Autumn Budget 2026 — what does it mean for Employee Ownership Trusts?
We break everything that you need to know down, looking at Business Asset Disposal Relief (BADR), the proposed Founders’ Relief and updates to EMI options.
Corporate law solicitors in London
Award-winning legal expertise, covering the full corporate lifecycle.
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London’s corporate law specialists
Our award-winning corporate team is one of the largest, most active and most specialised in the UK.
We advise business leaders, management teams, founders and investors across Greater London on the full range of corporate law matters — M&A, private equity, venture capital, business sales, tax advisory, joint ventures, solvent restructuring and governance.
- Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) — End-to-end legal guidance for companies on the acquisition (or ‘buy and build’) trail.
- Business sales and exits — Comprehensive support on the complexities of selling a company, its business or its assets.
- Joint ventures — Guidance on the structure and set up and implementing joint venture arrangements.
- Tax advisory — Creative, commercially-minded solutions for complex corporate tax issues.
- Employee ownership trusts (EOTs) — Strategic support for transitioning to an employee ownership model.
- Governance — Effective governance solutions to ensure compliance with all legal obligations, including shareholders agreements.
- Private equity — Helping management teams, shareholders and investors to navigate the complexities of PE transactions.
- Venture capital and high-growth companies — Advising founders and investors along the investment journey.
Our corporate experts work closely with our specialist commercial and deal advisory teams to add value at every stage of the company lifecycle.
This allows us to provide an integrated, one-stop-shop approach for your business’ growth, investment, divestment, exit and restructuring aims.
Talk to our London corporate team by emailing hello@brabners.com, calling 0333 004 4488 or completing our contact form.
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Award-winning expertise for London’s diverse corporate landscape
We’re one of the UK’s most active dealmaking corporate teams, having advised on 168 transactions in 2025 with a total value of around £1bn.
We’re also one of the country’s most specialised law firms. With an extensive client base across sports, tech, health, retail, professional services, housing, energy and more, we bring sector-specific commercial insights to every case.
The 60-strong corporate team, led by Ruth Hargreaves, is celebrated for its “outstanding industry knowledge” and “consistently high-quality level of service” in The Legal 500 testimonials. Our London-based corporate team is headed up by Stuart Hatcher, a Director at Brentford FC who’s recognised as a ‘Top Recommended Corporate Lawyer’ in the Spear’s 500, which states that he’s “well known for his work with international start-ups, scale-ups and fast-growth companies, including family-owned and entrepreneur-led businesses” as well as his “hands-on approach, network of contacts and personal touch”. London-based English tax law expert Euri Yoon heads up our corporate tax advisory practice.
Collectively, we’re a ‘Top Tier’ firm for corporate and commercial matters. Individually, many of our experts are recognised as Hall of Fame lawyers, Leading Partners and Next Generation Partners.
The team has also been crowned Regional Firm of the Year at the Legal Business Awards 2025, held in London.
Conveniently located in the City of London, we support organisations, shareholders and business leaders right across the Greater London area.
As a certified B Corp, we're independently recognised for being purpose-driven, committed to creating benefits for all stakeholders and operating as a force for good.
Meet our London corporate lawyers
Making great deals happen across London
We’re the only UK law firm with in-house deal advisors.
Through Brabners Deal Advisory, you have a team of specialist accountants who proactively create deals and bring parties together.
Our deal advisors support around MBOs, MBIs, acquisitions, disposals and fundraisings. From concept to completion, you’ll have access to expert guidance on deal structure, funders, targets, buyers and price negotiations.
This integrated offering gives you a unique strategic advantage: legal and financial advice under one roof.
“Praised for its ability to go 'go above and beyond' and 'outstanding industry knowledge', Brabners... [handles] the full scope of corporate and commercial matters... Feedback from clients has always been favourable... consistently high-quality level of service.”
The Legal 500 2026
“We've worked with Brabners for more than five years on a number of major corporate, commercial and financing projects. Brabners helps us to identify and address relevant legal issues early. The team is proactive, pragmatic, commercial and works seamlessly with our in-house legal team and other advisers. Put simply, Brabners provides exemplary, cost-effective support.”
Richard May, Partner, General Counsel & Head of Compliance, Omni Partners
“Brabners draws considerable praise from clients for its ‘focused and commercial’ approach. The team is well-positioned to advise on the full scope of corporate and commercial work, including M&A, group organisations, private equity, contracts, e-commerce and data protections matters.”
The Legal 500 2025
“Euri Yoon’s ability to explain sensitive and complex tax matters in clear, layman’s terms made a real difference. As an overseas company with UK operations, our questions covered a broad range of tax and operational issues, yet Euri responded promptly and thoroughly to both major and minor matters, with consistent follow-through.”
