Clarion corporate team completes £200m of deals in record-breaking first quarter

Leeds law firm Clarion has reported a record-breaking start to 2016 by completing major transactions with a combined value of £200m in the first three months of the year.

Led by partners Richard Moran and Jonathan Simms, the law firm’s 11-strong corporate team completed transactions for some of Yorkshire’s biggest companies.

The transactions included the completion of a deal for Leeds-headquartered defence business Hesco to be acquired by Belgium-based perimeter security specialist Betafence with Richard Moran and Rachael Dean acting for the Heselden family.

In March, Jonathan Simms and Kaira Clarehugh of Clarion completed the refinancing of Yorkshire County Cricket Club.

In February, Jonathan Simms and Rachael Stockley advised integrated housing management and finance software provider Kypera when it was sold to software and managed services provider Castleton Technology; and they also advised Goole-based Simon Gibson Transport, specialists in bulk powder transport, handling and storage, when 75% of the company was acquired by French logistics provider Groupe Charles Andre (GCA).

In January, Richard Moran and Kaira Clarehugh advised the management in the MBO of Wakefield-head quartered Greens Power, manufacturer of world renowned economisers, from its Cayman-based parent Greens Holdings Ltd; and Jonathan Simms and Rachael Stockley acted for Leeds-based Weston Communications when it was acquired by AIM-listed Pinnacle Technology Group.

Richard Moran, senior partner and head of Clarion’s corporate practice, said: “We’re proud to be working with some of the leading firms in the region, helping them to enhance and realise the value of the businesses they have created as the deals landscape continues to improve.

“Having built our reputation advising fast-growing owner managed businesses, we are increasingly winning work from larger corporates, based on the strength of our track record and the time we have invested in developing relationships.

“We are now reaping the rewards as we are recognised as having one of the largest corporate teams in Yorkshire and one with the strength in depth to deliver large, complex transactions as well as the ability to drive eight large deals at the same time. We are particularly proud of the home grown talent within our team, many of whom trained with Clarion, and share our relationship-driven approach.”

Michael Hughes, group chief executive officer for Hesco, added: “We have worked with Richard Moran and the Clarion team over the last five years on a variety of matters covering corporate advisory, litigation, property and employment.

“Over that time we have worked closely together through some difficult periods and have more recently steered the business to a successful sale. In line with the unique nature of the Hesco business, most of our legal requirements have not been straight forward and Richard has always provided calm and clear commercial advice. He and the Clarion team have been extremely responsive to our needs at all times and I highly recommend the firm.”

Darren Weston, managing director of Weston Communications, commented: “As it was the first time we’d sold a business, it was tremendously reassuring to know we were in such capable hands – the Clarion team explained exactly what was happening throughout the process in language we could understand.

“They were unfailingly friendly and helpful and as the negotiations became more intense, they were constantly on hand, whatever the hour. Overall, working with Clarion gave us a warm feeling - we were confident they had our best interests at heart and knew exactly what they were doing, and they were also great people to deal with.”

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