Business Clients

Payne Hicks Beach has experience gained over many years in advising companies both large and small, whether they operate as a family or international business, and whether they are private or public. We pride ourselves on giving clear and pragmatic advice.

We advise across a wide range of industries and sectors and work as an integrated team to provide the full range of legal services, including corporate, commercial, property, dispute resolution, employment and immigration law advice. We have acted for a number of our clients over a number of generations, but also for new business start-ups and entrepreneurs. We value long-term relationships with our clients and spend time getting to know their businesses and objectives so that we can provide the right advice and commercial solutions.

Charities and Schools
Our Education Team has been recognised by a number of legal publications as a leader in the field. We advise schools, colleges, universities, pupils and parents in all aspects of the law in this sector.

In particular we have vast experience dealing with the often sensitive and complex disputes that can arise within schools and universities. Often these disputes can be resolved quickly but we have also had experience of cases proceeding to all levels of hearings including the Administrative Court and the Court of Appeal.

Our work can involve consideration of alleged discrimination or other abuse of process. Interpretation and enforcement of rules and regulations can be common issues. We have been regularly involved in admission arrangements. We are able to deal with such matters in a sensitive and understanding way but, at the same time, without losing focus concerning the important issues at stake. We can also work with education establishments concerning setting up procedures to minimise the risk of disputes occurring.

We regularly advise in relation to examination procedures and means of appeal as well as school administration policies and bullying.
Entrepreneurs
We act for individuals and teams as they take their first steps to establish a business. Our clients value our wealth of experience in advising start-ups across a wide range of business sectors. We advise on establishing an appropriate trading entity, acquiring premises, brand protection, funding, commercial contracts and employment matters. Our Corporate and Private Client Departments also work closely with each other to assist our clients in organising their businesses and personal affairs in a tax efficient way. We obtain enormous satisfaction from seeing our clients’ businesses grow and flourish and have the broad range of skills and expertise across the firm to support them as they expand.
Family Businesses
The Firm takes great pride in its work with family businesses, whether they have been established by entrepreneurs or held in the same family for generations. We act both for small businesses and major international businesses that have chosen to remain in family ownership. Our Corporate Department works seamlessly with our Private Client Department, enabling us to advise both businesses and business owners. This is particularly important when it comes to passing on the family business in a tax efficient manner. We advise on the establishment of appropriate trading entities, brand protection, commercial contracts, corporate transactions and employment and property matters.
Financial Institutions
We advise a wide range of financial institutions, including investment managers, banks, corporate financiers and trustees, large and small. We advise on the full range of their legal requirements, including financial services and regulatory and compliance issues, working with overseas advisers where necessary. We act for clients on all aspects of lending and the negotiation of loan and security documentation, frequently working with our Property Department on secured arrangements. Our Dispute Resolution Department also has extensive experience in acting for financial institutions when either they have to resort to litigation to pursue a third party or they find themselves on the wrong end of a claim.
International Businesses
We act not only for businesses with an established international presence but also for UK businesses that are seeking to grow overseas and overseas businesses seeking to develop internationally. We are able to offer full cross-border support for businesses in any of those circumstances. Whilst we do not advise on foreign law, we are independent and able to select and work with the best lawyers for the job in the jurisdictions where overseas advice is needed. We advise on the full range of legal issues, including on inward investment, international mergers and acquisitions, international dispute resolution and employment and real estate matters.
Listed Companies
We act for listed companies and companies seeking to raise capital and list on one of the London stock exchanges, including the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange and AIM. We advise on the listing process itself and on continuing obligations. We assist listed companies with corporate transactions, including acquisitions and disposals and further fundraisings. We are also on hand to provide the full range of legal support which our listed clients are likely to require, drawing upon the expertise of lawyers in all parts of the firm to provide relevant advice and assistance when required.
Private Companies
Private companies are the life-blood of the UK’s economy and they also lie at the heart of the work of the Firm’s Corporate practice. We are able to provide the full range of legal services that private companies and their owners are likely to require, working with specialists in other parts of the Firm to provide all-round technical expertise. We are also experienced in advising private companies on acquisitions and disposals, joint ventures and capital raisings, and with a listing on one of the London stock exchanges should that be a course which a private company wishes to take.
Professional Practices
As a professional practice ourselves, we are well placed to understand the business needs of our clients in the professional practices sector, whether they operate through general partnerships or limited liability partnerships. Our clients include other solicitors’ practices, accountants, engineers, property professionals and consultancies. We have acted for a number of clients for many years, and have assisted them as they have merged, demerged, acquired other practices or taken on outside investors. We are also able to advise on tax planning and property issues, and our Dispute Resolution and Employment Departments deal with contentious situations, including the removal of non-performing partners and team moves.