues relating to a disposal by the licensor
- The acquisition of a wind farm at Hinkley Point.
- The acquisition of a 50% interest in the Scout Moor wind farm.
- The restructuring of the East Anglia offshore wind in joint venture with Vattenfall.
- A major London University on an energy efficiency gain agreement.
- A major US utility on installation of rooftop solar in multiple jurisdictions.
- On a Power Purchase Agreement for a CFD-backed biomass project.
- On OFGEM’s development of the regime for the provision of offshore transmission infrastructure for offshore wind farms and other offshore electricity generation projects.
- Project sponsors on various transactions and projects including: the acquisition and development of a 81 MW wind farm in Wales, Mynydd y Gwynt; the acquisition of, and subsequent development of, the Kesfeld and Kirf wind farms in Germany; the subsequent sale of the Kesfeld and Kirf wind farms; a 30MW wind project in Kobylany, Southeast Poland; joint ventures with EDF Energie Nouvelles for the commercialisation of CETO technology which comprises wave power and desalination; and a waste to energy project in the UK.
- A Specialist renewables fund manager on a potential IPO of renewable energy projects (principally wind) in the UK and continental Europe.
- An investment in Marine Current Turbines, a company set up to invest in wave power.
- Smart meter contracts.
- Smart ports and funding of technologies for smart ports using hydrogen.
- Public/private partnerships funding low carbon projects.
Moreover, we are able to advise on:
- IP protection, commercialisation, and transactions.
- Technology contracts and structuring of technology projects.
- Setting up and administrating investment vehicles and funds.
- Finance and Capital Markets.
- M&A
- Competition and State Aid.
- Dispute Resolution.
- Tax.
- Real Estate
Equity Capital Markets
Whether you are launching an IPO, undertaking a secondary fund raising or simply coming to the market, you need senior lawyers who not only know what they are doing, but are willing to use their networks of contacts (including PR agencies, sponsors, nomads, brokers, investor relations specialists and accountants) to help you pull together the right advisory team. Our corporate lawyers will do just that. They act for nomads and brokers as well as companies coming to, or raising money on, markets such as the Official List, AIM or GXG and this has given them a wealth of connections and skills which can be put at your disposal. More often than not these public markets transactions involve an international element with the team’s recent IPO’s involving countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Malta, China and Macau.
For more information about our expertise in equity capital markets please contact Richard Beresford.
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Venture Capital & Private Equity
Whether you are just starting out in business, going through a high-growth phase or hoping to launch a management buy-out you need advisors who not only have the specialist skills to deal with the myriad of complex legal issues that arise, but who understand the entrepreneurial urge, who “get” where you are coming from. The key members of our corporate team are all entrepreneurs in their own right (having founded, launched or helped finance a number of businesses) or who sit on or chair the boards of entrepreneurial companies. That wealth of experience gives them the insight needed to help you get to where you want to go – it also gives the team the connections (whether they be with financial investors, brokers or potential strategic partners) that will, hopefully, help you raise the funds needed to finance that journey.
As well as acting for start-ups, high-growth businesses and management buy-out and buy-in teams, our corporate lawyers advise venture capitalists and private equity investors. This gives them another invaluable perspective, enabling them to put themselves in the shoes of the other side; to understand the motives and parameters that drive and constrain the counterparty’s approach to negotiating a deal.
For more information about our expertise in venture capital and private equity please contact Richard Beresford.
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ESG
In an era defined by heightened awareness of corporate responsibility, regulatory shifts, and stakeholder expectations, our ESG team stands ready to guide your business towards a resilient and responsible future.
Why ESG Matters:
Environmental, Social, and Governance considerations are no longer optional – they are integral to business success. As global challenges such as climate change, social justice, and ethical governance take centre stage, organizations must proactively address these issues to thrive in a rapidly evolving landscape. Beyond compliance, embracing ESG principles is an opportunity to enhance brand reputation, attract conscientious investors, and foster long-term resilience.
At McCarthy Denning we believe that legal excellence and sustainability go hand in hand. Partner with us to navigate the complex landscape of ESG, ensuring your business not only complies with regulations but also becomes a beacon of responsible business practices.
