Wallace LLP

Individual in spirit, independent by choice
Wallace is a law firm for London’s finest legal talent. Quietly respected for over 90 years, we are a partner-led practice, purposefully built around a suite of complementary commercial disciplines.

Whether our clients are large corporates, entrepreneurs or investors, legal work is ultimately about people and the challenges they face. Every situation is different and demands a solution tailored to the individuals and commercial realities involved. We encourage each of our lawyers to be themselves and do what they’re best at, working cooperatively as part of a close-knit team.

No client wants jargon-filled or obscure advice. We aim to tell it as it is and provide clear no-nonsense counsel. We don’t sit on the fence.

Our seasoned professionals have decades of exposure to large and complex deals and heavyweight disputes. The notable longevity of our client relationships is testament to the continuing skill and tenacity of our teams.

Types of work undertaken
Corporate/M&A: Our corporate team are dedicated to helping our clients grow their businesses, whatever stage they’re at. We work with fast-paced growth businesses and well-established, mature companies, both listed and unlisted. We act for entrepreneurs, independent investors, funds and individuals. We work with companies making acquisitions or preparing for sale or raising public or private capital.

Employment: We act for employers, senior-executives, partnerships and partners.

We advise on contracts, day-to-day HR issues, the employment impact of mergers and acquisitions, negotiated exits, dismissals and post-employment disputes. While it is generally best to avoid litigation, we are fully familiar with the corridors of the High Court and employment tribunals. We are alive to the emotional and reputational issues that employment disputes often involve and are familiar with the special regimes that can apply to financial services employment.

IP and technology: We assist our clients with all aspects of brand protection and exploitation, provide advice and make trade mark applications both nationally and internationally.

We advise individuals, entrepreneurs and businesses on the protection of brands via licensing and franchise arrangements.

We work with clients to maximise their intellectual property assets and work with established companies, start-ups and individuals to protect, position and build value via IP strategies.

We regularly advise clients on how to develop, exploit, license and sell technology. We also advise those who are looking to buy or install technology, or who want to migrate to the cloud. We advise clients, whether they are buying or selling, on how to identify and manage risk and draft robust technology agreements to reflect this in a pragmatic and clear manner. We also help clients comply with their data protection obligations.

Litigation: Our team regularly handle complex corporate/commercial disputes in the High Court, Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, as well as cross-border matters involving hearings in the EU and the US. We represent clients before a range of bodies in connection with international commercial arbitration disputes and have extensive experience of a full range of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, including mediation.

We have been successful in many reported cases including those involving fraud and other complex matters as well as the leading authority on worldwide freezing orders.

We are one of the few genuinely conflict free firms who are willing and able to litigate against the banks and financial institutions that full-service City and US firms count as key corporate and/or finance clients.

We advise and act for hedge funds, corporates and high net worth individuals on complex, high value disputes involving banks and financial institutions.

Property: The track record of our property team is second-to-none. We have earned a reputation for being amongst the most experienced and knowledgeable on London’s uniquely complex, fast-moving property market. We provide a full range of commercial property services offering end-to-end support to a wide variety of corporate and individual clients.

Property: leasehold enfranchisement: We are one of the pre-eminent firms in the specialist and complex area of Leasehold Enfranchisement, recognised by industry commentators for our “high level of expertise, depth of applied knowledge, excellence in client communications, and innovation in enfranchisement”.

We work closely with surveyors to advise both landlords and tenants (commercial and residential) on their rights, acting for companies, individuals and groups of individuals. The team has been involved in some of the leading decisions, including advising on the largest enfranchisement claim to date.

Property litigation: Our property litigation specialists act for both landlords and tenants, handling all types of property related litigation and dispute resolution, including lease renewals, dilapidations, service charge disputes, rent reviews and residential and commercial possession claims.

Restructure and business insolvency: When businesses experience severe financial difficulties, our specialist team’s relationships with insolvency practitioners and holders of security help us find workable solutions for all affected parties.

Our emphasis is always to try to save companies in difficulty, if at all possible. Whilst we know that in these circumstances all parties are typically trying to avoid disputes, we do have specialist contentious insolvency lawyers who are used to dealing with complex insolvency litigation both in the UK and abroad. We also deal with recovery from failed businesses.