STAGE 1: Auction opening and indicative offers The starting point in M&A auctions is usually the preparation of an information memorandum by the seller about the target and the opportunity to acquire it. This is circulated – subject to a
More about Under the Hammer – The auction process in M&AWhat happened? The Seller, Henley Developments, obtained outline planning permission for a residential development site in Ebbsfleet, Kent and exchanged contracts to sell one of the development parcels to Weston Homes for £14,500,000. Weston Homes paid a 5% deposit on
More about Termination clauses: start as you mean to finish2026 begins with renewed momentum: fresh starts, evolving rules for wealth and estate planning, and a lively political backdrop. After a year of significant change in terms of tax policy and regulatory frameworks, we hope that 2026 brings greater certainty,
More about In Trust – January 2026The claimant company had brought proceedings against a local authority (Blackburn With Darwen Borough Council) in the Manchester Technology and Construction Court seeking damages for wrongful termination of a contract for the construction of a new bus station in Blackburn.
More about Thomas Barnes & Sons PLC v Blackburn With Darwen Borough CouncilIt is worth a reminder of how we got here: as the rules stood, historically, there was no limit on the value of property which, if it qualified for 100% relief as agricultural or business property, could pass on death
More about Festive cheer for farmers and business owners as Government increases APR and BPR 100% relief limit to £2.5mMake use of available agricultural or business inheritance tax reliefs Currently, qualifying agricultural or business assets can receive up to 100% relief from IHT under agricultural property relief (APR) or business property relief (BPR) as applicable. From 6 April 2026
More about New year, new rules: key tax planning opportunities for the year aheadCorporate structures offer no safe harbour. Recent rulings confirm that associated companies, parent entities and even later acquirers can be held jointly and severally liable for remediation costs – sometimes decades after construction. Judges scrutinise ownership links, financial interdependence and
More about Building Safety Act enforcement – six cases that have redefined liability and riskIn Almacantar Centre Point Nominee No.1 Ltd & Ors v Penelope de Valk & Ors, on appeal to the Upper Tribunal (UT) from the First Tier Tribunal (FTT), the UT has held that: Proving the existence of a “relevant defect”
More about Judicial guidance on defect claims and leaseholder protections under the Building Safety Act 2022Despite them feeling like one of the family, under English law, pets are legally classified as chattels i.e. they are deemed items of property. In the eyes of the law, your beloved dog or cat is therefore treated much like
More about Bone of contentionAs the year begins, many private clients are reviewing their affairs and setting resolutions. One area that demands particular attention is dispute management. How disputes are resolved can have lasting consequences, especially now that the English courts are embracing greater
More about New year, new risks: navigating transparency in the Commercial Court