If you require further information, please contact Safiye Connor: sconnor@mccarthydenning.com
Immigration
Every case and every client has its own specific requirements and we are able to personalise our approach to their immigration needs in accordance with both the client’s timeframe and budget. We have worked with people and organisations in various industries and assisted them with advice surrounding licensing obligations, immigration, prevention of illegal employment and compliance audits.
Our expertise in immigration includes:
- applications for sponsor licences in order to sponsor foreign workers
- advice on their ongoing duties as sponsors to maintain such licenses
- how to set up operations in the UK and on the most efficient ways to transfer employees to the UK business from their international branches
- the duties and obligations of sponsors following a merger or acquisition
- prevention of illegal employment
For further assistance or enquiries, please contact Jay Moghal.
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Infrastructure & PPP Projects
Our Infrastructure and PPP lawyers have broad experience in many jurisdictions but with a particular emphasis on sub-Saharan Africa. As set out below, our lawyers have been involved in critical infrastructure projects with a particular interest in transport infrastructure projects, in addition to the energy sectors. A large proportion of the projects we have been involved in are located in Sub-Saharan Africa have been structured as Public-Private Partnerships, particularly in the transportation, energy and power sectors. We have expertise in handling the preparation of the procurement and bidding processes. We have expertise relating to management and operating contracts, leases, concession agreements and BOTs (Build, Operate Transfer Agreements). We are able to provide advice on the structuring of a project in particular utilising JV and shareholder agreements. We are familiar with full or partial divesture agreements.
Our corporate finance lawyers are able to assist in the financial engineering of these projects. They have expertise in structured finance, project joint ventures and investments. They have good contacts with equity investors and institutional investors and lenders such as Afrinvest and Africa Finance Corporation.
Examples of Projects:
- UK Government – (FCDO) – providing restructuring advice to LICs on the effects Covid-19 is having on mass transportation infrastructure.
- Government of Botswana – National road infrastructure planning plus drafting of primary and secondary legislation.
- Government of Nigeria – Ogun State Community based urban development project Abeokuta (PPP).
- Governments of Nigeria & Benin – Shagamu – Benin Dual Carriageway (PPP)
- Government of Nigeria Lagos – Ibadan Expressway (PPP).
- Government of Nigeria – Murtala Mohammed Airport Road (PPP).
- Government of Nigeria – Onitsha – Enugu Project (PPP).
- Advising FCDO funded “Covid-19 Response & Recovery Transport Research Fund”.
- Gas storage projects.
- Independent (CCGT) power generation projects.
- Government of Nigeria – Desalination plants.
Insurance & Reinsurance
Our insurance and reinsurance team advise businesses from around the world involved in the transfer of risk. Our lawyers have decades of experience in representing insurers, reinsurers, Lloyd’s syndicate, brokers, underwriting agencies, run-off entities and ILS funds in relation to disputes and deals. They have been involved in some of the most complex multijurisdictional disputes and innovative transactions.
Our team prides itself on its commercial approach to issues and seeks to take a strategic view to problem solving to add commercial as well as legal value to the client’s business.
Our lawyers have particular experience in:
- reinsurance arbitration and litigation;
- Bermuda form arbitration;
- recovery of reinsurance debts;
- wording drafting;
- product development;
- alternative risk transfer;
- insurance linked securities;
- insurance and reinsurance brokers;
- underwriting agents;
- run off solutions; and
- regulatory issues.
For more information about our expertise in insurance and reinsurance please contact Clive O’Connell.
Intellectual Property
Intellectual property has ramifications for clients and virtually every sector. With the growing appreciation of these rights, comes an increased demand for expert advice and assistance, both strategic and day to day. Our intellectual property practice advises on all aspects of the law relating to this area and we act for many clients including individuals, corporates and charities.
Intellectual property is one of a business’ most valuable assets. We offer strategic advice about the shape of intellectual property portfolios and provide assistance in securing protection for all types of intellectual property rights, to suit the needs of our clients.
