Ben is a partner and head of the Corporate and Commercial Department.
After graduating from the University of Southampton with a degree in Accounting & German, Ben joined CWJ as a trainee solicitor, qualifying in 1999. Ben’s extensive experience of corporate and commercial work includes acquisitions and disposals, investment transactions, management buyouts and business reorganisations of various types and sizes. Ben became a partner in 2008 and has been head of the Corporate & Commercial Department since 2013.
Ben is fluent in German, having spent time working in Austria, where he returns as often as permitted, and enjoys travelling throughout Europe and the rest of the world. As part of his connection with Austria, Ben has been appointed Vice President of the Kitzbüheler Internationaler Stammgästeclub, the International Regular Guest Club of Kitzbühel, taking the opportunity to practice and develop his German language skills and to promote the resort.
As well as enjoying time with his family, Ben also enjoys walking, cycling and skiing with its associated après ski activities. He is a passionate and active supporter of Leicester Tigers and Westcombe Park rugby clubs, plus Leicester City FC, and is otherwise an avid follower of many sports. Ben is also a Concorde enthusiast.
Ben is a liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards in London and spent time as trustee of its associated Makers of Playing Cards Charity and was also a trustee of Age UK Bromley & Greenwich.
Expertise
- Sales and acquisitions of private company shares
- Business sales and acquisitions
- Private equity investment transactions
- Lending and security
- Management buy-outs
- Shareholders' agreements and joint ventures
- Acquisitions and disposals of insolvent businesses
- Advice to management
Highlights
- Arrangement of equity and debt investment into a UK based internet service provider
- Acquisition for a Canadian acquirer of a UK ATM installation, maintenance and management business as part of a global expansion process with subsequent reorganisation work
- Equity Investments, loan finance and security in a telecom signalling business by a regional investment fund
- Acquisition of various residential care homes and associated businesses for a number of clients with associated reorganisation work for the groups
- Disposal and reinvestment in local data consultancy business
- Assisting with the acquisition of a UK merger and acquisition deal matching business for a US-based data room provider
- Acquisition and disposals for local garden centres
- Disposal to multi-academy trusts of six local primary schools
- Assisting US-based staff placement business with the acquisition of a UK based group and generally since it incorporated in the UK
- Establishment and acquisition of a dance school business
Claim to fame
'I broke my leg skiing in Kitzbühel aged 7, and I was carried from the slope to the ambulance by the local hero, Toni Sailer - triple Olympic champion from 1956.'
Languages spoken
German
Articles
Why have a Shareholders' Agreement and what else to include?
