Lance is an experienced corporate and commercial lawyer with over 30 years experience, who advises a wide range of clients from business start-ups, entrepreneurs and SME’s through to large multinational companies. He has considerable experience in running domestic and cross border corporate M&A transactions and has advised companies on AIM and PLUS IPO’s. He also advises on private equity and venture capital transactions and has worked across many sectors, including Natural Resources and Cleantech/Renewables.
Expertise
- Mergers and Acquisitions (shares and assets) and Strategic Alliances
- Private equity transactions (including management advice)
- Investment/Shareholder Agreements/Articles/Shareholder Disputes
- Corporate Finance, AIM and PLUS
- Legal due diligence/ preparation for exit (IPO or trade sale)
- General company and commercial law including Directors Duties
Experience
Cross Border M&A Transactions
- Acted for True North Communications (based in Chicago), an advertising company, now taken over by IPG.
- Acted for URS (based in California), a transportation, infrastructure, environmental and building design company, on its worldwide reorganisation in over 40 countries.
- Acted for UPS (based in Atlanta), the US freight and parcel carrier, on pan European due diligence exercises in respect of its acquisition of the Fritz Companies.
- Acted for O’Gara, a US company, on its UK acquisitions, and previously acted for Kroll in its acquisition of Buchler Phillips.
- Acted for Eppendorf (German Company) on various UK matters including Due Diligence exercise in connection with its acquisition of a NASDAQ company.
- Acted for IPS (a US PE backed company) on a UK acquisition of a Newcastle based business.
Acquisitions & Disposals
- Advised client on the acquisition of the business of undertaking of Veg & City Drinks Limited (In Administration), makers of Savse smoothies (stocked by Waitrose and Sainsburys, amongst others), from the Administrators, Smith & Williamson.
- Acted for the shareholders in the disposal of Holroyd Howe Limited (contract catering) to Baxter Storey and related financing arrangements.
- Acted for Nexus Media on a series of publishing asset disposals.
Energy
- Acted for Clipper Windpower (an AIM Company), a US wind turbine manufacturer and operator, in various corporate and commercial matters, including significant fund raisings ($200 m +).
- Acted for Anaeco, an Australian energy from waste company on UK matters.
- Acted for Management on £80 million secondary buyout of Discovery Group.
- Acting on the IPO of Wogen Resources Ltd to the AIM
- Advised the selling shareholders (corporates) on the AIM IPO of Eqtec PLC (bioscience energy/gasification technology).
Other
- Acted for Cargolux Airlines International on its joint Venture with SITA to create one of the world’s largest air cargo automation companies.
Please note: The experience list above may include examples of work completed prior to joining Keystone Law.
Career
Lance qualified as a solicitor in 1981. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2010, he worked at the following firms:
- Marriott Harrison
- Lawrence Graham
- Andersen Legal
- Speechly Bircham