Ensuring a smooth journey to exit for world-leading manufacturer
When MPE Group Limited's shareholders decided to exit the business to a US group, we provided commercial and tailored legal advice on all parts of the transaction.
Business Sales & Exits
Our specialist business and asset sale lawyers can help you to navigate the best route to exit.
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Our corporate transaction lawyers are experts in advising on the complexities of selling a company, its business or its assets — successfully navigating your route to exit.
With one of the largest specialist corporate law teams in the UK, we provide you with the confidence you need to complete asset and share sales, so that you can walk away with your interests and legacy protected, as well as a strong understanding of any future obligations.
Our extensive team of over 50 lawyers includes sector specialists who focus on a number of niche areas, providing us with a greater understanding of the business owners that we represent. We complete transactions on both domestic and international deals, including sales to trade, private equity or management team acquirers. We regularly act on transactions with an international angle for larger or complex transactions.
As your trusted partner throughout the sale of your business — and beyond — we take relationship building seriously and always take the time to understand your business and requirements in-depth. This enables us to provide practical advice and balance opportunities with risk management.
We work alongside you to prepare the business for sale. For family-owned or closely held businesses, we can help you to develop a succession plan that ensures continuity while protecting the legacy you’ve worked so hard to build.
Our lawyers don’t just ‘talk law’ — we speak the language of business and can assist with planning for your long-term personal goals. With our support, you’ll be able to make informed strategic decisions with peace of mind that your assets are protected.
The legal experts in business exits and asset sales
Our corporate team is led by experienced lawyer Mark Rathbone. Recognised as a Leading Partner in The Legal 500 2025, Mark brings three decades’ worth of experience in handling corporate and commercial transactions of all shapes and sizes.
He’s supported by an extensive group of Partners with specialist expertise in sectors like dental, pharmacy, housing, technology, manufacturing and supply chain, professional services and charity.
We understand that for some clients the sale process may simply be one of many — while for others, it could be the culmination of a life’s work. Each matter is different — and we have the resources and knowledge to match the right specialist in our team to your specific type of business and transaction.
As a team, we're recognised as one of the UK's most active deal makers and ranked in the top tier of The Legal 500 2025 for corporate and commercial matters, with multiple members of the team receiving credit in the Hall of Fame and as Leading Partners, Next Generation Partners, Leading Associates and Recommended Lawyers in their field.
Recognised in the top-tier of The Legal 500
Deal Advisory — our specialist accountancy offering
We also have our own professional services firm of specialist accountants who proactively create deals and bring parties together.
Our Deal Advisory experts tactically guide businesses and management teams through complex corporate transactions — advising on deal structure, finding funders, targets or buyers and negotiating on price.
This means that we can offer access to the best possible financial and legal advice from one cohesive firm. Working closely with our Deal Advisory team and network of external corporate finance teams, brokers and accountants, we’re experts in making great deals happen.
We'll ensure that the structure of your deal takes into account taxation, risk and operational continuity and is personalised to both your business and the personal requirements of the current and future owners.
Due diligence, warranties & indemnities
We provide support throughout the due diligence process, with straightforward advice on what’s being asked and presenting key business information to meet the requirements of the buyer.
Our technology supports cost-effective information sharing and ensures that any confidential business information is protected while providing appropriate disclosure. While the due diligence exercise may feel like a chore to benefit a buyer, our experts can assist with reframing this process to the benefit of the seller. We look to build an understanding within management teams of the importance of providing full and complete information to ensure that future risks are limited.
We also work closely with you to ensure a wider understanding of the consequences of warranties and indemnities and how the information provided during due diligence may alter the consequences of both.
Often a feature of larger or more complex transactions, the use of warranty and indemnity insurance can be used in certain situations to help bridge the gap between the risks that the seller and buyer are willing to take on future obligations coming out of transactions. These can help to focus key commercial discussions in transactions to the real issues — rather than theoretical risk apportionment.
Drafting & reviewing agreements
Our desire to gain a deeper understanding of both your personal objectives and the business being sold is reflected in the clear and comprehensive transactional documents that we draft. We’ll ensure that these are bespoke to the business and the needs of the seller.
We’ll also look to ensure that any restrictive covenants placed on business sellers are appropriate and fit with the future plans of anyone exiting a business.
Our straightforward, plain English way of reporting to you on any transactional documents being entered into will provide you with the best possible understanding of the final terms of the deal, including the benefits and risks.
Negotiating terms & protecting your interests
Our role in negotiation is to be an advocate for your best interests. We’re ‘dealmakers’ who work hard to achieve terms that are well balanced.
Key to this is understanding your priorities — whether you’re concerned with speed, risk or a combination of various priorities.
We’re supported by the strength of our full-service law firm and work closely with other specialist service teams as required, depending on the terms of the deal.
This collaborative approach ensures that you receive the integrated and comprehensive advice you need to meet your business objectives.
Closing the deal & post-sale considerations
Our focus is always on getting the deal done. Our wealth of experience allows us to look at the bigger picture in the support we offer, which may include the procurement of appropriate third-party or regulator consent to secure completion.
After a sale, we work closely with accountants and other professional advisors to ensure that regulatory filings and post-completion financial obligations are met to ensure a smooth handover of business assets.
We provide you with ongoing support when it comes to concerns about risk, contingent liabilities or future contractual obligations.
“Mark Rathbone regularly advises domestic and international clients on joint ventures, commercial agreements and investment structures.”
The Legal 500 2025
“Nikki Whittle is an outstanding legal leader who has taken her time to understand my business interests and provide insight and structure to developing the business. She's an excellent communicator, responsive and supported by a strong, capable and engaging team.”
Client feedback, The Legal 500 2025
“The team has a diverse range of skills and bring in resources to best support the business need. They have a strong network delivery engaging at regional level and bringing together business leaders to discuss hot topics.”
The Legal 500 2025, Corporate & Commercial
“Mairead Platt advises on all corporate legal matters such as company incorporations, shareholder protection, company restructures and sales and acquisitions of businesses.”
The Legal 500 2025
“Nikki Whittle is a key port of call for large corporates and SMEs seeking advice on a broad range of corporate transactions.”
The Legal 500 2025
“We negotiated a deal with the previous owner of Inscape Interiors for the management team to purchase the business and take over its operation. We instructed Mairead Platt to assist with the MBO, which included advice on the legals and assistance with negotiations. Mairead understood the business and the relationships between the parties involved. It was a long process — and negotiations were, at times, back and forth — but Mairead ensured that the deal remained on track with efficiency and commerciality. We would recommend Mairead to anyone going through a similar corporate transaction.”
Owner, Inscape Interiors
Meet the team
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