Trade Marks
Whether your trade mark comprises your name, the name of the company, a logo, advertising jingle, the shape of the goods you sell, or any other distinctive sign used to bring customers and clients back to you, it needs careful protection. It is the mark by which you are recognised.
Whether it is an application to protect your trade marks or the maintenance of the portfolio, careful management is needed. We undertake the application process for UK and EU trade marks and operate with agents throughout the world. We are also heavily involved in licensing, ranging from franchising through to charity fundraising.
Sometimes a third party may infringe one of your marks. This may be through the use of an identical or similar mark or by seeking to register an identical or similar mark as a trade mark. We are experienced in opposition proceedings before the trade mark registries to prevent the registration of the infringing marks and in litigation before the courts to the stop the use of infringing marks.
Copyright
Copyright is a property right which arises in original literary, dramatic, musical or artistic works, sound recordings, films and typographical arrangements. The right arises automatically when a new work is created. In the UK, registration is not required and copyright vests in the either the creator or their employer.
We advise on the ownership and protection of copyright and assist with assignments of copyright when the work is created on commission. Use of copyright by third parties under licence can be an important source of revenue for artists, musicians, authors and consultants. We enjoy assisting with licensing and exploitation of copyright in all its forms.
We act for artists, sculptors, musicians, performers and all types of businesses in relation to the development and exploitation of their copyright.
Designs
It is possible to have an unregistered UK design right, a registered UK design right, an unregistered European design right or a registered European design right. Choosing which design right is correct for your needs can be complicated. We seek to make the process as easy as possible and to undertake any relevant registrations for you.
Again assignment and management of portfolios and licensing specific designs for commercial exploitation are areas where we have a great deal of experience.
Patents
When an idea results in a new product or process it may be possible to register this as a patent. Few bright ideas can earn anything for their creator if they are not exploited. It is rare that a formula or process can be kept secret and still generate income. If you are able to obtain a patent you obtain an exclusive right over the creation and can exploit this yourself or licensee to others for a royalty.
Applying for any patent is a highly technical process, requiring knowledge of the relevant technology, as well as the regulations governing the application process. We advise clients on the protection of their ideas and work with specialists in a wide range of fields to assist our clients through the application process.
Most of our work relates to strategic protection of ideas and confidential information and the exploitation of rights held. And we work with a number of patent agents on the patent application process. We also routinely work on agreements between inventors and employers and prosecuting or defending infringement.
Domain names
Management of domain names is a more recent development for intellectual property lawyers. Protecting your name in the virtual world is as important as in the physical world. Developing a domain name strategy is important, not only to protect your name, but ensure that cost are properly managed.
As the number of top level domain names increases it is virtually impossible to own every possible variation of your name. Further, all that is needed is a change of one letter to create a completely different domain name or the inclusion of a word such as “sucks” to create a new domain that would be harmful to your reputation.
We assist with cost effective strategies to protect your domains and if an attack happens we are there to help. Whether this is to take proceedings to wrestle a domain name from a squatter or an injunction to prevent defamation.
Branding
The development of a brand is vital for every organisation. Often this is a combination of developing copyrights and trade marks along with the overall look and feel of your products and services. To ensure that you are not infringing anyone’s rights clearance searches are often required. We assist with all aspects of brand development and the protection of new brands.
We act for both consultants developing brands and clients using new brands, ensuring that rights are held by the correct entity and that development agreements cover all the necessary requirements. If an infringement occurs we take all necessary action to protect the brand.
For more information regarding our intellectual property practice, please contact Benjamin James.
Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Our litigation and dispute resolution team members are highly rated – The Legal 500 describes them as “outstanding“.
Our primary concern is to resolve disputes as quickly and advantageously as possible, always weighing the possible outcomes against the costs and risks of litigation. We represent clients in both the High Court and County Court, but are equally willing to use Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanisms such as mediation to achieve the best solution. The litigation and dispute resolution team works closely with our corporate lawyers on commercial matters and this brings an added dimension that from the foundation of the firm has attracted high-profile and complex commercial disputes.
We are more than willing to work with third party litigation funders and will also consider damages based agreements and conditional fee arrangements.
