Subject: Howlett Clarke Newsletter
Howlett & Clarke Newsletter
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Winter 2008 - Edition 22 |
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Dear #subname# |
Welcome to our Newsletter |
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Welcome to the Winter edition of the Howlett Clarke Newsletter. We hope you like the new format of the Newsletter. Our recipients include our Partners and Staff, Existing Clients, Fellow Members of Sussex Enterprise, Brighton & Hove Chamber of Commerce, BCP, Friends of the Albion and all our Business Partners. |
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Congratulations to Ismail Groves on
joining our busy Corporate Commercial Team following completion of his training contract, pictured with
Tim Fenton, Partner |
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Internal News
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Author |
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Welcome to Roger Hylton and Jane Quinn who both started their training contracts with us recently.
Sharon Blackstone from our Family department (right) pictured with University of Brighton law student Sarah Rose during our successful Student Work Shadow month.
We have just appointed Keith Davis as our Employment Law Consultant and we will soon be offering in house HR training programmes for employers, more information in the next newsletter.
Howlett Clarke's charity front has been very busy recently raising funds for four good causes. The Martlets Hospice Noon Walk,
Wear it Pink, Jeans for Genes and Children in Need raising over £800 in total
You may be interested in attending a couple of music events with Howlett Clarke Solicitors playing in their respective groups.
Wed 10
th Dec - 8-11pm SPIRIT at The Brunswick, Holland Rd Hove BN3 1JF. Tickets £5/£4. Support
on the evening by the Pitch Invaders which features Richard Schaverien. For more information look at the website below.
Sat 20th Dec –8.30 to 11.30 The Eavedroppers featuring John Brewins
will be playing also at
The Brunswick, Hove.
Doors open 8.00pm
Tickets £7 -
From 01273 733984
or
from the website at
http://www.brunswickpub.co.uk/
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Edited and produced by
Mark Seltzer
Business Development Manager
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Corporate Commerical |
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Author |
The corporate commercial team has been recently involved in two big transactions, firstly acting on behalf of Brighton Streamline in their merger with Hove Streamline Taxis and also on the asset sale of Machine Tools Limited. In an interview with head of department Tim Fenton we find out more about these transactions.....
Howlett Clarke Commercial- Deal Profile Questionnaire 1
Brighton & Hove Streamline
Taxis Limited
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Who led your team and what was their position?
Tim Fenton/Partner – Head of Corporate/Commercial department.
Also involved were Yasmin Tayob from the firm’s Employment Team and Caroline Oram from the Commercial Property Team.
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Do you have a long-standing working relationship with the Company or was this the first time you have worked with them?
We have acted for Brighton Streamline for some years, both commercially and in connection with litigation matters.
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What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?
This particular transaction was very challenging in that it sought to bring together two separate businesses to form a new company.
The challenges were for the Board of Brighton Streamline to deal with the requirements of the Companies Acts but with regular input from the Company’s Accountants, Chisnall Comer Ismail, and with close contact with Hove Streamline 202020 and their Advisers a new structure was put together to accommodate the difficulties encountered in dealing with the Companies Acts requirements as the individual businesses involved in the transaction included companies limited by guarantee, companies limited by shares and unincorporated associations.
A close working relationship between all parties and considerable time and effort put in by the Board of Brighton Streamline and by the Committee of Hove 202020 managed to overcome the significant difficulties and complete the matter on the target date.
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What qualities do you feel that you bring to this arrangement?
All 3 Departments were involved on an almost daily basis for some over an extended period time, such were the matters that needed to be dealt with to align the two existing businesses to produce the new company and
Tim Fenton’s considerable experience in dealing with business transfers together with the experience of our Employment and Commercial Property Teams meant that we were able to produce rapid and useful advice to the Board of Directors who were constantly dealing with ever changing matters, particularly relating to the structure of the new organisation and the transfer of employees to it.
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Do you have any comment to make about the future of the business?
The new business is a natural amalgamation of 2 separate businesses formed some 70 years ago because of the then separation between Brighton & Hove.
Now that Brighton & Hove have come together as a City it seemed appropriate that the City should be served by a larger single organisation and the future of the new company is well founded in the two contributing businesses.
Howlett Clarke Commercial- Deal Profile Questionnaire 2
Machine Tool Services Limited
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Who led your team and what was their position?
Tim Fenton Partner–Head of Corporate/Commercial Department.
