Spencer West LLP

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Azeem Arshad

Azeem Arshad

Azeem is extremely passionate about the Real Estate sector, having supplemented his legal studies with a Masters in Real Estate before qualifying and working within the top-ranked Scottish Real Estate team at Brodies LLP. Thereafter, having moved to Blackadders LLP, Azeem’s frequent high calibre of transactional work resulted in the Legal 500 noting him as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ and such work was instrumental to the Real Estate team achieving a first time ranking in the Legal 500. Prior to qualifying as a solicitor, Azeem developed a fast-food business from a handful of stores in Central Scotland to a nationally recognised franchise model operating over 100 outlets across the UK – efforts which resulted in success at the UK Asian Business Awards. This entrepreneurial and commercial flare coupled with Azeem’s knowledge of the sector, technical excellence and pragmatic approach is what underpins the success of his work. This has resulted in a significant network of clients including house-hold names from the retail, fast-food and coffee sector as well as national and international investors, developers and lenders.
Sonya Bassett

Sonya Bassett

Sonya is a business leader with an entrepreneurial edge, able to add value to any board or assist a rapidly growing business which is seeking an advisor with an attention to detail to join and support their management team. Sonya has worked in the private sector as a legal director of one of the UK’s leading energy efficiency businesses. A strong negotiator and mediator with commercial experience and a flexible attitude to do what it takes to get a job done. Whilst leading large transactions Sonya has also worked on a large array of bespoke commercial contracts and provided advice in respect of renewable energy issues as and when they arise. Sonya utilises her experience of running a business through the ups and downs of the government tariffs alongside her unique approach to client service to successfully assist a great deal of businesses through a variety of projects and transactions. Sonya has been recognised in Legal 500 for her work assisting SME’s in Cornwall and the South-West and for expertise in the renewables and tourism and sectors. Sonya is currently also a non-executive director of the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group, which operates an airline, airport and marine businesses, based in locations across West Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, and chairs the Group’s environmental and remuneration committees.
Sonya Bedford

Sonya Bedford

Sonya Bedford is a leading solicitor practitioner in the field of renewable energy with over 20 years’ experience in the field. Her expertise covers all technologies involved in renewable energy including wind (wind farms, large and small scale single turbines), solar (PV and thermal), hydro, wave, biomass, anaerobic digestion. It also covers leasing, construction, operation and maintenance contracts, energy regulation, land agreements, power purchase agreements and community projects. Her expertise encompasses work in private practice and also for a public authority involved in procurement in this sector. Specific areas of expertise include:- Wind farms – land agreements, power purchase agreements, construction and finance, technology contracts, operation and maintenance contracts, National Grid connection Ground mount solar - land agreements, power purchase agreements, construction and finance, technology contracts, operation and maintenance contracts, National Grid connection Public sector power purchasing, including procurement and state aid District heat – connection and supply agreements / leases / concessions Roof top solar – leasing, operation and maintenance contracts, construction contracts Anaerobic digestion – feedstock contracts, supply contracts, power purchasing Local energy markets, microgrids, smart energy contracting Energy regulation and energy supply contracts Financing of renewable energy projects; equipment warranties; energy planning Community energy – all aspects Sustainable development - co housing, eco villages, commonhold Sonya has been awarded an MBE for her contribution to advancing renewable energy in community projects.
Indira Birkwood

Indira Birkwood

Indira is a highly regarded BVI Banking & Finance lawyer whose career spans over twenty-six years. She started her career at Harneys in the BVI and was part of its inaugural Banking & Finance team formed in 1999. After ten years in the Harneys BVI office, Indira moved to the Harneys London office and was based there for sixteen years, where she led its BVI Banking & Finance practice in the EMEA region.She has a wide-ranging client base, which includes leading onshore law firms, major international financial institutions, multinational corporations, property investment companies, high-net-worth individuals and family offices, funds, and other corporates, and specialises in all aspects of financing.Her particular areas of expertise include cross-border structured finance, real estate finance, emerging market debt, structured debt, asset finance (including ship finance), project finance, capital markets, Islamic finance, and acquisition finance transactions. She also has extensive experience in working on high-value property transactions involving BVI companies.
Suzanne Brooker

