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Legal Services

We work to provide a seamless and integrated legal service for every client. We are not a full service firm, but offer expert advice across a wide range of specialist practice areas. Our aim is to solve the difficult issues that matter to our clients, whether those are complex transactional, reputational, regulatory, constitutional or personal issues, or a combination of them.

It is not only on our technical ability and commercial acumen that produces results, but also our ability to provide practical, versatile and cost-effective solutions to your legal requirements. We draw together recognized specialists from across the firm to deal with your specific needs, whether you are facing a commercial dispute, a charity merger or the break up of a family estate.

Corporate

LegalLens team has market-leading expertise in complex, high-value transactional and advisory work. Our corporate lawyers are recognised as being pre-eminent in the private capital sector. Our clients include global high net worth individuals and their businesses, investors, established entrepreneurs, international family offices and trust companies as well as management teams and individual executives.

We have particular focus on the private wealth and financial services sectors as well as publishing, education, media and professional practices. With strong links to the global wealth management community, a significant volume of our corporate work includes an offshore element and we deal regularly with assets in the Middle East and the US as well as the major offshore jurisdictions, such as the British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Jersey and Guernsey.

Mergers and acquisitions

FCA and PRA regulated transactions

Fundraising and investment

Reorganisation and restructuring

Joint ventures

Private equity

Offshore SPV transactions

Alternative exits and succession planning, and

Corporate governance.

Key Contact

Henry Wilson

- Partner

henrywilson@legallenslaw.uk

Commercial Law

LegalLens has a leading and broad commercial practice covering corporate, employment, commercial disputes, data protection, intellectual property, commercial contracts and financial services. As commercial issues often cut across multiple areas of law we can offer joined-up, expert advice across all the relevant areas.

The firm is experienced in offering advice in both the business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) contexts, international and domestic, and has a reputation for providing clear, pragmatic advice on complex and often business-critical issues.

Commercial Contracts

Clear, intelligent commercial contracts are of vital importance to all organizations.

Whatever the nature of the relationship, a well drafted contract will

reduce uncertainty and the likelihood of disputes

reflect the level of risk you are willing to accept, and

provide solutions when things do not go to plan.

Contracts serve a wide range of critical functions from underpinning revenue and managing costs, through to acquiring IT and other infrastructure, outsourcing and exploiting resources and assets. We realise how important it is for your key contracts to be legally robust, clear and, from a practical perspective, usable. Small mistakes can be costly, both financially and in time wasted on resolving avoidable issues.

At LegalLens, we can meet your requirements. Whether you need short, practical templates for low-risk ventures or you have to draft and negotiate detailed, bespoke contracts for high-value/high-stakes business-critical arrangements or other transformational projects. Understanding your organization and the activity you are undertaking, your drivers, priorities and your concerns, as well as any relevant regulatory backdrop, are central to the service we offer. We will always provide a personal and thoughtful approach regardless of the size of the matter.

We deal with commercial contracts of all descriptions, including

Contractual joint ventures and collaborations (UK and international)

Supply chain agreements, agency and distribution contracts

Outsourcing

Supply of goods and services

Brand and other intellectual property licensing and exploitation, including broadcasting

Events and sponsorship

Franchising, and

IT and technology contracts.

We have a concentration of commercial contract work in a number of sectors, including education, research and development, media, publishing and broadcasting, fintech, arts and heritage, charities and not-for-profits, and sports. In these areas industry knowledge is critical to the contractual arrangements that are entered into. We take the time to get to know our clients and the sectors they operate in to ensure that the contracts are fit for purpose.

As a full-service law firm we have the expertise and resources to advise on all aspects of any proposed transaction, for example, financial services regulations, charity law, data protection compliance, employment, property, safeguarding, procurement and taxi.

Key Contact

John Stones

- Partner

johnstones@legallenslaw.uk

Dispute Resolution

Our clients turn to us when they are faced with disputes which are critical to their interests. They have confidence in our ability to deal with complex, high-value and sensitive issues and to deliver the best possible outcome.

We have extensive experience in many types of dispute resolution, including:

Commercial litigation for corporates, family businesses and HNW/UHNW individuals

Financial services litigation

Boardroom, senior executive, shareholder and partnership disputes

IP, technology and data-related disputes

Property litigation

International arbitration

Fraud and asset recovery

Privacy, defamation and reputation management

High-value trusts and estates litigation

Art disputes

Our expertise:

Each client and each dispute is unique. We provide pragmatic advice about the merits of a case and explore all available options for its resolution, from informal negotiations and mediation through to full trial in court.

Many clients’ preference is to achieve an early consensual resolution and in these cases we develop a strategy which will optimize their negotiating position. Where early settlement is not an option, we are proactive and tenacious litigators – we are highly experienced in handling challenging litigation.

Our international litigation expertise:

Much of our litigation has an international dimension. We have strong relationships with lawyers in many overseas jurisdictions and have been involved in proceedings all over the world.

At LegalLens we pride ourselves on our client care and have a reputation for excellence in both the quality of our advice and how it is delivered. Our partner-led teams are highly responsive, acting quickly to provide clear and commercial solutions, ensuring that our clients are always well informed and in control.

Key Contact

Olivia White

- Senior Partner

oliviawhite@legallenslaw.uk

Family & Divorce

Our family law solicitors are available to support you through key moments in your life and provide you with the best family and divorce law advice.

You may have to consult a family lawyer or divorce solicitor when:

you are about to get married and you are considering a pre-nuptial agreement to protect your family's assets

your relationship is at an end and you need to resolve complex and international financial settlement issues, and, above all,

you need to protect your children's welfare.

Of course, through all of this you will need to be assured that your privacy is respected and you will want to know that you are receiving the best advice and service.

