Wayne Spolander

My Approach

I am passionate about delivering an excellent client service being accessible, responsive and finding effective solutions tailored to the client's needs.

Leading on corporate transactions, I will work closely with the other specialist teams within Ellis Jones to ensure clients receive quality legal advice in relation to the various different issues which arise during the transaction.

I have developed strong relationships with other professionals (such as accountants and tax advisers) who I work closely with to ensure clients are given best advice on the structure of the deal from the outset.

Area of Expertise

I deal with non-contentious business related legal work covering companies, limited liability partnerships (LLP), partnerships (traditional) and sole traders. I have acted for a range of businesses from small owner managed to listed companies and high net worth individuals. My expertise includes:

• Corporate transactions involving disposals and acquisitions of companies by shares and businesses by asset sales and purchases – range of deal values from modest to circa £35 million
• Management buy-outs (MBO) including using Newco structure as acquirer of the target(s)
• Company purchase of own shares (CPOS) / Share Buy Backs.
• Company reorganisations
• Corporate restructures
• Shareholders agreements and related cross option agreements (re "keyman insurance")
• Enterprise Management Incentive (EMI) Share Options, Scheme/Plan Rules and related documents
• Company Articles of Association, Board Minutes, Shareholder Resolutions Business joint ventures between companies and/or individuals
• Share issues and transfers
• Limited Liability Partnerships Agreement and Partnership Agreement (traditional partnership)
• Franchise agreements and related documents
• Licence agreements
• Loan agreements and related security documents
• Independent advice on director Personal Guarantees
• Supply of goods and services contracts ranging from complex high value LTC (long term contract) and across various sectors, including Information Technology (IT) and Aerospace
• Website development agreements
• IT support/maintenance service level agreements
• App licence and terms of use
• Standard terms and conditions of business - business to business, business to consumer – including website, in store, doorstep etc

Recent Work

• Shares sale acting for selling shareholders- circa £2m deal value
• MBO acting for newco/management team – multi target companies – deal value circa £4m
• Company restructure via formation holdco and two stage capital reduction process
• EMI scheme and share options
• Various shareholder agreements

Professional Associations & Qualifications

• Solicitor (England & Wales), admitted 2001
• Attorney (South Africa), admitted 1998 (non practising since relocation to England 1999)
• Recommended Lawyer in The Legal 500 UK 2024 for Business Services - "Wayne Spolander stands out, he is exceptional. Extremely proficient with his attention to detail, descriptions and translations of meanings and consequence of matters involved."
• Recommended Lawyer in The Legal 500 UK 2023 for Business Services
• Mentioned as a key lawyer in Legal 500 2022