Suzanne Brooker

Suzanne is one of the leading insolvency and turnaround specialists in the South East dealing with all aspects of corporate and individual insolvency, restructuring and refinancing including, but not limited to, contentious and non-contentious issues arising in administrations, receiverships, liquidations (solvent and insolvent), bankruptcies, voluntary arrangements. Suzanne's assignments are not sector specific and frequently include security issues, restructuring and refinancing projects as well as advice to one or more class of key stakeholders. She is a licensed Insolvency Practitioner. Suzanne's clients include funders, investors, management (directors), shareholders, creditors (customers and suppliers), landlords and insolvency and turnaround practitioners. Chambers 2021: Clients praise her professionalism and technical knowledge, saying she “Not only is she a first-rate lawyer with sublime business acumen, but she is also a very effective tactician who knows how to run substantial litigation for her clients.” Legal 500 (2021) : - "Suzanne Brooker and her team took a calm and pragmatic approach to their engagement. At all times they displayed great competence and a work rate second to none. They were a pleasure to work with during what were trying circumstances. I couldn't have had anyone better un my corner. Suzanne Brooker was the lead partner on the project. She was supportive, calming and reassuring throughout, with a degree of competence that I have found hard to match elsewhere." "Suzanne Brooker has an excellent understanding of the law providing commercial answers to difficult situations." Specialties: Insolvency & Restructuring Turnaround Debt Recovery, asset tracing Fraud Invoice Discounting, factoring and asset based lending.
Dai Davis

Dai Davis

Dai Davis is a Technology Lawyer. He practices as a solicitor but is also a qualified Chartered Engineer and Member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology. Dai has consistently been recommended in the Legal 500 and in Chambers Guides to the Legal Profession for over 35 years. He has two master degrees: one in Physics, the other in Computer Science.Having been national head of Intellectual Property law and later national head of Information Technology law at Eversheds for a number of years, Dai has for the last fifteen years before joining Spencer West practiced essentially as a sole practitioner in his own specialist law practice. Dai works primarily as a commercial contract lawyer and advises clients throughout the country on computer and technology and related intellectual property law subjects. He also advises on engineering product safety legislation such as that relating to the CE and UKCA marking regimes.Dai is a non-executive director of FAST (The Federation Against Software Theft) and a Liveryman of the City of London through the WCIT (Worshipful Company of Information Technologists). He was until recently the sole industry elected trustee of the UK Cyber Security Council. He is honorary solicitor to the Safety Critical Systems Club. He has been a Council member of the Licensing Executives Society of the United Kingdom, a body of professionals dealing in intellectual property licensing, for 20 years. He works both in London and where he lives in Yorkshire.Dai works on non-contentious IT projects and advisory work. He provides specialist support to litigators on IT litigation matters. Dai works in many cutting edge areas within Information Technology such as Artificial Intelligence, the Internet of Things, Cloud Computing, Social Media, Re-used Software, Big Data, Open Source Software, Blockchain Technologies (e.g. Virtual Currency) and the Data Protection Legislation, most recently the GDPR. Dai gives strategic advice as well as undertaking IT work that is of a more transactional nature, including many transactions which are high value, business critical, international and sometimes consumer orientated.On GDPR, Dai works on specialist areas such as data breaches where his additional knowledge of cyber security assists in wording breach notifications. He also prepares Data Impact Assessments for complex data processing and advises on general risk reduction.In addition, Dai has considerable experience advising on safety regulations including those which apply to computer hardware such as the Machine Safety legislation and the Electromagnetic Compatibility legislation. This is an area not covered by almost any other IT lawyer, since it requires a good working knowledge of engineering.Dai also works on non-contentious Intellectual Property projects and advisory work. He is involved in the preparation, licensing and acquisition of Intellectual Property as well as distribution, agency and other types of collaboration agreements, particularly those with a greater amount of intellectual property subject matter. Dai gives strategic advice as well as undertaking work that is of a more transactional nature. He is involved in transactions of all sizes, including some major transactions, particularly Intellectual Property sales and acquisitions in which the transaction value is high.
Dhana Doobay