The types of cases in which we act include:
- contractual claims;
- shareholder disputes;
- company and partnership disputes;
- professional negligence claims;
- financial services;
- property disputes;
- intellectual property; and
- tax disputes.
Examples of significant recent cases handled by members of the team include:
- Landmark case on damages for infringement of competition law before the Court of Appeal and House of Lords (now Supreme Court) (Crehan v. Inntrepreneur).
- Representing the trademark owner in a multinational trademark dispute involving proceedings before the EC Trade Mark Office and the Court of First Instance.
- Representing an international association of publishers of scientific, technical and medical journals in complaint against the German Government for defective implementation of the Copyright Directive EC 2001/29.
- Representing British parallel importers of pharmaceuticals in trade mark proceedings arising out of parallel trade.
- Worldwide freezing injunctions on behalf of victims of international fraud.
- Shareholders disputes, including petitions for unfair prejudice.
- Construction arbitration.
- Appeal against HMRC in the VAT and duties tribunal.
For more information about our expertise in litigation and dispute resolution please contact Ian Timlin.
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Mergers & Acquisitions
Private company mergers and acquisitions are a core part of what our corporate team does and they are extremely good at them – clients praise team members for attributes such as being “commercially astute” and having “excellent negotiation skills”. A crucial part of the team’s approach is to take the time to understand the commercial aims behind the transaction they are advising on and then apply themselves to achieving them. Both
Chambers UK and The Legal 500 laud members of our corporate team for having just such qualities. It is disappointing how many lawyers seem to view negotiations as more of an opportunity for “point-scoring” than for getting their clients to where they want to be.
Cross-border transactions call for not just commercial awareness and technical legal understanding, but for sensitivity to cross-cultural issues. Many years of experience of working on acquisitions involving companies in Europe, Africa, Asia and North and South America have given our corporate lawyers the flair needed to successfully navigate the nuances of international deals.
All of this, together with our willingness to really work on a fee basis other than “by the hour”, is, we think, an unbeatable combination when it comes to mergers and acquisitions and our clients would seem to agree.
For more information about our expertise in mergers and acquisitions please contact Richard Beresford.
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Partnerships
McCarthy Denning has one of the UK’s most experienced offerings when it comes to advising professional practices. We provide a comprehensive service, advising on the entire range of issues that both UK and international professional firms encounter: from establishment, structuring and regulation through the gamut of transactions that they enter into and management challenges they face. We also advise individual professionals on the varied situations they may face in the course of their careers.
- Establishment
It is now common for UK professional practices to carry on business through an LLP. Limited companies are also increasingly used, especially by those owners ultimately intending a sale or listing. Large professional firms often operate through a group structure that combines the two. We have set up many professional practices, drafting their partnership or shareholder agreements and ensuring that they are in compliance with local regulation.
- Conversion to LLP
Some firms still operate through general partnerships. Our team has assisted many general partnerships to convert to LLP status, ensuring that the process is as efficient and painless as possible.
- International structures
Large professional firms are sometimes structured as combinations of companies and LLPs operating within a group structure across international borders. They might also conduct international business in combinations or networks operated through Swiss Vereins or UK companies limited by guarantee. We have extensive experience in advising on international structuring and the establishment of professional networks.
- Mergers
Growth is a priority for many professional firms. This can be achieved organically or, more quickly, through merger. Our lawyers have advised on the merger of many professional practices, both in the UK and internationally. They have a deep understanding of the potential pitfalls and the protections to be built in.
- Management Issues
Management challenges come in all shapes and sizes but are never in short supply. We advise on a wide range including strategic and succession planning, recruitment, remuneration, transactions, investigations and discrimination and disciplinary matters.
- Regulation
Regulators play an increasingly active role in the supervision of professional firms. Our lawyers advising in this area are not only familiar with the detailed applicable regulation but are also aware of the practice and likely approach of the regulatory bodies in any given situation.
- Partner and Team Moves
Because of the complex interplay between contractual and fiduciary duties, notice periods, garden leave clauses, restrictive covenants and financial entitlements on departure, both firms and individual partners or teams find value in the careful advice that our experienced lawyers provide in this area.
