Paul Raftery

Corporate and commercial.

Paul is head of the OMB segment at Weightmans, having been the head of corporate and commercial at Weightmans and at Mace & Jones prior to its merger with Weightmans in 2011. Paul has over 20 years' experience through fluctuating economic cycles in advising businesses and their owners and directors on their corporate affairs. Paul’s clients range from technology and entrepreneurial start-ups at one extreme to established private and public companies at the other.

Paul advises sellers and buyers on disposal and acquisitions, from strategy and planning stages through to completion. Paul also advises clients on fundraising and investments, group reorganisations and restructuring. In addition to transactional advice, Paul advises owners and directors on their duties and responsibilities and on corporate governance and compliance. Non-transactional advice also includes advice on joint venture and shareholder arrangements and other partnering relationships.

Paul regularly advises non-UK companies, listed and private, in relation to their UK subsidiaries and UK acquisition strategy and on cross border acquisitions and joint ventures. Transactions he has acted on in the last 18 months include the purchase by Sonoco of Plastique Holdings Limited (as part of its acquisition of Thermoform), the sale of Caunce O’Hara Insurance Brokers Limited to Markel Capital Holdings Limited and the purchase of Macclesfield Town Football Club.

Whilst advising clients across a wide range of sectors, Paul has particular expertise in sectors as diverse as packaging, logistics, property and construction, professional services and commercial vehicle distribution and services. He also advises both universities and their academics in relation to university spin-outs and related fundraising.

Manchester University; Nottingham Trent University.