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How to safeguard against a future incapacitated partner, director or shareholder
Diva Shah
Luke is an Associate in our Corporate, Commercial and Finance team with extensive experience in corporate and commercial matters across various sectors and industries.
After joining Kingsley Napley in 2014, Luke qualified in 2019 and supports founders, startups and established businesses though pivotal moments in the lifecycle of their business, from early funding rounds through to successful exit.
His expertise covers a wide range of corporate and commercial services, including:
- forming and structuring new companies and LLPs;
- drafting and reviewing shareholders’ agreements and articles of association;
- advising startups, founders and angel investors on private equity raises, including through the EIS and SEIS schemes and venture capital funding, and supporting them through the investment process;
- advising on the terms of investment agreements, advance subscription agreements and convertible loan notes;
- company and asset sales, mergers and acquisitions;
- advising high-net-worth clients on the formation and structuring of family investment companies (FICs);
- restructuring, including capital reductions, share buybacks and demergers;
- insolvency – advising insolvency practitioners and purchasers on the sale and purchase of the assets of insolvent companies;
- advising directors on their duties and obligations; and
- general corporate governance advice, including the conduct of general meetings and the appointment and removal of directors.
Luke prides himself on learning about his clients’ businesses and understanding the key issues they face which allows him to provide pragmatic legal advice to meet their commercial needs.
Education
Luke qualified at Kingsley Napley in 2019 having undertaken seats with the Corporate, Commercial and Finance, Real Estate & Construction, Dispute Resolution and Immigration teams. He joined the firm in September 2014 as a Legal Assistant, before becoming Head Legal Assistant in July 2016.
Prior to joining Kingsley Napley, he studied the Legal Practice Course (LPC) at BPP Holborn where his elective subjects included Commercial Law and Intellectual Property, Corporate Finance, and Media and Entertainment Law.
Interests
Luke is a member of the firm’s Pro Bono Committee and he has worked on a number of projects with Amicus, a charity that fights for justice on death row in the United States, and Queen Mary Legal Advice Centre.
Recent Work
Luke’s recent work includes advising a range of clients:
- Advising Elite Emergency Medical Services Ltd (t/a Elite EMS) on the purchase of the assets of Polaris Medical Services Ltd (in administration)
- Advising the purchaser of an alcoholic beverage retailer
- Advising the purchaser of an equestrian business
- Advising a health-tech startup in connection with a £1million venture capital investment
- Advising a green-tech business on a raise via an admission and placing of shares on Aquis
- Advising on the sale of a luxury confectionery company (in administration)
- Advising shareholders on a €6.4million buyback of their shares