I have over 14 years’ experience with a genuine dual specialism in both corporate and commercial transactions. At Hughes Paddison, we offer the full range of corporate and commercial advice to clients whether they are buying or selling a business, raising finance, entering into joint ventures, buying or selling goods or services or reviewing intellectual property arrangements. We have particular expertise in manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, exporting, retail and financial services.All businesses are looking to control their costs, while taking appropriate measures to mitigate risk as they grow. This demands a pragmatic and commercial approach, which we provide. We constantly question the extent of any risk and the financial implications for the client of any proposed arrangement. My experience in setting up my own business (Pourty International), as well as acting as Group Legal Counsel for Mulberry Group plc, have given me a great insight into the challenges faced by every size of business. I am able to combine this experience with my legal expertise to deliver expert, commercial and practical advice.

I have designed a multi-award winning new child's potty. The Pourty potty has been on sale since Feb 2010 and is one of the bestselling potties in the UK with Amazon, John Lewis, Tesco and Babies R Us. It was awarded Best New Product to Market 2010/11 by Practical Parenting Magazine. We have since extended our product range to include a toilet training seat, step stool and cradle cap brush. My wife, who had been working in the business part time, took over management of the business full time from August 2013. The company now has a turnover of over £300,000 and we sell to USA, China, Germany, Japan and Hong Kong.See www.pourty.co.uk for more details.

I was an associate in the commercial and corporate team at DAC Beachcroft. I advised on wide range of commercial transactions, issues and projects as well as mergers and acquisitions. My work included:• Acting for a FTSE 100 company on a range of purchase agreements for services and equipment up to a value of £450m, including the procurement of the design and build of high value automation equipment from European and US suppliers;• Acting for a FTSE 100 company on key customer agreements for the supply of services;• Advising companies on agency and distribution agreements for EEA and elsewhere;• Acting for Mitie Group plc on the supply of facilities management services to Bank of Ireland;• Acting for the Good Care Group on £10m management buy out;• Acting for HCA International on various corporate transactions;• Acting for Denplan on the creation of a new model for investment in dental practices;• Acting for Denplan on the acquisition of Practice Plan for Vets Ltd and the Animal Healthcare Company Ltd;• Acting for IP Group plc and other the shareholders on the sale of Activiomics Limited to Retroscreen Virology Group plc.

I was the Group Legal Officer at Mulberry Group plc, the luxury fashion house. I provided a wide range of legal advice, including general commercial advice and intellectual property litigation. I left Mulberry at the end of May 2011 so that I could focus on my growing Pourty business.

Senior associate in the corporate team and my work included advising on:• business and share acquisitions and disposals for private and public companies, domestic and international;• LLP incorporations, members’ agreements and disputes; and• investment, shareholder and joint venture agreements.

I trained at Veale Wasbrough doing seats in property, property litigation, construction, litigation and company and commercial. I qualified into company and commercial in 2001, where I was involved in a variety of work including joint ventures, creating an LLP/franchise group structure, financial services related advice, share incentive schemes and acting on a series of acquisitions in the financial services sector.