County law firm's corporate deals top £110m in a single year

Lawyers at Lanyon Bowdler Solicitors said they had seen “renewed appetite” from businesses in Shropshire and across the Midlands region wanting to expand.

Gráinne Walters, head of the firm’s corporate department, said the evidence from their clients was that the local economy was performing strongly.

She said: “Over the last year the team has been instructed on many corporate transactions including, in particular, a large number of business sales and purchases.

“We have seen renewed appetite amongst local businesses to grow, and the number of transactions that we’ve recently been instructed on is evident of the continued confidence for the future, despite the lingering uncertainty over Brexit and what impact that might have on the UK’s economy.”

Ms Walters said the corporate team, which has recently expanded with the addition of solicitor Ed Burrell and trainee Mathew Hughes, had been extremely busy with transactions totalling more than £110 million in value in the 2016-17 financial year.

“Our team has gone from strength to strength and, as the quantity and quality of our instructions have increased, the breadth and depth of the team and its experience has grown accordingly,” she said.

“As well as business sales and purchases, we have also been involved in a large number of corporate restructures, with businesses looking to streamline themselves.

“This is often a great option for companies which have various aspects to their business and is often attractive after a period of growth where a company may wish to organise its structure more appropriately.”

Aside from corporate transactions, Lanyon Bowdler’s corporate and commercial team also assists businesses with their day to day legal needs including preparing and advising on commercial contracts and trading documentation.

Ben Stockton, managing director at Shropshire-based OurVirtualAcademy.com, which provides video-based online technical training to the independent aftermarket all over the world, said: “The specialists at Lanyon Bowdler have provided valuable support which has helped us grow the business rapidly in recent years.”