Steve is a highly experienced corporate and commercial lawyer with in-depth understanding of business issues, having been the Chief Executive Officer of two businesses. During his tenure as the CEO of a leading aerospace business, the company valuation increased from £6m to £100m, so he fully understands all the challenges and obstacles faced by growing businesses.
Steve has a particular focus in working with start-up and other growth companies, businesses in the aerospace and defence sector and technology companies. In 2021 he acted for a tech-sector issuer on a €150 million IPO and for an aerospace company on a $200 million pre-IPO equity line.
Steve also has significant non-contentious experience in the insurance and wider financial sector.
I’ve enjoyed working with Steve over many years. His legal advice is clear and accurate and always firmly grounded in commercial good sense.
Hwfa Gwyn,
CFO, Hybrid Air Vehicles LtdSteve is a trusted advisor and our first call on English law legal issues. He is very responsive and always addresses our requirements promptly in a pragmatic manner.
Antonia Azan
General Counsel, AMA Corporation PlcStephen McGlennan has a deep knowledge of corporate and commercial law, but also the experience of having worked within entrepreneurial business including as COO and CEO. This blended mixture of experience means that you are provided robust legal advice, balanced by commercial pragmatism. I find this approach to be very valuable. He is always available to talk over issues and act as a sounding board. In short, he is a great support to our company and I would recommend him to any other SME.
Catherine Regan
Senior Legal Counsel
Trinity College, LondonSteve is a responsive and experienced lawyer who can handle challenging transactions and other business situations with great skill. He has a high commercial sense - and brings this perspective as well as strong legal knowledge to his work. His international experience in the Middle East and elsewhere has proved useful on the work I have done with him.
Mark Lemmon
Former CEO/Executive Vice Chairman
MENA Infrastructure Fund
Expertise
- Aerospace
- Business acquisitions
- China
- Crowdfunding
- Defence and security
- Insurance (non-contentious)
- Joint ventures
- M&A
- Partnering
- Private company fundraising
- Start-ups
- Takeover Code
- Technology companies
Experience
Representative Corporate Transactions
- Euro150m IPO of UK Plc on FSE
- $200m pre-IPO equity line
- Private Company de-merger and share buy-back
- £13m takeover of listed retail group on LSE main list
- Business acquisition of aerospace business from administrators
- £20m roll-up by way of a series of private company acquisitions
Aerospace
- Aircraft purchase agreements and ancillary documentation (both military and civil)
- Purchase of aerospace business from private sellers
- Patent litigation in US and UK concerning aerospace technologies
- Secured over £20m in equity and more than £7m of grants from UK and EU agencies to support aircraft development
- Partnering agreements with UK and European Aerospace Majors
Defence and Security
- Aircraft development and sale contract with US Department of Defense prime contractor to provide aircraft on a US$500m program.
- $90m program including SSOW negation, change orders and program close out negotiations
- Advising on UK export controls, MTCR and ITAR issues
- Negotiation and contracting with Middle Eastern Procurement Authority for design services
- UK MoD negotiations and contracting commencing with initial scoping studies
Start-up and other Growth Companies
- CEO of two companies which grew to 20 and 150 employees, respectively
- Acquisition of trading business by start-up company
- Over £10m of equity raised from founders, friends and family and private offices
- Over £2m raised in two crowdfunding on Crowdcube
Insurance
- Multibillion listed company takeover of composite insurance group
- Multiple private company acquisitions and disposals of intermediaries
- Part VII transfers of insurance business including for entities in run-off
- Negotiation of £m premium bespoke after-the-event policy
- £20m aviation insurance claim and related settlement
- Restructuring of 90:10 life fund
China/UK business
- Leading negotiations in mainland China with major government related entity
- Fundraising rounds with China-based private equity and family office investors
- Partnering discussions with China-based multinational
- Export control discussions
- Acting for UK arm of China-based retail group
Middle East
- Advising on fundraising activities in Middle East, US (Regulation D) and Far East.
- Negotiation and contracted with Middle Eastern Procurement Authority for design services.
Please note: The experience list above may include examples of work completed prior to joining Keystone Law.
Recognition
Recognised by The Legal 500 2022 for Aviation
“Stephen McGlennan is an exceptional multi-skilled lawyer in the domain of aviation. The breadth and depth of his expertise goes beyond legal talent; he is well connected with organisations and individuals within the global aviation sector.” The Legal 500 2022
Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society
Career
Stephen qualified as a solicitor in 1995. Prior to joining Keystone Law, he worked at the following firms:
- Dentons
- Slaughter and May
- Shepherd and Wedderburn