Philippe Hails-Smith

Philippe became a partner at the firm in May 2007. He trained with the firm and has extensive experience in advising on all types of corporate and commercial transactional matters.

Expertise

Philippe’ s main practice areas include mergers and acquisitions, AIM flotations and reverse takeovers, management buy-ins and buy-outs, seed capital fund raisings through to pre-IPO, joint ventures and advising on a various intellectual property matters.
Philippe has recently worked on various high profile transactions in the food and leisure sectors.  He has also developed an extremely active practice acting for AIM listed clients in relation to IPOs, placings and reverse takeovers.  

He has extensive experience of negotiating commercial contracts (such as distribution and agency agreements) on behalf of clients in the UK and looking to expand internationally.

Philippe is also the head of the firm’s Business Recovery and Restructuring team acting for insolvency practitioners and other clients in respect of restructuring and insolvency related transactions and advice.

Philippe also frequently advises on acquisition finance facilities as part of the team’s overall M&A Services.

Recent Transactions include:

  • Acting for a long established client in the private car hire sector in connection with its acquisition of a competitor.
  • Acting for a restaurant start-up fund-raise through to the opening of its first site.
  • Advising an the purchase of a golf club and associated land.
  • Advising a celebrity chef in respect of international consultancy projects.

Outside Interests:

Philippe enjoys spending time with his family (he has 3 daughters under 9), cycling, the theatre and restaurants.