Dhana Doobay

Dhana’s career has spanned decades of sector evolution from the early privatisation of state owned operators, to market liberalisation and competition, the rise of convergence, the emergence of globalisation and the onset of digital disruption, adjacent market diversification and business transformation. Navigating the legal challenges of a constantly innovating market for extensive numbers of clients over the years, provides Dhana with an experienced basis from which to advise TMT clients on a range of strategic transactions, business critical and transformational issues against an ever-changing legal and regulatory landscape. Having also worked extensively with in-house teams, often as a “trusted adviser”, Dhana is able to integrate effectively and efficiently with clients’ internal and external advisers, as well as engaging with senior management, company boards and other stakeholders where needed. Dhana’s experience includes advising on: Commercial services agreements Regulatory licensing, strategy and policy Outsourcing agreements Network/infrastructure agreements (fixed, mobile, satellite, subsea) M&A, joint ventures and other market consolidation and diversification strategies Dispute resolution and settlement strategies Privatisations, international “best practice” regulatory and liberalisation projects.
Edward Garston

Edward Garston

Since qualification in 2006 Edward Garston has been advising owner-managed SME businesses across a wide diversity of business sectors on all aspects of corporate and commercial law. Clearly enthusiastic about his practice area, his expertise spans company mergers and acquisitions, corporate reorganisations and restructuring, secured lending arrangements, company constitutional matters, share arrangements, all the way through to shareholder agreements. A particular specialism is advising company founders on their exit, whether by third-party sale, succession, or management buyout (MBO). He will, where possible, work in conjunction with a client’s existing advisers unless additional expertise is required for the particular project.  He enjoys nothing more than guiding his clients through the entire process from inception to successful completion. On the commercial side, Edward regularly advises on business contracts and commercial arrangements such as terms and conditions and licensing arrangements. Edward joined Spencer West having previously practised at leading Essex law firms, most recently as a partner with Pinney Talfourd LLP. Having graduated in Economics from the University of Manchester, Edward first embarked on a varied Investment Banking career in London. Such experience affords him a unique insight into the banking and financial sectors, which enhances the service and advice he regularly offers. Edward is a keen networker and is often invited to share his professional expertise and experiences by speaking to industry groups and organisations.
Karen Gilbert

Karen Gilbert

Karen is a corporate and banking lawyer currently based in London, with over 17 years of offshore experience. She practised English law as a corporate and commercial solicitor in the UK before moving to the BVI, where she worked for an international firm for five years. She later returned to the UK to help establish the London office of a BVI firm, where she worked for the next 12 years.Karen advises on a broad range of international corporate and finance transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, asset financing—particularly in real estate and aircraft, as well as some yacht and artwork financing—listings on various global exchanges, voluntary liquidations (including de-envelopings), and corporate reorganisations. Many of the transactions Karen handles have a cross-border element, involving lawyers and professionals from multiple jurisdictions.She is typically instructed by law firms, lenders, family offices, and trust companies to act for a diverse range of clients. She represents both lenders and borrowers, with her lender clients including financial institutions and non-bank lenders. Other clients include high-net-worth individuals and international corporations.
Naylah Hamour