Also involved were Yasmin Tayob from the firm’s Employment Team and Caroline Oram from the Commercial Property Team
· Do you have a long-standing working relationship with the Company or was this the first time you have worked with them?
This is the first time we acted for the Company.
It was an asset sale. We were introduced to the Company by local Accountants.
· What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?
There was considerable negotiation relating to the provisions for a retention required by the Purchaser which were successfully negotiated to bring about a reduction.
The Purchaser was a Finnish PLC (through one of its subsidiaries) and their approach to the transaction was different to that of
UK companies, particularly concerning property matters and environmental issues in particular.
We were able to deal with their concerns which actually included the then newly introduced Energy Performance Certificate required for such premises.
· What qualities do you feel that you bring to this arrangement?
Considerable experience in transactions of this sort and in dealing with Cleints who, perhaps for the first time, are required to provide a great deal of information in dealing with the required due diligence process and in being able to clarify for them the implications for warranties being given by the Company in respect of the business sold.
· Do you have any comment to make about the future of the business?
The business has been sold and the Principals have retired, although all the staff have been retained so it is anticipated that the business will be strengthened as a result of being part of a large group.
· Are there any other relevant comments about this transaction?
Like other asset sale transactions this involved 3 of our Departments working closely together to advise the Client on all related issues including in particular those surrounding the transfer of affected employees.
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Tim Fenton
Partner
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Wills, Probate and Trusts |
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Author |
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CREDIT CRUNCH?
COST OF LUNCH?
HAVE YOU THE WILL TO SAVE MONEY?
Last month it was Global Warming. This month it is the cost of food. Next month..?
Does nothing stay the same these days?
Well, here is the good news!
A happy
thought that we are all familiar with was first published in
The Works of Benjamin Franklin, 1817:
“In this world nothing is certain, except death and taxes".
And in her famous book “
Gone With the Wind”(1936) Margaret Mitchell wrote
"Death, taxes and childbirth! There's never a convenient time for any of them".
How very true! But despite the Credit Crunch, and whilst house prices plummet and Estate Agents and Conveyancers worry about their jobs, there is always work for a good Wills and Probate Solicitor. It is even more important in these days of
financial constraints to spend a small amount of your
hard-earned
cash
to make a will that could save your family thousands of pounds in Inheritance Tax or at the very least hundreds of pounds in unnecessary legal fees by making a Will that clearly and effectively sets out your intentions and wishes.
Solicitors want your business and they are well aware that funds are tight at present.
You can get some good deals at present from your friendly local firm, who will be pleased to give you discounts if you ask nicely. This could be the best time to ring for an appointment – and you may still have enough for Lunch!
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John Brewins
Consultant
01273 327272
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Monthly Quiz |
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Quiz Results |
First out of
the hat with all correct answers wins a bottle of wine.
This month is an Advertising Slogan Quiz - name the adverts these slogans relate to. Answers by e-mail to
newsletter@howlettclarke.co.uk by 5th December
Questions:
1.
Real tough toys for real tough boys?
2.
Every little helps?
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One day, all watches will be made this way?
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Impossible is nothing?
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Stop me and buy one?
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It’s what your right arm’s for?
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Because I’m worth it?
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Reassuringly expensive?
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The appliance of science?
10.
It is. Are you? |
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Congratulations to Craig at Making Vision Reality who won the Olympics quiz.
The correct answers were:
1. Steven Redgrave
2. 1908 -
56 Golds
50 Silvers 39 Bronze
3. Duncan Goodhew
4. Red Blue Black Yellow Green
5. Ed Coode Matthew Pinsent James Cracknell Steve Williams
6. Pentathlon
7. 201
8. Chariots of Fire
9. Vancouver
10. Citius Altius Fortius
(faster higher stronger) |
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Our Services |
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Family
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Wills, Trusts and Probate
Civil Litigation *
Personal Injury - no win no fee
Residential Conveyancing * Home Information Packs
Corporate and Commercial * Landlord & Tenant * Employment |
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Our Clients Come First -
Client Satisfaction Questionnaires |
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FACT: 97% of returned questionnaires rated our service either good or very good
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FACT: 95% of returned questionnaires said they would use our legal services again
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FACT: 95% of returned questionnaires said they would recommend a friend or family member
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With statistics like this it makes sense for you to instruct Howlett Clarke Solicitors
Source; 2007 audit of completed and returned client satisfaction questionnaire form |
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Advertising |
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