- Individual Partner Advice
Professionals may require advice at various stages of their career, including when they are first offered partnership, move firms, change status to or from employee, face disciplinary action, retire or set up in competition with their former firm. We are at hand to help professionals through these exciting and often stressful times.
- Dissolutions
When partnerships and LLPs are wound up, a complex set of rules comes into play and unexpected issues can arise. We help clients to steer a safe passage through these.
If you wish to discuss our Partnership offering, please contact Tina Williams: cjwilliams@mccarthydenning.com
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Private Client Work
Our model is specifically designed to assist and support private clients. Access to partner led advice is often essential as the experience built up by our team allows us to provide clear and concise advice quickly in an easily understandable way, no matter the issue which is brought to us.
We have excellent international relationships and can advise on issues which are centred in the UK and also have international implications. We can either refer you for specialist advice in other jurisdictions or work with an international team to provide the necessary solutions. Our international tax team are able to advise on all issues of taxation impacting on UK tax payers.
Often individuals have unique problems on which we will also seek to provide contrastive comment and innovative solutions. However, where there are simple answers we do not seek to reinvent the wheel and provide the simplest means of achieving an aim.
For individuals the main work that we undertake comprises:
- Wills and Codicils;
- Probate and Estate Administration;
- Care of the Elderly including living wills, powers of attorney and lasting powers of attorney; and
- UK and International Tax Planning
In addition, advising on:
- the making of large gifts;
- charitable gifts and philanthropy; and
- creating and administering trusts.
We also advise individuals on commercial agreements, employment, privacy, conveyancing, partnerships and liability issues. Often there is an element of overlap with traditional corporate and commercial services and the only difference is that we are advising individuals rather than companies. The types of agreements for individuals are often different from when advising companies, for example, when an individual employs another person for a specific role, such as a carer.
For more information please contact Benjamin James.
Private Equity Real Estate
Our Private Equity Real Estate (PERE) team of experienced lawyers specialise in providing legal solutions for real estate private equity transactions.
Our Services include:
- Real estate joint ventures and co-investments: We assist clients in forming joint ventures and co-investments for real estate investments and provide legal advice on structuring and drafting the agreements.
- Real estate acquisitions and disposals: Our team provides legal guidance for real estate acquisitions and disposals, including drafting and negotiating sale and purchase agreements, conducting due diligence, and closing transactions.
- Structuring of real estate private equity funds: Our lawyers have extensive experience acting for RE private equity funds (including debt funds). We advise clients on various legal issues, including domestic and international tax and transaction structuring.
- Financing and refinancing: Our team advises clients on real estate financing and refinancing (senior and mezzanine debt) and securitisations: including drafting and negotiating loan and bond documents and all related documentation.
- Asset management and operations: We advise clients on various legal issues related to asset management and operations, including asset and property management agreements, leases, and other operational agreements.
- Non-Performing Loan (NPL) portfolios and restructurings: We have extensive experience and advise clients on the acquisition, financing, and disposal of NPLs and individual distressed assets and lease, loan, and bond restructurings.
- Construction and development projects including real estate development finance.
Why Choose Us?
- Experienced lawyers: Our lawyers have extensive experience in real estate private equity transactions across different jurisdictions and asset classes, and we are committed to providing our clients with the highest level of legal representation.
- Personalised service: We understand that each client has unique needs and goals, and we work closely with our clients to provide personalised legal solutions.
- Cost-effective solutions: We offer our services at competitive rates and provide cost-effective solutions to our clients.
- Results-oriented approach: Our team is dedicated to achieving the best possible results for our clients and will work tirelessly to ensure their success.
Contact Us:
If you are looking for legal solutions for your real estate private equity and structured real estate transactions, contact us today to schedule a consultation with one of our lawyers. We are here to help you achieve your goals and protect your interests.
