The corporate team of Sheffield’s Wake Smith Solicitors completed deals worth a cumulative value of more than £100 million in 2017—for the first time in the firm’s 200 year history.
Highlights included the sale of shares in Spencer Coatings Group, the reorganisation of Rollem Patent Products, the share exchange and reorganisations of Twinkl and Armeg, the purchase of shares in Chesterfield Motor Company, the acquisition of Pegasus Diamond by Duro UK, and the sale of the Crown Hotel and Rutland Hotel.
The complex legal work was completed by Wake Smith’s three-strong team: head of company commercial and director Duncan Shepherd, joint managing director John Baddeley and associate Rebecca Robinson.
The quality and complexity of deals completed in the last 12 months gives the team excellent momentum going into 2018, according to Wake Smith.
Baddeley said: “To have worked on such high profile and valuable deals as these demonstrates the depth of experience we have nurtured at Wake Smith. I am extremely proud of the work we have completed taking us over the £100m value in a 12 month period for the first time ever.
“This year we have seen a combination of factors bring us work. There has been a more active market with mature business owners, who have held back from selling at the time when the markets collapsed, reacting to a more attractive marketplace for vendors.
“The banks are now lending money and funding acquirers, meaning that more deals have been enabled.”
“Importantly, the calibre of deals that we now handle, far exceeds the level of work we have done in the past, which is great for our reputation both regionally and nationally.”
Baddeley added: “Duncan and I have more than 20 years each concluding deals and our experience means that we are efficient at turning around deals.”
“Our client base, relationships and knowledge of their businesses adds value to our service as our clients trust us.”
“I still get a buzz from completing deals. No deal is ever the same and it’s the variety that keeps it interesting. We have a genuine interest in our clients and the team’s enthusiasm keeps those clients coming back.”
The corporate team at Wake Smith has “enjoyed a superb 2017”, positioning 2018 to be a year in which “we are already working on a number of major deals for our clients”, Baddeley said.
(Pictured, from left to right: John Baddeley, Rebecca Robinson and Duncan Shepherd)
