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LUPTON FAWCETT ACQUIRES SPECIALIST SHEFFIELD-BASED LAW FIRM
Leeds integrated commercial law firm Lupton Fawcett has agreed in principle to acquire Hackett Windle, a niche firm of solicitors and chartered tax advisers based in Sheffield.
It will be Lupton Fawcett’s second acquisition in eight months following its deal with Fox Hayes, which completed in January.
Hackett Windle has a strong commercial bias and is particularly well known for its expertise in corporate tax work and the healthcare and hotels sectors. While based in South Yorkshire it operates both nationally and internationally and has a client base which includes some the UK’s largest and most successful companies. The firm also regularly acts on a consultancy basis for other professional firms.
Richard Marshall, Lupton Fawcett’s managing director, said; “This deal fits with our long term strategic objective of growth to become Yorkshire’s mid market law firm of choice. Hackett Windle is a highly respected firm that we have worked with on numerous occasions and know very well.
“This acquisition enhances our specialist expertise in a couple of key areas and also gives us a physical presence in Yorkshire’s fastest growing city. We have a growing client base in South Yorkshire and having an office in Sheffield will enable us to better serve their needs.”
Hackett Windle’s office, in Townhead Street in the heart of Sheffield’s business quarter, houses over 20 staff. On completion of the deal, the operation will be immediately rebranded as Lupton Fawcett.
Adrian Hackett, managing partner at Hackett Windle said: “Lupton Fawcett has a clear view of what it is aiming to achieve and has most of the qualities in place, in terms of model, culture, infrastructure and brand, that we have always aspired to. We believe that the skills, client base and sector expertise of the people at Hackett Windle are a perfect fit for Lupton Fawcett and can make a significant contribution to the firm’s ongoing success.”
The deal will reinforce Lupton Fawcett’s position as one of the ten largest firms in Yorkshire.
Lupton Fawcett signalled its plans for growth at the start of the year when it acquired the entire traditional commercial and private client business of local rival Fox Hayes.
“The Fox Hayes acquisition has added resilience to our position in what is undoubtedly a hard market,” added Richard Marshall. At the time I said it would be the first in a series of acquisitions/mergers and that statement still holds true.
“While the current economic climate is making life difficult for law firms, the key to success lies in structuring your business to meet the needs of the market as it is now and preparing for when the market turns.”
MARSHALL TO TAKE THE HELM AT LUPTON FAWCETT
Richard Marshall is to become the new managing director of Leeds commercial law firm Lupton Fawcett, succeeding Kevin Emsley who has decided to step down after 15 years in the role.
The two men have worked closely together over the last 16 years, both playing major roles in establishing Lupton Fawcett in the top tier of commercial law firms in Yorkshire.
An insolvency lawyer and chartered marketer, Marshall joined Lupton Fawcett in 1992 as a partner and head of the firm’s Insolvency and Corporate Recovery Division.
Within just three months he was appointed to Lupton Fawcett’s management board and given responsibility for developing and implementing a successful marketing strategy for the firm. Since then, Lupton Fawcett has established a reputation as a marketing led, client focused firm with one of strongest and most distinctive brand images in the Yorkshire legal market.
Led by Kevin Emsley, Lupton Fawcett has become firmly established among the top twenty law firms in Yorkshire. It was one of the first law firms in the region to be awarded ‘Investor in People’ status and the ‘Lexcel Quality Mark’ by the Law Society for the quality of its practice management standards.
Emsley, who will be staying at Lupton Fawcett as a director, was also instrumental in the firm’s conversion from traditional partnership to the more flexible and dynamic limited liability partnership in 2006.
Richard Marshall commented: “Kevin has done a fantastic job and following him will not be easy. We have been board directors together for many years and I’m delighted he will still be around to give me the benefit of his wisdom and experience.”
Marshall takes over as managing director on 1st April 2009.
COMMERCIAL PROPERTY & PROPERTY FINANCE DEPARTMENT
28 February 2008
Client: National House builder
Purchase of site in Huddersfield - three leasehold interests and a freehold interest; subject to planning for a proposed residential development, instruction for Tim Cross/Anil Champaneri
Option to purchase over livery yard in Drighlington for a 13 year period.
For further information, please contact: Tim Cross tim.cross@luptonfawcett.com
or Anil Champaneri – anil.champaneri@luptonfawcett.com
Client: Leeds Shopping Centre
David Barraclough instructed on a new lease to Wilkinsons
For further information, please contact: David Barraclough david.barraclough@luptonfawcett.com
Client: Nursing Home developer
Two separate Nursing Home sites with a total value of £1.2 million.