Michael WistowCo-Head of PERET: +44 (0) 20 3926 9900 | +44 (0) 7379 607722E: mwistow@mccarthydenning.com |
David CoxCo-Head of PERET: +44 (0) 20 3926 9900 | +44 (0) 7736 313203E: dcox@mccarthydenning.com |
Iain MorpethCo-Head of PERET: +44 (0) 20 3926 9900 | +44 (0) 7788 312 039E: imorpeth@mccarthydenning.com |
Real Estate
Our experienced commercial real estate team provides in-depth advice and assistance on the whole range of commercial property transactions. We represent individuals and companies with business premises right up to institutional investors with multiple commercial property holdings across all sectors including retail, leisure, industrial, office, agricultural land and developments.
Whether it is a large-scale residential development, the acquisition of a portfolio of residential investment properties or a one-off acquisition of a high-value house or apartment, our residential property lawyers have considerable expertise and in-depth knowledge of the market. They advise on all the legal aspects of purchasing residential properties, both freehold and leasehold. The team also advises on re-mortgages and residential landlord & tenant matters including freehold acquisitions by leaseholders and lease extensions.
More particularly, we specialise in:
- acquisitions, disposals, lettings and sub-lettings
- sale and leasebacks
- landlord and tenant issues
- planning
- rent reviews and lease surrenders
- property and construction disputes
- refurbishment and fit-out projects
- lending and taking of security
For more information on our expertise in real estate please contact John Dean.
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Regulatory
McCarthy Denning’s team of high-calibre regulatory lawyers act for a range of clients including authorised and regulated individuals and corporate bodies. We provide advice on compliance issues, investigations, adjudications and enforcement.
Our lawyers have decades of experience acting for UK regulators, which not only gives them an insight into the regulatory system as a whole but also allows us to optimise the advice we give to regulated entities in their dealings with the regulators.
We have close relationships with ACDs, fund managers, trustees and custodians.
Ensuring compliance in the increasingly complex arena of regulation, particularly within financial services, requires comprehensive legal advice and support. The realignment of the financial services regulatory regime post-Brexit provides additional challenges to our clients. Whether you or your organisation needs assistance before during or after a regulatory intervention, we are here to support you.
Our regulatory team utilises the skill set of other lawyers within the firm when their particular areas of expertise are required and we have established relationships with legal teams in other jurisdictions to enable us to handle cross-jurisdictional regulatory issues.
Practice areas of regulatory advice include:
- Providing regulatory advice in respect of investment vehicles: UCITS, PAIFs, Nurse, QIS funds etc.
- Advising on compliance procedures arising out of the financial services regulatory regime taking into account for example the impact of AIFM, MiFID 11, MAR and the implementation of GDPR.
- Dealing with the increasing necessity of carrying out internal regulatory investigations – prior to a known future intervention by a regulator. Two current examples would include the investigations concerning emissions and LIBOR.
If you require further information on how we can help, please contact Michael Gleeson – mgleeson@mccarthydenning.com
Restructuring
Our restructuring lawyers act for companies, company directors, and a variety of creditors including institutional lenders, bondholders, landlords and funds (including funds engaged in buying debt on a loan-to-own basis with subsequent restructuring).
They combine clear legal advice with commercial acumen, a great wealth of experience and credibility in order to present realistically achievable and/or innovative solutions to restructuring problems. They are very much solution focused.
Our restructuring team works with lawyers in the firm with other areas of expertise (such as employment, pensions, tax, litigation) as required and has relationships with teams in other jurisdictions in order to handle cross jurisdictional restructurings as well as having experience of working in other jurisdictions.
Typical activities include:
- debt and equity restructurings and reschedulings;
- interim protection of core businesses;
- refinancings;
- debt-for-equity swaps;
- purchase of distressed debts (singularly or in debt portfolios) and advising on loan-to-own options;
- sales/acquisition of distressed businesses;
- security reviews and enforcement options;
- corporate insolvency regimes;
- advising on directors’ duties;
- advising on creditors’ rights;
- insolvency investigations and litigation;
- fraud and asset tracing; and
- personal insolvency.
For more information about our expertise in banking and debt finance please contact Jon Yorke.
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Technology, Media & Telecoms
Our team possess a unique skill and insight into the interplay between the legal and business worlds. We have a deep understanding the business and legal needs of the companies operating in the TMT sectors.
