On this page
Overview
Howard Taylor is a Partner in the Corporate Department, advising businesses, business owners, entrepreneurs, investors, family offices and trustees on mergers and acquisitions, financings, investments, reorganisations and other strategic corporate matters.
He has extensive experience acting on domestic and cross-border transactions across sectors including technology, financial services, professional services, hospitality, manufacturing and insurance. Known for delivering pragmatic, commercially-focused advice, Howard helps clients navigate complex transactions, corporate financings and investment opportunities, while protecting long-term business value.
Expertise
Howard specialises in:
- Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)
- Private Equity Transactions
- Joint Ventures
- Strategic Investments
- Corporate Reorganisations and Restructurings
- Shareholder Agreements and Governance
- Fundraisings and financings
Work Highlights
- Advised a major UK specialist social care and education provider in arranging a complex, multi-phase transaction involving the acquisition of a number of sites, the establishment of a joint venture for the operation of a specialist care facility and financing arrangements.
- Advised four non-UK family trusts in connection with the restructuring of a complex multi-jurisdictional corporate group with interests in a number of South American manufacturing businesses.
- Advised the management team of The Club Company, the UK’s leading country club operator, on the exercise of their share options and the sale of their resulting shares in The Club Company to private equity firm, Epiris, and on the re-investment of part of their sale proceeds into the acquiring group.
- Advised on a £55 million refinancing of a major UK hotel group by HSBC.
- Acted for the shareholders of Syntec Holdings Limited, a leading provider of secure payment solutions (under the brand CardEasy), on the sale of the company to AIM-listed Eckoh plc, the global provider of secure payment products and customer contact solutions, for a total purchase price of £31 million.
- Advised joint liquidators from Quantuma LLP and Macintyre Hudson LLP on the sale of the business and certain assets of Recruitment & Contractor Services Limited to People Group Services Limited.
- Advised DNA Fit Limited on a reorganisation involving its acquisition by a new holding company, DNAFit Life Sciences Limited, and the issue of new shares to a group of participants who had contributed significantly to the business since its inception.
- Advised ICICI Bank UK Plc on its provision of a multi-million Euro loan facility to Lux International AG.
Qualifications & Accreditations
Howard obtained his LLB (Hons) from King’s College London in 1994, was called to the Bar in 1995 and re-qualified as a solicitor in 2000. He joined Payne Hicks Beach in 2016 and became a Partner in 2019. A member of the Law Society of England & Wales, Howard is consistently recognised by The Legal 500 UK as a Recommended Key Lawyer for M&A transactions.
Awards & Accolades
- The Legal 500 UK 2027 ranks Howard Taylor as a ‘Recommended Key Lawyer’ for ‘M&A: Smaller Deals (£10m–£100m)’.
- The Legal 500 UK 2026 ranks Howard Taylor as a ‘Recommended Key Lawyer’ for ‘M&A: Smaller Deals (£10m–£100m)’.
- Spear’s Corporate Lawyers Index 2026 ranks Howard Taylor as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’.
