Summerfield Browne Solicitors operate a hybrid legal services model which combines an innovative consultancy based provision of legal services with the more traditional legal services business model.
Many of our lawyers are consultant solicitors who work remotely from their own offices. Many are based at home and this significantly reduces our overheads, and which in turn provides cost efficiencies which can be passed back to the client in the form of cost effective fee rates.
Our consultant solicitors use the latest IT technology which means that work can be undertaken quickly and efficiently without the costs associated with repeat client meetings.
We do have offices but most are low cost virtual serviced offices which provide telephone answering and postal services. If we require use of meeting rooms then we only pay for the rooms when we use them. This means that we do not incur the significant overheads of other more traditional law firms. This also means that we can pass the cost benefits back to the client.
Our corporate consultant solicitors are self-employed and are appointed on a non-exclusive basis. This means that they can work elsewhere. This also reduces the tax risks associated with IR35 and in particular that consultants can be taxed as employees by HMRC in certain instances. All we ask is that if a consultant commits to following up a lead or alternatively undertaking a piece of work, they follow this through.
We only appoint highly experienced solicitors who have all held senior positions in private practice and therefore have the expertise and knowledge in their specialist area to provide first class advice. We are a commercial services law firm and therefore we only appoint business lawyers.
Our corporate consultant solicitors specialise in corporate law which includes providing advice on the following areas of law:
1. Corporate mergers and acquisitions which includes buying and selling business, companies and also shares. In addition to drafting and negotiating transactional documents we also work with tax accountants on transaction structures, and we also provide advice in relation to the appointment of corporate brokers. We also advise on due diligence.
2. Corporate joint ventures which includes advising on appropriate structures such as limited companies or limited liability partnerships and drafting shareholders agreements or partnership agreements.
3. Private equity, venture capital and seed investments. We act for both investors and also management teams. We work with accountants to structure the investment and then we draft and negotiate the investment agreement and related documents. We also undertake due diligence or alternatively respond to due diligence enquiries.
Summerfield Browne Solicitors has offices in London, Birmingham, Oxford, Cambridge, Northampton and also Market Harborough, Leicester.
