WITH the Business Times focus this month on Northampton, Partner Tom Warrender has been reflecting on the firm’s involvement in the Northampton business community.
Tom is head of the Commercial Property and Housing Teams at Wilson Browne Solicitors, both of which are recognised by the Legal 500 – the Who’s Who of the legal profession.
For those unfamiliar, the Housing Team typically looks after and advises housing associations and private landlords.
Tom first moved to the Northampton area when he came to study Law at the University. He said: “The fact is that we can trace our roots in the county back almost 200 years. Also, my fellow Partner Ika Cástka is currently President of Northamptonshire Law Society, a voluntary organisation providing a focal point for solicitors in the county.”
In terms of the work conducted by Tom’s teams in Northampton, that can vary from anything like multimillion pound land acquisition and development deals (both residential and commercial), leases of pubs, offices, warehouses and more, acting for well established national companies through to brand new start-ups.
While Wilson Browne acts on a number of transactions in the town, two deals that particularly stand out for Tom are:-
– the multi-million pound purchase of part of the former cattle market auction site at Brackmills and subsequent redevelopment of a new central logistics hub for logistics company Dacsher; and
– Acting on the land acquisition, development and subsequent shared ownership sales of various sites in Northampton for EMH Housing & Regeneration Limited.
On the Dacsher deal, Managing Director Nick Lowe, said: “We are delighted with the timely legal advice and support that we have received during this large transaction, which helped the project run through smoothly” while Company Secretary & UK Finance & Administration Manager at Dachser, Susan Rowley, added: “The service we received from the Commercial Property team at Wilson Browne has been exemplary and we would certainly use their services again.”
On the latest housing scheme the firm acted on, Jim Patman, Executive Director, Development, EMH Group said: “We were delighted with the work Tom and Emma have conducted on our behalf in relation to this site. For us, communication is key, and it was great to work in partnership with Tom and Emma keeping us informed every step of the way.”
Tom’s teams work hand in hand with Wilson Browne’s wider commercial teams. A recent example being a deal comprising the share sale of one business, the sale of commercial premises owned by another company, and the sale by a pension fund of a third property, all required to be completed simultaneously by the parties.
Working closely with Andrew Kerr, the Partner heading up the Corporate Commercial Team, the team were able to ensure that the various complexities of the deals were dealt with swiftly and that the deal was completed in accordance with the client’s requirements.
For more information on how Wilson Browne can help you and your business, contact either Tom Warrender or a member of our commercial teams at Wilson Browne Solicitors on 0800 088 6004; put simply, we are all the help you need.