Finance Director, global biotech company
Celebrated for excellence
Corporate law: expert insights
Succession planning, growth & M&A — lessons from the UK coach industry
What can business owners learn from the changing UK coach market? Brett Cooper and Billy Jones, Managing Director of Selwyns Travel, share their insights.
Brabners’ corporate team completes tenth transaction for Happy Days Nurseries
Our corporate team has supported Happy Days Nurseries' position as the UK's leading nursery group as it continues its expansion in the South of England.
Sale-ready shares — a practical checklist for business owners
We break down how to validate ownership, reconstruct share history and simplify your share capital — and share a pre-sale checklist to protect value.
Earlier exit planning is reshaping Lancashire business strategies — what business owners should do now
Corporate lawyer Brett Cooper explores why more Lancashire business owners are planning their exits earlier and what it means for future business sales.
Brabners advises on sale of Liverpool's iconic Cavern Club
The transaction was supported by our corporate team, led by Partner and Head of Professional Services sector John Spofforth.
What does it take to successfully scale? Six lessons from the 2026 BIBAs
There's no single blueprint for scaling a business, as we found out when judging the Scale-Up Business of the Year at the Be Inspired Business Awards 2026.
Palmer v P1 Pit Stop — courts can create & rectify the register of members
If your company has never kept a register of members, the court can still decide who owns the shares — and order you to create one.
Lancashire’s scale-up economy — what's driving growth & what's next?
We explore the support helping to fuel scale-ups and how more local decision-making could unlock even greater economic impact in the years ahead.
Brabners Deal Advisory supports Chester Medical on acquisition of Power Health Products
Our specialist Deal Advisory team supported Wirral-based pharmaceutical packaging business Chester Medical on its acquisition of vitamin and health food manufacturer Power Health Products.
New VAT relief for social housing land signals the end for ‘golden brick’ transactions
We explain the proposed changes and their significance to those involved in delivering affordable and social housing projects.
M&A in fashion & beauty — how the EU’s crackdown on burning stock is reshaping deals
We explore the ESPR’s implications for M&A and outline what businesses should be doing in response.
Pre-sale due diligence — 4 benefits for shareholders preparing to exit
We explain what pre-sale due diligence is and break down why more shareholders are undertaking it before going to market.
Brabners adds six to partnership in record year for partner promotions
We've announced our largest-ever round of Partner promotions, with six lawyers joining the partnership following another year of sustained growth.
Brabners supports leading recruiter on strategic acquisition of employee-owned business
Our corporate team and specialist EO solicitors supported a market-leading recruitment agency on the acquisition of an employee-owned business.
BlueCrest Supreme Court judgment — what LLPs need to know about the salaried member rules
We explore what the judgment means for LLPs and outline the practical steps that firms may now need to consider.
EO Day 2026: a catalyst for employee ownership growth
We explore the main themes from the Employee Ownership Association’s UK Growth Strategy.
The AI hype bubble: is it real & what happens if it bursts?
We explore the tension between AI‑driven optimism and growing fears of an overinflated tech bubble.
Brabners strengthens national real estate offering with double partner hire & new London office
We’re strengthening our real estate practice in London and Leeds with the appointment of Susan Samuel and Matt Ramsden.
What the changing tax landscape means for Employee Ownership Trusts
We provide a clear breakdown of the latest CGT and EOT tax changes to help business owners to make informed succession and exit decisions.
Brabners welcomes new Head of Corporate for next phase of team growth
We’re delighted to appoint Corporate Partner Ruth Hargreaves as our new Head of Corporate following a standout 12 months for the team.
Selling a healthcare business? 5 practical tips to consider
We share five practical tips for those preparing to sell their healthcare business, focusing on preparation, timing and working with the right advisers.
Employment-related securities returns explained
We outline what employment-related securities are, when reporting is required, how to register and file them and the penalties for non-compliance.
Cross-border executive appointments — key UK tax & corporate considerations
We outline the key payroll, tax and governance issues that overseas companies typically face when appointing a UK‑based executive.
Managing tax risks for internationally mobile employees — 6 practical steps for employers
We outline the key UK tax issues for employers sending staff to the UK and highlight steps to stay compliant while maximising reliefs.
A purpose-led independent law firm, rooted in our communities
Founded in 1815 and fiercely proud of the communities that we serve, we're driven by our mission to
make the difference.
In 2022, we became the UK’s largest law firm to achieve B Corp certification.
Also, through The Brabners Foundation, we partner closely with charities and social enterprises across the country to create lasting impact.
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