Stuart is an experienced corporate lawyer who advises entrepreneurs, owner-managed businesses, private and quoted companies, and corporate advisers on a broad range of corporate and commercial transactions. His expertise includes mergers and acquisitions, IPOs and secondary listings on AIM and other capital markets, public takeovers, joint ventures, company restructurings, equity and debt fundraisings, and general company and commercial law advice.
Expertise
- Mergers and acquisitions (shares and assets)
- IPOs with particular expertise on AIM listings
- Private equity transactions (including management advice)
- Investment/shareholders’ agreements/articles/shareholder disputes
- Corporate finance and equity fundraisings
- Legal due diligence/preparation for exit (IPO or trade sale)
- General company and commercial law including directors’ duties
Experience
Corporate Finance & Equity Fundraisings
- Acted for a digital media company on various equity and debt fundraisings and general commercial agreements.
- Acted for a fit food and juice bar company in relation to a rights issue and various equity fundraisings.
- Acted for banks in relation to property financings and other banking transactions.
- Acted on the listing of a Russian investment company on AIM.
- Acted on a £400m fundraise for a Russian mining company.
- Acted for an AIM-quoted oil and gas investment and production company on numerous fundraisings and commercial agreements.
- Acted for nominated advisers and corporate brokers on numerous secondary fundraisings on AIM.
IPOs
- Acted for a company listed on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange in relation to a hostile takeover.
- Acted for nominated advisers on a number of IPOs and reverse takeovers.
- Seconded to Dairy Crest plc to assist with its IPO and to provide general legal advice on all aspects of its business.
- Acted for a Chinese ship building company on its listing on the AIM Market of the London Stock Exchange including on its VIE structure.
Mergers & Acquisitions
- Acted for an AIM quoted company in relation to its acquisition of 12 separate companies constituting a reserve takeover.
- Acted on the acquisition of Apple and Bang & Olufsen reseller businesses.
Africa
- Acted for a geothermal development company. in relation to its geothermal and drilling activities in Africa.
- Acted a coal and energy development company focused on developing highly prospective coal licences in Botswana in relation to an equity fundraising.
- Acted on behalf of an AIM quoted company in relation to a proposed reverse takeover of a Nigerian oil and gas company.
- Acted for an AIM quoted company in relation to its acquisition of an interest in a Nigerian offshore oil and gas lease and related advice in relation to the Nigerian joint operating agreement and corporate matters.
- Acted for a nominated adviser in relation to the admission to AIM of a platinum group metals company with interests in South Africa, Sierra Leone, Madagascar and Ethiopia.
- Acted for a geothermal and drilling company with operations in Kenya and Ethiopia.
- Acted for a nomad in relation to the listing of an African diamond mining company on its listing on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange and subsequently acted for the company on various corporate matters.
Other
- Acted for clients in relation to the removal of directors and other shareholder disputes.
- Acted for insolvency practitioners in relation to various sales out of administration.
Please note: The experience list above may include examples of work completed prior to joining Keystone Law.
Career
Stuart qualified as a solicitor in 1993. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2018, he worked at the following firms:
- Adams & Remers
- Cobbetts
- Wedlake Bell