Chris is an experienced solicitor who specialises in corporate and commercial law and advises businesses of all sizes and in various business sectors in relation to their business transactions and contracts. He helps businesses and their owners and management teams to manage and complete corporate mergers, demergers, acquisitions and disposals, and is also an expert in advising on management buy-ins and buy-outs.
Chris also helps businesses to negotiate and implement a range of commercial contracts including NDAs, co-operation and joint venture agreements, distribution, agency, franchise and licence agreements. He also regularly provides businesses with advice and assistance in relation to brand protection, data protection and GDPR matters.
Expertise
Corporate:
- Mergers and acquisitions
- Disposals
- Management buy-outs and buy-ins
- Restructuring
- De-mergers
- Share buybacks
- Joint ventures
- Shareholders’ agreements and investment agreements
- Partnership and LLP agreements
- Outsourcing projects
- Inward investment
Commercial:
- Commercial agreements
- B2B and B2C contracts
- High-value commercial transactions
- Research, sponsorship and co-operation agreements
- EU and UK competition law
- Brand protection and enforcement
- Software development and licensing agreements
- Data protection and GDPR advice
Experience
Corporate
- Advised on the acquisition and sale of various UK food industry businesses by a listed Irish client company
- Advised on the acquisition by a Hong Kong-based client of a specialised division of a UK listed company in the packaging sector
- Advised on the acquisition of the shares of a key UK subsidiary of a German client company and subsequent sales of its foundry business and its machined engine castings production plant
- Advised on the MBO, including the buyback of the combined majority shareholdings of two founder shareholders of a longstanding client company in the fintech sector
- Advised on the MBO and buy-out of the founder shareholders of a leading data protection consultancy group
- Managed the restructuring and subsequent demerger of a leading UK cold storage and distribution group
- Advised on sales and disposals of several companies operating exhibitions in the UK and internationally
Commercial
- Provided strategic advice to a longstanding client in relation to the successful completion of various high-value commercial projects and agreements in the automotive sector
- Negotiated a high-value engine component development and supply agreement for a jointly developed power unit
- Advised on high-value and business-critical engineering services and production contracts with a number of leading international OEMs
- Advised on the development and construction of a state-of the-art driving emissions testing centre
- Advised on high-value research, sponsorship, and co-operation agreements with various world-class academic institutions and commercial partners
Please note:Â The experience list above may include examples of work completed prior to joining Keystone Law.
Career
Chris qualified as a solicitor in 1992. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2020, he worked at the following firms:
- Greenwoods GRM
- Sedgwick Kelly
- Reid Minty