Tom Walker

Recent Work

• Advising over 80 shareholders of Monica Healthcare Limited on the sale of their shares to the healthcare division of GE (General Electric).
• Supporting Complete Childcare Group of children’s nurseries on the acquisition of its first nurseries in 2005, VC investment a further acquisitions in 2009, the exit of the VC and refinancing in 2013 and further acquisitions, most recently in 2016.
• Advising the shareholders of Oxford Cryosystems Limited on the sale of the company, having previously acted on the VC backed MBO, the exit of the VC and a sale of a proprietary software product.
• Advising on the incorporation and refinancing of two London hotel businesses from partnership to company structures.
• Working with clients and tax specialists on a number of property structures involving farms and landed estates.
• Working with the firm’s private client team and tax specialists to set up family investment companies and other corporate structures involving limited partnership, limited liability partnership, limited and unlimited companies.

Working closely with Freeths agricultural property and private client teams, as well as clients’ tax advisers, Tom advises farmers and landowners on corporate and partnership structures. These structures often form part of a larger inheritance tax planning project, or where there is opportunity to gain planning permission for development of agricultural land. Tom has particular experience in corporate, partnership and business structures.

Recent Work

• Advising on the creation of new partnerships, Limited Partnerships and LLPs, and updating partnership documentation for succession planning and IHT mitigation purposes.
• Assisting with the admission and retirement of partners in non-contentious and contentious situations.
• Documenting the transfer of agricultural assets, such as Basic Payment Scheme entitlements and growing crops.
• Advising on applications for young farmer and new farmer payments.
• Advising banks on lending to agricultural landowners, including in relation to Agricultural Charges under the Agricultural Charges Act 1928.

Tom has developed particular expertise in advising food businesses on acquisitions and disposals, supply-chain joint ventures and constitutional matters. He understands the risks and uncertainty experienced by food sector businesses and enjoys working with his clients, specialist colleagues and contacts, to minimise these issues.

Recent Work

• Advising food safety and certification business on corporate acquisitions as well as leading a team providing commercial contracts, employment and competition advice.
• Supporting a leading food processor/agri-business on a complex tri-partite supply chain joint venture involving import, three stage processing, sales and distribution.
• Assisting an early stage food manufacturer with advice on employment incentives (EMI Options) and routes to exit, using an extensive network of specialist corporate finance advisers.

If you are a business, we provide specialist notary services tailored to your commercial needs. Tom has a particular focus on company clients, being both a corporate lawyer and a notary.