At LegalLens, we can help you.

Our family law services

As an established and market leading family law firm, we pride at providing the best family and divorce legal advice. We have family law specialists who have extensive experience, and a depth of rising stars.

For us, it is all about providing a very high level of client service. Our clients tell us that they value our ability to communicate complex issues in a pragmatic, innovative and positive way. We provide an all-round, integrated service, covering not just family law but every other service required by individuals involved in a divorce, including tax, private client, contentious trusts and international issues. Our reputation management experts can ensure that your privacy is protected at such a sensitive time.

Our family and divorce legal team

We are a team of diverse and engaging characters who share a sense of empathy and integrity. We maintain a constructive approach in sensitive and difficult situations, and are known to be straightforward, pragmatic and sensible. We will always act in your best interests.

Our expertise in family law

Our team of professional family and divorce solicitors operates at the forefront of family law. We have been involved with a number of ground-breaking cases, which have established the current law. These include the leading Supreme Court case on pre-nuptial agreements, and the leading Court of Appeal decision on piercing the corporate veil.

We act for both domestic and international clients. Many of our cases involve complex cross-border issues, sophisticated asset protection structures and trust and tax issues.

Key Contact

Mike Ross

- Senior Partner

mikeross@legallenslaw.uk

Immigration Lawyer

Immigration advice for organizations, businesses and entrepreneurs

Overseas businesses come to us looking to obtain working visas for their senior executives, as do entrepreneurs looking to expand their businesses in the UK. Similarly, we act as trusted advisers to UK employers on everything from sponsorship license applications and securing visas for talent shortages, domestic workers, and temporary staff.

We recognize that Brexit remains a source of concern for many people and companies both in the UK and overseas. We have been advising individuals and organizations on their options post-Brexit. This includes applications for EU nationals and their family members at all stages of their immigration process, starting from pre-arrival visas to permanent residence and British citizenship applications.

Key Contact

Ella Wilkinson

- Senior Partner

ellawilkinson@legallenslaw.uk

Trust Will & Estate Disputes

Disputes involving trusts, wills and estates are a growing fact of life and require careful and expert handling. Our Trust, Wills and Estates Disputes team has for many years been delivering a wide range of dispute services to high net worth families and those involved with the fiduciary wealth holding structures commonly created by and for such families.

We are experienced in giving advice designed to avoid disputes, in stress testing structures, and in structuring to minimize litigation risk. We are also experienced in handling disputes when they arise. We seek to provide pragmatic, cost-effective and consensual outcomes. Where consensual outcomes are not possible, we are experienced in handling all aspects of the litigation process, frequently in multiple jurisdictions involving complex issues and a large dataset of documents. We work closely with colleagues in our Private Client, Charities, Tax and Family law teams to ensure that we provide a seamless and holistic service.

Our team has been ranked in the top tier by legal commentators for many years and is widely recognized as a market leader.

International Reach

Much of our work involves international assets, wealth structures and, of course, overseas courts. We know and have worked with the best lawyers, counsel and intermediaries in all relevant jurisdictions.

Trusts, Wills & Estate Mediation

In today's landscape, disputes involving trusts, wills and estates are becoming increasingly prevalent. There is a constructive solution available: mediation, a form of alternative dispute resolution that can enable parties to resolve disputes at any stage, both before and after court proceedings are commenced.

Our mediators can help to resolve disputes as independent third parties. They facilitate settlement by helping the parties to narrow the issues in dispute and encouraging the parties to negotiate with a view to reaching a consensual outcome.

Our expertise

We are leading specialists in both divorce litigation and international trust disputes. We are ranked in the top tier by legal commentators for both practices and, as such, we are particularly well placed to deal with the specific legal and practical issues that arise in divorce cases where family wealth is held in fiduciary wealth holding structures.

Most of our work involves international assets, wealth structures, and overseas courts. We offer our clients truly integrated services across different jurisdictions working with a trusted network of the best lawyers, counsel, and intermediaries.

We can help if:

You are setting up a wealth holding structure (a settlor) and wish to protect the assets in the event of future family disharmony

You are married or are about to get married and wish to reduce the risks associated with relationship breakdown where assets are held within a structure

You are about to marry or have married someone whose assets are held within a structure and have been asked to sign a pre/post-nuptial agreement

Your relationship is at an end and divorce proceedings are anticipated. You need to resolve legal and practical issues that arise for couples where assets are held in trusts and other vehicles

You are a trustee or fiduciary involved in running a structure where family proceedings are anticipated or ongoing for one of the beneficiaries.

Key Contact

Eddie Owen

- Senior Partner

eddie@legallens.uk

Property Law

With specialists in all areas of property law, whether you are a large institution looking for support on a complex construction project or investment, a developer navigating tricky environmental issues, or a family under time pressure to complete on a residential sale or purchase, our property experts have the know-how to deliver what you need.

Having operated for many decades in the field, we have come to be recognized not only for the huge range of our expertise, but for our particular brand of responsive client service. We work hard to understand our clients' legal requirements and their business aims, which ensures our advice is commercial and pragmatic.

Our expertise across property law

We have sector-leading technical expertise in every field of commercial real estate. We advise clients on all aspects of their operation from funding to dispute resolution, to construction. We offer full support to developers, construction companies and property finance providers including banks. We also advise on the full range of planning and environmental law, including risk management and environmental permissions, working with a client base that includes landowners, investors and institutions.

Our residential property specialists are recognized as some of the best in the business, advising UK and overseas occupiers, developers and private banks on sales, purchases and financing. The same is true of our rural property experts, who are leading advisers to rural landowners of all types, supporting long-standing clients on matters including residential development, minerals and renewables projects and all diversification projects.