Displaying ‘attention to detail’ and ‘expertise’ when handling cross-border M&A, complex management buyouts and joint ventures, the Harrison Clark Rickerbys practice consistently advises businesses within the healthcare, manufacturing and tech sectors. The team provides tailored assistance on all aspects of corporate transactions, from employment-related legal issues to intellectual property matters. Heading the Worcester office, Charlotte Thornton-Smith is an expert in acting for social care providers and healthcare suppliers on disposals and acquisitions. Rebecca Leask heads the Birmingham office and handles complex corporate restructurings. Spearheading the Wye Valley offering, Arpinder Dhillon primarily focuses on representing sellers in major transactions. Worcester-based Robert Capper and Alison Scott each stand out for their work in disposals and commercial deals, and the ‘knowledgeable’ Clare Emery is a dental specialist lawyer.

With John Heaton heading the business services side, and Richard Griffiths leading the West Midlands’ corporate offering, the Higgs LLP team is labelled as being ‘prolific at winning’, frequently advising shareholders, owner-managed businesses and entrepreneurs in high-value transactions. The Brierly Hill-based outfit has extensive expertise in representing clients within the healthcare, industrial engineering and manufacturing industries, with Griffiths being an expert in the corporate finance market, whilst Heaton specialises in domestic and cross-border M&A. Nick Taylor is knowledgeable in corporate transactions, Geoff Kettle primarily focuses on acquisitions and disposals and Joel Nixon concentrates on reorganisations and joint ventures since joining the team as partner in December 2023. Jamie Partington and Katie Willems stand out for their commercial and venture capital insights.

Counting corporations from across the retail, social care and tech spaces amongst its key clients, the Wright Hassall LLP practice has vast experience in advising on M&A, master services agreements and multi-jurisdictional joint ventures. The Leamington Spa-based team is highly regarded for drafting and negotiating commercial contracts, and assisting with software-focused agreements. Commercial head Pete Maguire is a contract law expert, with a focus on the manufacturing and logistics sectors. The corporate head Steve Halkett regularly supports business owners and entrepreneurs on all corporate matters. Robert Lee specialises in corporate restructurings, whilst Freya Summers is highlighted for her corporate finance work. Mallory Coxe and Claire Halle-Smith are also as key contacts.

Operating out of Sutton Coldfield, Cannock, and Dudley, the ‘highly professional’ Ansons practice stands out for its expert handling of the sales of shares in management buyouts, alongside advising on all aspects of M&A and complex corporate reorganisations. Labelled as both ‘dependable’ and ‘efficient’, Jamie Gill co-heads from Cannock, specialising in assisting with disposals and commercial agreements, whilst Sutton Coldfield-based Neil Jones also co-leads, consistently managing joint ventures and partnership matters. In Dudley, senior consultant Paul Bennett focuses on private equity transactions, and Emma Rowley is knowledgeable on Companies Act compliance issues. Cristine Schneider is also a key figure.

Based out of both Cradley Heath and Wolverhampton, the George Green LLP team acts on both the seller and buyer side of M&A and corporate transactions across the manufacturing, care homes and financial services industries. From Cradley Heath, the ‘exceptionally hard-working’ Sarah Ward leads the West Midlands offering, primarily focusing on complex shareholder arrangements and joint ventures, and Philip Round is recommended for his ‘very knowledgeable’ insights in capital reduction mergers and leveraged transactions. In Wolverhampton, Kam Johal is an expert in corporate finance and governance matters, whilst James Bird left the firm in late 2023.

Standing out for its expertise in M&A, joint ventures and group reorganisations, the Knights plc practice counts FTSE 100 companies and major creative agencies amongst its key clients. With a network of offices throughout Solihull, Worcester and Birmingham, Gareth Burge heads the team, bringing vast experience in advising on corporate transactions in the healthcare, tech and engineering spaces to the group, whilst Worcester-based Tim Edwards ‘goes the extra mile’ when handling complex acquisitions. Joe Rollins and Reece De-Vaney are highlighted for their part in group restructurings, and the ‘outstanding’ Hannah Clark is also noted as key.