Our team work across practice areas to support technology media and telecommunication clients on corporate cross border M&A, financing and commercial transactions. Our team advises new ventures, growth capital mid-market businesses, international companies as well as VCs, private equity family offices. We have the consolidated expertise to structure, negotiate and deliver all deals within the full life cycle of investments from fundraising to a private/public exit both on the investor and investee sides of the deal.
We review, structure and deliver our clients solutions to special situations by restructuring and adapting their business to changing financial and commercial circumstances.
Below are our areas of expertise:
- Artificial Intelligence and robotics
- Blockchain
- Cyber Security
- Defence systems,
- Internet of Things & B2B Platforms
- Machine learning & data analytics
- Games and entertainment, TV, Film, merchandising, IP ,licensing, IP and rights trading, financing.
- Online media
- Cloud computing
- Fin tech
- E-commerce
- Patents
- New Media
- IT and outsourcing services
- Software licensing, copyrights & patents
- Virtual & Augmented Reality
- Teleconnections platforms, set up, channels, licensing, regulation.
For further information, please contact our Head of TMT, Guy Avshalom at gavshalom@mccarthydenning.com.
Tax
Our tax team advises owner-managed businesses, multinationals, financial institutions and high net worth individuals on the tax aspects of their business and personal matters.
Corporate Tax
We advise on all corporate transactions including:
- IPOs, rights issues and share placings;
- UK and cross-border mergers, acquisitions, takeovers and joint ventures;
- management buy-outs including in the venture capital and private equity fields;
- de-mergers and all types of reconstructions, capital reductions and share buy-backs;
- UK and global internal re-organisations
- Tax efficient structuring for groups.
Banking and Finance Tax
We advise clients on all tax issues relating to:
- UK and cross border debt financing;
- asset finance for asset classes such as ships, aircraft and films.
Technology and New Media Tax
Our particular expertise includes:
- advising start-ups on launching digital services;
- advising on worldwide licence and distribution agreements;
- advising on VAT efficient structures for digital services and broadcasting;
- withholding and other taxes on royalties and licence payments; and
- SEIS and EIS for tech start-ups.
Real Estate Tax
We advise on:
- The Annual Tax on Enveloped Dwellings (ATED) and capital gains tax on residential properties held by corporate entities.
- UK managed property issues including stamp duty land tax, VAT and capital allowances.
- The Non Resident Landlord Scheme.
- Refinancings of UK investment properties.
- Property funds.
Tax Disputes and Tax Investigations
The benefit of using a solicitor is that all communications between the client and solicitor are subject to legal privilege. Experience includes:
- COP 8 & 9 Investigations.
- Assisting film finance clients on HMRC investigations into tax-driven partnership schemes.
- Advising clients on HMRC’s contractor loan scheme settlement opportunity.
Employment Tax, Executive Compensation and Termination of Employment
We advise on:
- All types of employee share incentive and cash bonus arrangements such as EMI, EIS, SIPS, CSOPs and growth shares.
- Payments made on the termination of employment.
- All other employee benefits.
For more information about our expertise in tax please contact Fionnuala Lynch.
Venture Capital & Private Equity
Whether you are just starting out in business, going through a high-growth phase or hoping to launch a management buy-out you need advisors who not only have the specialist skills to deal with the myriad of complex legal issues that arise, but who understand the entrepreneurial urge, who “get” where you are coming from. The key members of our corporate team are all entrepreneurs in their own right (having founded, launched or helped finance a number of businesses) or who sit on or chair the boards of entrepreneurial companies. That wealth of experience gives them the insight needed to help you get to where you want to go – it also gives the team the connections (whether they be with financial investors, brokers or potential strategic partners) that will, hopefully, help you raise the funds needed to finance that journey.
As well as acting for start-ups, high-growth businesses and management buy-out and buy-in teams, our corporate lawyers advise venture capitalists and private equity investors. This gives them another invaluable perspective, enabling them to put themselves in the shoes of the other side; to understand the motives and parameters that drive and constrain the counterparty’s approach to negotiating a deal.
For more information about our expertise in venture capital and private equity please contact Richard Beresford.