For further information, please contact: Charles Jackson charles.jackson@luptonfawcett.com
Client: Food supplier
A unit designed for constructing food freezing equipment on a site in Ossett to a total value of £2.2 million
For further information, please contact: Charles Jackson charles.jackson@luptonfawcett.com
Client: Charitable Trust
New instruction in relation to tracing a lost trustee, which has now developed into setting up a limited company to hold property so that the issue of tracing unobtainable trustee details will not be a problem in the future
For further information, please contact: Nathan Gopichandran nathan.gopichandran@luptonfawcett.com
Client: High Street Bank
We have received a repeat instruction for a Sharia law funding deal with a purchase in the region of £850,000 for the Medani Girls’ a school
For further information, please contact: Anil Champaneri – anil.champaneri@luptonfawcett.com
Client: Environment Agency
Instructions with regard to an Agreement for Lease and Lease for a new Call Centre for the Environment Agency to be based in Sheffield
Client: National Retailer
Exchange of contracts to take over 30 leases in England, Northern Ireland, Eire and Scotland for an undisclosed value from an Administrator.
For further information, please contact: Tim Cross tim.cross@luptonfawcett.com
Client: Care Homes
New instructions with regard to a Care Home sector client purchasing properties for specific fit out purposes for proposed special needs clients.
For further information, please contact: Steven Plummer steven.plummer@luptonfawcett.com
Client: Manufacturers
Acting on a proposed new build Industrial premises in Hilton, Derbyshire and new offices in Telford as part of the Group’s UK expansion with combined first year rents at £180,000
For further information, please contact: Ian Buckett ian.buckett@luptonfawcett.com
Client: Developer
Acting on a Development scheme for the site of the James Street former Co-op Store in Hull, joint venture with a Danish investor. The scheme may be anchored by a national retailer
For further information, please contact: Chris Waterhouse chris.waterhouse@luptonfawcett.com or Ian Buckett ian.buckett@luptonfawcett.com
Client: Local Developer
Acting on the development of a new retail centre in Worksop, anchored by Sainsbury’s and Bathstore. Instruction to commence with the vacation of the existing owner in April. The scheme has a proposed capital value circa £6 million with the client looking at forward funding for the deal to include construction finance.
For further information, please contact: Chris Waterhouse chris.waterhouse@luptonfawcett.com or Ian Buckett ian.buckett@luptonfawcett.com
Client: Local Developer
Acting on conditional Sale Agreement for site of a 40,000 sq.ft office development off Gelderd Road, Leeds.
Completed purchase of long leasehold site on the new East Link Radial Road in Leeds for 60,000 sq.ft. office development for £1m.
For further information, please contact: Tim Cross tim.cross@luptonfawcett.com
or Anil Champaneri – anil.champaneri@luptonfawcett.com
Client: Building Society
£3.8m loan for development of a block of student flats in Sheffield.
For further information, please contact: Tom Whiteside tom.whiteside@luptonfawcett.com
Client: Building Society
Acting on a £13.6m loan to be used for purchasing an office building in London for a Lithuanian Bank
For further information, please contact: Tom Whiteside tom.whiteside@luptonfawcett.com
CORPORATE FINANCE
Over £250 million in 2007…
The Corporate Finance Team of Lupton Fawcett LLP is pleased to announce the completion of corporate transactions totalling over £250 million in the last twelve months. These are some that occurred in the last six months of 2007.
July 2007
Dorlux Beds
Asset Acquisition
Advised the Acquirer
Neoss Ltd
Equity investment by MMC Ventures
Advised Neoss
August 2007
Barrett Design and Build Ltd
Management Buy-Out
Advised the Management Team
September 2007
Advertising Principles (Group) Ltd
Sale of 4 Advertising and Marketing
Limited to Narrabeen Communications Ltd
Advised the Vendor
December 2007
Instore Pic
Acquisition of 33 stores from Sale to Assetco Plc
Marston Mills Ltd (in Administration)
Advised the Acquirer
UV Modular Ltd
Sale to Assetco Plc
Advised the Selling Shareholders
Contacts: kevin.emsley@luptonfawcett.com, bob.harrap@luptonfawcett.com, michele.phillips@luptonfawcett.com, giles.clegg@luptonfawcett.com, andrew.francey@luptonfawcett.com, stephen.griffiths@luptonfawcett.com, daniel.mccormack@luptonfawcett.com and victoria.gartland@luptonfawcett.com