Naylah Hamour

Naylah is an experienced employment and commercial litigator representing both individuals and businesses. For individuals, Naylah assists them to navigate employment difficulties, such as discrimination, whistleblowing or restrictive covenants, and will negotiate and advise on exits and high-value settlement agreements. She also deals with the full spectrum of Employment Tribunal claims. Naylah will also review and negotiate contracts, packages and/or bonus arrangements for those moving into new roles. For businesses, Naylah advises clients on strategy and resolution of contentious situations, including negotiating solutions or defending tribunal claims. Naylah also works closely with clients and HR professionals to provide advice and support in relation to employee management, and employment documentation and policy. Naylah also specialises in Commercial Litigation, with a particular interest in enforceability of restrictive covenants and remedies for breach, injunctions, bonus claims and boardroom disputes. There is often an international element to Naylah’s matters, such as cross-border, jurisdictional issues or advice to businesses with international interests. In non-contentious matters Naylah has an extensive background in transactional work, TUPE and other employment aspects of corporate restructures.   Testimonials Naylah Hamour is extremely savvy and able to see round corners to ensure winning strategies at all times. Naylah Hamour really tries to achieve the best result for her clients. I value Naylah Hamour’s technical expertise, her strategies and very importantly her warmth and empathy. I contacted a few firms before settling for Naylah Hamour. The main reason I chose her was the personal attention to my care. Naylah was readily available, a listening ear, comforting and patient, understanding and compassionate. All qualities who made her not just personable but - even more importantly - trustworthy. Naylah Hamour is an outstanding lawyer for senior individuals. She has a rare tenacity and creativity. Naylah Hamour is a passionate fighter for her clients and gets outstanding results. Naylah Hamour is a great advisor and handled my case really well
David Kaye

David Kaye

David specialises in business law and franchising. He acts as Company Secretary to a large number of companies including Retail Trust, Beezr/Bees NeesMedia, and for ten years was an Arcadia nominated Governor of Fashion Retail Academy. David is a consultant with Platinum Wave Franchise Consultancy He is an affiliate member of the British Franchise Association (BFA) and acts as legal advisor to the BFA Franchise Group in Scotland. He was the first Scottish Lawyer recognised as a Qualified Franchise Professional by the BFA. Clients admire his broad commercial know-how and business-like manner. “He’s just thoroughly professional and always offers good counsel. He has a wide knowledge of retail and a good network of people in the industry.” Observers also note his “calm manner” and “strength at negotiation.” David is on the Council of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce and a Director of Glasgow International Jazz Festival. He became Honorary Consul in Glasgow to Latvia
James Klein

James Klein

James is a corporate lawyer with over 20 years’ PE, VC and M&A experience having acted for corporates, management teams and institutional clients including PE houses and VCs on all sizes of transactions. A significant amount of James’ practice covers domestic and (increasingly) cross-border M&A technology transactions (often acting for US acquirers of UK shares and assets having previously spent 6 years based in Silicon Valley), corporate reorganisations as well as working on many venture capital funding rounds (both company side and investor side). He also has a strong track record in advising startups and early stage businesses particularly assisting with their fundraisings and their access to capital (in particular through his investor connections in the UK and US)and helping numerous companies scale to the US. James has provided key support for a number of technology industry events and organisations over the years including Silicon Valley Comes to the UK (SVC2UK), Digital Boost and Global Tech Advocates / Tech London Advocates (James sits on the Advisory Board of both). James's recent VC deals / company side  Multiple funding rounds for fast growth insurtech business. Acting for Peckwater Brands on their £15m series A round. Acting for market leading data analytics company on their recent series B funding round. Acting for market leading FBA aggregator on multiple debt and equity rounds. Acting for Karma Kitchen on the (up to) £100m investment from Crosstree Partners. Larger corporates / M&A  Acting for a global gaming company on a number of matters following a recent private equity investment into the company. Acting for FTSE 250 supplier of building products to the UK construction industry. Acting for Peckwater Brands on their acquisition of Honest Food Company’s operations in four countries. Acting on the sale of Doodle Learning to Clearlake Capital-backed Discovery Education. Acting for a large US life sciences company on its asset acquisition of a UK IVF business. Acting for US digital media company Goodway Group Inc on its UK acquisition of Canton Marketing Solutions. Advising e-scooter sharing company Zwings on its sale to Ireland’s largest micro-mobility company Zeus Scooters VC / institutional  Acting for global technology venture capital firm on investments out of new fund. Acting for venture capital firm that invests in high growth consumer brand business on multiple transactions. Acting for AP Ventures on their recent investment into electric and fuel cell vehicle systems integration company Hypermotive. Acting for Bowe Group on their $8.2m investment round into robot software innovator MOV.AI. Acting for leading European tech VC Lakestar on the $40m funding round into consumer intelligence platform company Streetbees. Acting for venture capital fund manager and private investment network on various funding rounds.
David Morton

