Alan Zeal

Alan has over 20 years’ experience of buying and selling businesses

Alan is a Consultant in the firm’s Corporate team and has particular experience of leading large project teams effectively to manage and complete complex corporate transactions, both large and small (including the unusual).

Alan’s clients

Alan works closely with both sellers and buyers on business and share sales and purchases, whether as one-off transactions or as part of a wider corporate strategy.

Experience and approach

As the desire to sell or pass the business on arises, Alan works with owners to ready their business for sale.  He has a reputation for working with clients from an early stage in the sale process, helping them to maximise the value of their business and to make the process to a successful sale as smooth and profitable as possible for them.

Those clients of Alan’s who are on the acquisition trail are often in industries that are consolidating and he has a strong track record of advising businesses in the insurance, professional services, telecoms and builder merchants/construction sectors.

Alan’s previous work in London and his established network of other professional advisers in Sussex means he is able to pull together project teams of a broad and specialist nature as required and often at short notice.

Areas of expertise

• Mergers and acquisitions of trading and professional service businesses
• Management buy-outs and buy-ins
• Corporate structures
• Joint ventures and arrangements between shareholders
• Disputes between shareholders/directors

Alan’s work

Supporting a “buy and build” growth strategy
Alan acted as the lead lawyer for a serial acquirer on the simultaneous purchase of connected businesses from two different types of corporate entity with some common ownership, as part of the client’s continued growth strategy.  The job involved detailed planning in the early stages and bringing in the appropriate specialists and working closely with the client’s tax and accountancy advisors.  These acquisitions were part of a series where Alan has acted for the client.

Maximising sale value for a medium-sized business
Alan advised the owners of a medium-sized business who wanted to retire. Alan guided the owners through the process, helping them to prepare for sale in the best possible way so as to realise maximum value when the business was sold.

“Providing an invaluable service, the team is regarded for its specialist commercial advice as well as its deal making capacity. Kathryn Paisley, helms the practice, regularly advising clients on transactional issues and working closely with the Eurojuris network of international lawyers. Alan Zeal is also regarded for his experience in high value deals, as well as corporate restructuring, incentive arrangements, and director/employee equity agreements”.

“The team at Rix & Kay are extremely personable. They genuinely care about our business and best interests. Nothing is too much trouble, and they are always happy to take the time to explain complex legal jargon and ensure we fully understand the detail. Compared to other firms we have engaged with, Rix & Kay value our business, not matter how large or small”.

Industry peers praise Rix & Kay in the latest edition of Legal 500