Legal briefs: Quba deal for SAS Daniels, Appleyard Lees, and more

THE corporate team at North West Law firm SAS Daniels has advised a management buy-in team at Devon-based clothing manufacturer Quba.

The team included retail expert and former Harrods director Nick Allen, Quba co-founder Jim Hartley and former Ernst & Young and HMV director Richard Church.

Quba, which was established in 1996, plans to use the new investment to expand operations. It currently employs 65 people in the South and South-West of England, where it has 13 shops and a manufacturing unit, based in South Devon.

Jeremy Orrell, head of corporate at SAS Daniels, led a team which included Lorna Bennett and Martyn Heyes. He said “The retail sector has been in the doldrums, but the right businesses can thrive with the right guidance, so it is good to see the investment in Quba. This is a clear sign of the confidence our clients have in the brand and we are really looking forward to seeing them go from strength to strength”.

The existing shareholders and the management were advised by Ashford Solicitors of London and Exeter. Retail corporate finance specialist Arygll Partners provided corporate finance advice and Ben Grist of Dixon Wilson provided tax advice.

::

LAWYERS at Appleyard Lees in Manchester have given support and intellectual property advice to an inventor who has devised a cupboard door for use in secure units that prevents patients from hanging themselves.

This risk has led to doorless cupboards in such institutions which has prompted some patients to complain of a loss of privacy, according to the law firm.

Gary Abell, 46, from Manchester, has invented a door hinge which triggers an alarm if it is pulled on by an unusually heavy weight. He was awarded a grant from Appleyard Lees’ £50,000 Growth Fund.

Richard Bray, associate at Appleyard Lees, said: “It’s really rewarding working with inventors like Gary who seize an opportunity to create a product that has immediate impact, and who have a desire to protect their product.

“In this case, the product really can save lives, which brings its functionality into sharp focus. We wish him every success with taking his product to market, and look forward to working with Gary through the patent application process.”

::

LAW firm Clarke Willmott has picked up a contract from the Insolvency Service.

The firm, which has a small office in Manchester, has won the three-year job to handle income payments, book debts and antecedent recovery.

It means Clarke Willmott’s debt recovery team will help the Insolvency Service to collect payments due from individuals post-bankruptcy as well as recover debts due to insolvent estates.

Jane Dunlop, who heads up the debt recovery team at Clarke Willmott, said: “This prestigious contract win builds on our extensive track record and success in debt recovery for the Government sector, where we have also acted on behalf of HMRC, the Enforcement Directorate, the Cabinet Office, MOD and the Department for Transport.”

::

RIVERVIEW Law, the fixed-priced legal services business based in the Wirral, has warned businesses to read and understand the terms and conditions of contracts they are signing.

Apple recently admitted not picking up on the 25 page terms and conditions given to them by FBI-NSA agents working on the Prism surveillance programme in the US.

Natasha Maddock, a solicitor with Riverview Solicitors, said: “Reading through and understanding what is expected of you, before you sign a contract, can help you not only negotiate some of the points but it could also allow you to add some terms and conditions of your own.”