David Morton

David is a transactional finance lawyer with over 25 years’ experience gained at some of the leading national and international law firms. Based in Scotland, David has advised both lenders and borrowers on the full range of transactional banking covering real estate finance, leveraged finance, growth finance and asset based lending. Across the UK and further afield. Various matters that David has handled over the years include: acting for a leading hotel chain in £40m development funding of a hotel in Glasgow advising private equity groups on the multi-million pound acquisition of a leading brand of garden centres representing a funding syndicate on the multi-million management buyout of field sales solutions provider McCurrach representing the borrower on multi-million acquisition and development finance in respect of a mixed use commercial site in Bristol representing leading Scottish bank in providing growth finance to a national house builder representing leading Scottish bank on a growth finance facility for various technology companies based in the UK and overseas. David is recognised as a leading expert in finance matters in both Chambers and Legal 500 law directories and delivers high quality results for clients, marrying technical ability with commercial awareness.
Nkatha Omondi

Nkatha Omondi

Nkatha Omondi is a leading project finance and banking finance lawyer with over 15 years of experience, having worked at two tier one law firms as well as the Geothermal Development Company (in Kenya’s Ministry of Energy) and at Safaricom PLC. Nkatha brings a rare combination of regulatory insight and deal-making experience, having served in both private practice and government.She holds two masters’ degrees; an LL.M in International Economic Law (University of Warwick) and an M.A in International Studies (University of Nairobi).She has considerable expertise in renewable energy projects, banking and finance transactions, climate finance and carbon credits, public private partnerships, project development, project finance, debt capital markets and high-level cross border commercial transactions.
Rosanna Parker

Rosanna Parker

Rosanna is an incredibly efficient commercial property solicitor and is able to deliver outstanding client service in a proactive and communicative way.Rosanna’s expertise encompasses all aspects of commercial property work, with a particular focus on the industrial and retail sectors, portfolio management and owner occupier clients. Rosanna has extensive experience in the acquisition and disposal of both commercial freehold and leasehold properties, ensuring that she provides tailored solutions to meet a clients’ unique needs. Rosanna also specialises in SIPP and SSAS pension properties and is well-versed on the requirements and complexities involved when dealing with pension property transactions.Rosanna is passionate about building strong relationships and fostering collaboration, always striving to exceed expectations and achieve successful outcomes for clients.Relevant experience:Acting for a South Coast based commercial developer on the acquisition of a part-developed site, subsequent set up of the estate, including development funding, unit sales and a lease of a flagship carbon neutral facility – the estate was actually renamed by the client after Rosanna’s middle name, Parvaneh;Acting for a South Coast based commercial developer on acquisition of land owned by the Homes and Communities Agency, subsequent development of the land into an industrial estate, to include compliance with the complex requirements of the Homes and Communities Agency, set up of the estate and subsequent unit sales and lettings;Dealing with the property aspect of a reorganisation of a company and its investment property portfolio;Acting on the acquisition of a multi-let office building with potential for redevelopment;Acting for a landowner on the conditional sale of land subject to planning to Aldi;
Jo Probert

Jo Probert

Jo is a corporate lawyer with more than 20 years’ experience at some of the top law firms both nationally and in the South West region. After graduating from the University of Kent she spent her early career with Dickson Minto W.S., a specialist mergers and acquisitions law firm in the City of London. During her time with Dickson Minto she led on a Euros 800 million private equity transaction. Prior to joining Probert Legal Limited, Jo was part of the Business Group at Michelmores LLP for nine years, where she rose to become a Corporate Partner. Over the last few years she has worked on transactions ranging from £250,000 to £90m. These included the MBO of Dartington Crystal and the sale of the UK’s largest solar park. She has been singled out for praise by the Chambers Legal Guide.
Fudia Smartt

