About

I am joint Head of the LLPs & Partnerships Group and a Partner in the firm's Corporate practice group.

I have specialised in advising professional services firms (notably legal, accountancy and IP practices) and other businesses structured as LLPs or partnerships (including hedge funds, private equity houses and investment managers) for over ten years. My expertise extends across non-contentious, contentious and regulatory (particularly SRA) issues.

My core practice is focused on working closely with senior management at UK and international professional services firms, finance firms and other owner-led / people businesses, on a broad range of issues, including strategic transactions and projects, governance and constitutional arrangements, UK and international structuring and regulatory issues, commercial agreements, funding arrangements and partner matters (including profit sharing, performance management, negotiated and contentious partner exits, restrictive covenants and other business protection issues).

I am ranked in Chambers and Legal 500 for partnership work. I am described in Chambers as 'a master of the detail', being 'excellent' and 'greatly valued by clients for indispensable work' and having 'brilliant legal gravitas', and described in Legal 500 as 'particularly valued' for my 'skills in drafting and structuring partnership and LLP arrangements' and 'making complex matters straightforward'.

Experience

LLPs & partnerships

  • LLP and partnership agreements: drafting and structuring of governance and constitutional arrangements for LLPs and partnerships
  • M&A: advising on UK and international mergers and acquisitions, disposals and restructurings
  • Business formation: leading on the formation of LLP businesses
  • LLP conversions: converting general partnerships and other business structures to LLP status
  • International structuring: advising on the opening and regulation of overseas offices and practices
  • Strategic projects: supporting businesses on key strategic projects, including governance reviews, remuneration models, business protection issues, succession planning and third party investments
  • Member / Partner issues: advising on a broad range of member / partner issues, including duties, obligations and protections, bespoke terms, conduct and behaviour, exits and post-termination restrictions

Professional practices

  • Extensive specialist experience of advising professional services firms
  • Drafting and advising on governance and constitutional arrangements
  • Advising on the exercise of management and decision-making powers
  • Supporting on mergers, acquisitions and business sales
  • Working closely with senior management on key strategic projects, including profit sharing models, new office openings and third party investments
  • Advising on SRA, IPReg, ICAEW, FRC, Law Society of Scotland and international regulatory and structuring issues (including new firm authorisation and change of control approvals and regulatory reporting requirements)

SRA regulatory issues

  • Leading on new firm authorisation approvals, including for international firms opening in the UK
  • Advising on change of control and related manager and owner approvals under the SRA's regulatory rules and the Legal Services Act 2007, including as part of private equity transactions
  • Reviewing separate business / referral / other alternative business arrangements and advising on related regulatory issues concerning own interest and other conflicts, confidentiality, disclosures and publicity, client consent and fee sharing
  • Advising on issues concerning regulatory misconduct / breach, SRA reporting requirements and SRA investigations

Membership organisations

  • Advising membership organisations structured as companies limited by guarantee on corporate and governance issues
  • Drafting, and advising on the application of, constitutional documents, including articles of association and by-laws
  • Supporting on member admissions and exits and the operation of related procedures

Testimonials

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"Chris is very up to speed on the legislation and is exacting and precise in his advice. He is a very technical expert."
Chambers & Partners
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Services

Sectors