Based out of Dudley and headed by the ‘courteous and supportive’ Colin Rodrigues, the Hawkins Hatton Corporate Lawyers Limited practice has extensive expertise across the manufacturing, healthcare and engineering sectors, demonstrating a specific focus on management buyouts and corporate reorganisations. Rodrigues is the firm’s founding partner, boasting a substantial national SME client base undertaking high value corporate transactions, ranging from M&A to share sales.

Located out of Shrewsbury, Ludlow and Conwy, the Lanyon Bowdler practice is characterised by its ‘flexibility’, regularly advising on sales and mergers, management buyouts, alongside complex joint ventures. With the department displaying significant expertise in the agriculture, education and retail industries, the ‘exceptional’ Grainne Walters spearheads the outfit from Shrewsbury, primarily focusing on M&A and corporate governance matters. In Ludlow, Edward Burrell is an expert on commercial contracts and franchise agreements, and Conwy-based Jennifer Edwards is also a name to note.

Acting on behalf of HNW individuals, shareholders and multinational corporations in pre-transactional group restructures and M&A, the Lodders Solicitors LLP practice demonstrates ‘good underlying knowledge’ across the tech and industrial fields. Splitting his time between Stratford upon Avon and Birmingham, the ‘excellent’ Graham Spalding heads the team, specialising in complex M&A, Bradley Quin is knowledgeable on corporate reorganisations and joint ventures, while Stuart Price concentrates on IP and data protection matters.

With Michael Stace at the helm, Shakespeare Martineau LLP represents a litany of clients within the healthcare, tech and renewables spheres, on the gamut of corporate and private equity matters. Stace specialises in disposals and joint venture arrangements, the ‘top-notch’ Keith Spedding advises on multi-jurisdictional M&A, whilst Kavita Patel primarily focuses on corporate finance transactions. Joddy Webb concentrates on investments, and Peter Mayhew is also highlighted as key.

Aaron & Partners LLP specialises in advising on complex demergers and management buyouts, frequently representing corporations from across the insurance, manufacturing and housebuilding spheres. The Shrewsbury-based practice is led by Stuart Scott-Goldstone, Stuart Haynes brings vast experience in M&A and commercial contract negotiations to the group, while Hugh Strickland is an expert on banking and finance proceedings.

Headed by the ‘thorough, concise’ Sukie Shemar, Enoch Evans LLP specialises in supporting SME clients and multinationals with M&A, corporate restructurings and joint ventures. With bases in Walsall, Sutton Coldfield and Cannock, Shemar is a healthcare sector specialist, primarily focusing on pharmacy and care home issues, and David Evans has expertise in complex commercial contracts.

Under the leadership of Clare Lang in Kidderminster, MFG Solicitors LLP‘s corporate practice works closely with the firm’s wider departments to assist with corporate transactions and M&A across a range of sectors, including the food and drink, manufacturing, distribution, retail and hospitality industries. Lang’s expertise spans management buy-outs, M&A, disposals and reorganisations, while James Hayes in Worcester acts for a roster of owner-managed businesses, UK subsidiaries and public companies. The group also works closely with colleagues in the firm’s Birmingham office.

With the ‘outstanding’ Craig Davies at the helm, the Tamworth-based practice at Pickerings Solicitors offers bespoke advice on the gamut of issues arising in mergers, joint ventures and corporate restructurings. Davies is an expert on share sales and trading terms, Keri Pointon has ‘exceptional legal acumen’ when addressing management buyouts and Amanda Jones focuses primarily on disposals.

Located out of Stourbridge and Wolverhampton, the ‘strong and developing’ practice at Talbots Law is highly regarded for handling management buyouts, acquisitions and asset purchases. The ‘approachable’ Mike Linford leverages his vast experience in advising banks and management teams from across the manufacturing, IT and pharmacy spheres, whilst Shaun Owen is well versed in assisting with company restructures and exit strategies.