Fudia Smartt

Covering every stage of the employment life cycle, Fudia advises on non-contentious and contentious matters for both employers and employees on topics such as bullying, harassment (including sexual harassment), unfair and wrongful dismissal, restrictive covenants, discrimination, whistleblowing, maternity and other family-friendly matters. She has experience across a wide range of sectors, with particular expertise in technology, media, financial services and professional services. Fudia has significant experience in the following: Advising on day to day HR operational issues, which includes on how to avoid grievances and disciplinary/dismissal issues; Senior executive appointments and departures (which often include regulatory issues); Bringing and defending complex discrimination and whistleblowing claims in the employment tribunals; Advising employers and employees (as well as partners) on the enforceability of restrictive covenants and confidentiality agreements, including in relation to team moves; Drafting contracts of employment, service agreements and HR policies; Advising companies on restructuring exercises, redundancies (including collective redundancies) and employment issues arising from insolvency; Advising on TUPE-related matters including in relation to outsourcing and property transactions; Advising both employers and employees on data protection issues; Advising business start-ups in a wide range of industries on how to protect and grow their businesses at a reasonable cost; Providing HR advice and tailored training to clients and external bodies on all employment law matters, from recruitment to dismissal and beyond; Advising members on joining LLPs; and Drafting, negotiating and advising on settlement agreements. She has acted on a number of high profile (and commercially sensitive) matters which has resulted in six-figure settlements for her clients. She has also acted on matters in the County Court, High Courts, Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) and Court of Appeal. Fudia is praised by her clients for her creative problem-solving skills and her ability to provide commercial, tailored legal advice in a friendly and empathetic manner. She has a high emotional intelligence which she uses to assist with getting the results her clients want.
Simeon Spencer

Simeon Spencer

Simeon founded the firm in December 2010 after almost 20 years in big international firms. Simeon’s advice and counselling practice covers all aspects of the corporate, commercial and employment field as well as directors, officers, partnerships and consultancy / independent contractor issues. In the employment field, Simeon is constantly drafting employment contracts, policies, procedures, protocols, restrictive covenants and benefits. He regularly advises and assists corporate clients in drawing up and implementing stock/share option plans such as EMIs and JSOPs. When things get contentious, Simeon leads litigation for corporate clients in minority prejudice, restraint of trade/restrictive covenants, confidentiality and trade secrets, discrimination and general contract disputes. He litigates for and provides the advocacy for clients in the Employment Tribunals and Employment Appeals Tribunal and has acted in some landmark cases over the years. He is adept at bringing these disputes in at a realistic costs budget.
Anthony Williams

Anthony Williams

Anthony Williams leads Spencer West’s dispute resolution practice in Guernsey, bringing a formidable combination of courtroom advocacy and strategic counsel to some of the Channel Islands’ most complex commercial disputes. With a career spanning jurisdictions across the globe, he brings a broad international perspective to island-based litigation.Having qualified as an Advocate of the Royal Court of Guernsey in 2012, Anthony has built a reputation as a trusted adviser to financial institutions, funds, and trust structures navigating contentious terrain — from billion-dollar insolvency claims to landmark regulatory enforcement matters.
Christian Wilson

Christian Wilson

Christian is a specialist Employee Ownership Trust lawyer and is ranked a Leading Individual in Legal 500 and a Notable Practitioner in Chambers Guide to the Legal Profession. Having supported owner managed businesses through the trials and tribulations of trade sales and management buy-outs, Christian now predominantly supports companies considering a transition to employee ownership. Having led the project to take the first law firm in the UK into a model of employee ownership Christian’s work includes supporting other law firms to become employee-owned in the highly regulated world of law firm ownership and management. In the last year alone Christian has worked with, advised and supported over 30 companies to consider, begin and complete their succession into employee ownership. Christian is an independent trustee of three EOTs and has been chair of several charities and was a non-executive director of the Eden Project.