Selling a business is a significant decision, whether personally in the case of an owner-manager who has spent a lifetime creating the business or from a corporate perspective in disposing of a non-core asset.
In either case what’s needed is clear, concise advice ensuring the best outcome for you.
For those not in the business of regularly buying and selling businesses, this often means providing a general sounding board as well as dealing with the detailed legal advice needed.
For those who have significant experience of corporate transactions, we will ensure the legal process is as smooth as possible with as little disruption to the business whilst seeking to ensure the agreements provide the best level of protection for you.
Our substantial line-up of corporate lawyers have in-depth expertise and long experience of advising on all kinds of disposals, including selling early-stage businesses, owner-managed businesses and exits for multi-nationals.
Selling a business often involves a significant amount of due diligence and investigations. Sometimes this unearths problems you were unaware of. Because we are part of a multi-faceted full-service law firm, we can call on expert advice from specialist colleagues on issues identified in areas such as employment, property, intellectual property, tax and pensions (to name a few) to help resolve any issues.
With the business world becoming increasing global, often buyers may be based overseas. This can add on other dimensions as often overseas legal approaches are not the same as in the UK. Having acted on numerous cross-border transactions, we can help you understand these differences and deal with them to your benefit.
In addition, we are members of a worldwide alliance of professional advisors and can tap into that network to help deal with any transaction with an overseas element.
Another possible route to sell a business is to private equity. These types of transactions give rise to significant complications over and above a trade sale. We have a huge depth of experience of such transactions which we can bring to bear to help ensure before embarking on such a journey you have a good understanding of the issues involved.
Often in these deals whilst the price is, of course, of huge significance, there are other considerations that are vitally important such as the size and terms of any stake that you hold in the business after the transaction.
Our clients include owner-managed businesses, plcs, international groups, venture capitalists and private equity houses and because every business is different, we take an individual approach, getting to know you and your company inside out to ensure our advice is as valuable and useful as possible.
Whatever the deal, we have the experience, expertise and the resources to give you the very best advice and guidance, delivered in a pragmatic, no-nonsense manner.
Our services include advice on sales to:
- Management teams
- Overseas acquirers and related tax planning
- Private Equity
- UK corporates
To discuss the future for your business and see how we can help, please get in touch.
Take a look at some previous business sales which we have advised on.
What Our Clients Say
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"With such an important move, it is vital that you can trust your professional advisers to get the job done. Martin [Hulls] and his team did just that in a thoroughly professional way, helping to ensure a smooth transition to the company’s new owners."
John Binks, Chief Executive and Founding Shareholder, JBT Waste Services.
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"Having used Martin and his team on both the disposal of our nursery business, Kids 1st and our residential care business comprising 20 care homes I thought I should write to say how pleased we were with the whole team and the service they gave - first class advice with a human face, just what we wanted. I would have no hesitation in recommending them to anyone contemplating a corporate transaction. So a great big thank you to everyone involved."
Mark McArdle, Helen McArdle Care.
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"Katherine Hay-Heddle and the team at Ward Hadaway did an excellent job advising on the sale of the company. Their advice was prompt, professional and helped to ensure that the deal reached a successful conclusion."
Zoe Stewart, Finance Director, sunshine.co.uk.
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"Having built up the business for over 30 years, it was vital to ensure that the right deal was concluded. Katherine [Hay-Heddle] and the team at Ward Hadaway did an excellent job, keeping us up to date at every stage of the process and we are now looking forward to an exciting future."
Christine Nugent, Managing Director and Founder, Business Travel.
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"When you are dealing with a multi-national company it is reassuring to have true experts in your corner giving the right advice at the right time and this is what Ward Hadaway provided."
Dr Bryan Allcock, Director, Monitor Coatings.
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"The team at Ward Hadaway gave us absolute confidence that we were in safe hands, and supported us at each step throughout the process."
Mark McArdle, Managing Director, Kids 1st Ltd.
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"Ward Hadaway's assistance was invaluable in ensuring that the deal progressed smoothly to a successful conclusion"
Richard Maudslay, Managing Director, Hardy & Greys.
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"Robert [Thompson] and his team at Ward Hadaway gave superb support and advice to use throughout the sale process – it was very reassuring to have them on our side"
Thomas Brown, Managing Director, Seacurus.
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"Martin and the team at Ward Hadaway have performed superbly for us over the years and this time was no exception"
John Seymour, Chairman, Farmway.
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“James Nightingale and the team at Ward Hadaway did an excellent job on the sale of the company. Their advice was clear and concise and helped the deal to progress smoothly.”
Bryan Hall, Founder, Bryan G Hall Limited.
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"I used Martin and his team at Ward Hadaway when I had the opportunity to sell my business and they were fantastic throughout and really helped me through what is quite a stressful time. I couldn't recommend them highly enough."
Graeme Hawes, Managing Director, Peterlee Glass Co Ltd.
Independent Verdict
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“Clients note that ‘the firm has an excellent cross-section of lawyers, the resources to cope with tight timescales and is excellent value for money - we trust it to come up with the goods on any legal matter’.”
Client quote, Chambers & Partners
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"Ward Hadaway is noted for its ‘fantastic commercial approach’."
Legal 500
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“Ward Hadaway provides ‘excellent services and punches well beyond its weight’.”
Legal 500
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"We get advice that we can rely on, and at the right time, which is the most critical driver for us."
Client quote, Chambers & Partners
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"Ward Hadaway is praised for its ‘straight-talking, easy-to-understand, commercially focused’ advice."
Legal 500
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"Advises regional, national and international clients on the full spectrum of commercial transactions, from M&A to restructuring and corporate governance. Features a strong bench of experienced practitioners."
Chambers & Partners
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"What is good about Ward Hadaway is that you get partner-led service."
Client quote, Chambers & Partners
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"They understand their clients, openly communicate and are dynamic."
Client quote, Chambers & Partners
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"Ward Hadaway delivers 'excellent commercial advice in a timely manner'."
Legal 500
