International Work

The Ellis Jones international section, is led by Neil Cook, who is a dual qualified solicitor/lawyer in England and the US, and has been joined by Wayne Spolander, a dual qualified solicitor in the UK and South Africa. We have expertise across a range of legal areas to help clients make the most of global opportunities in their sector and to achieve their international goals.

The UK continues to attract inward investment from overseas markets as international businesses look to expand into the UK through acquisition, equity investment, joint ventures, the incorporation of new entities and by expanding existing operations.

We act for multi-national companies, entrepreneurial businesses and wealthy individuals and families. Our services range from providing specialist UK advice to our international clients and clients of other international law firms to co-ordinating advice for our clients across multiple jurisdictions.

We work alongside US, European and other law firms with UK offices who benefit from our sector knowledge, areas of expertise and resources.

When clients require advice in other jurisdictions we work with like-minded leading firms around the world. We invest considerable time and resources in developing and maintaining these relationships with these law firms which enables us to provide a seamless service to our clients – through a single point of contact at Ellis Jones, delivering consistent, high quality advice they can act on and based on a single retainer and billing arrangement. Alternatively, we can work with our clients’ chosen overseas law firm.

Our team can assist with all business issues connected to inward investment and cross-border trade. Our international trade expertise includes the following:

• Company incorporation and company secretarial support.
• Assisting with opening bank accounts.
• Corporate structures.
• Formation of joint ventures and partnerships.
• Cross-border financial services.
• International dispute resolution including international arbitration and choice of jurisdiction/courts.
• Regulatory requirements for imports/exports including consumer law, product liability, obtaining approvals and engagement with regulators.
• Cross-border M&A involving inward investment or overseas acquisition.

Examples of recent work include:

• The creation of world wide subsidiaries for a high tech client;
• Sale of a international business;
• Representing a German company in the acquisition

of a textile business

• Acquisition of Dutch companies;
• Creation of a group company for an Australian client; and
• Multiple incorporations of companies in the US.