Andrew is a partner and heads our growing corporate and commercial team. He has over ten years’ experience dealing with corporate and business matters working with clients across multiple sectors including pharmacy, charity, banking and private wealth. Andrew regularly works with investors, companies, LLPs and partnerships, from family run businesses and start-ups to a broad spectrum of private limited companies and unquoted public companies.

Andrew is recognised by the Legal 500 directory as a “next generation partner”.

Expertise

Corporate/M&A

Andrew works with clients on their acquisitions, disposals, investment/shareholders’ agreements, share schemes, bespoke articles of association (with different classes of shares, drag & tag, good & bad leaver provisions, growth shares), loan notes, commercial agreements (including supply, distribution and e-commerce), company administration and share buy-backs.

Andrew hosts board meetings on behalf of his clients (including for a major landowning industrial and provident society) and deals with board/general meeting minutes and resolutions. Andrew has become the first port of call for company secretaries.

Andrew’s technical expertise on share rights and corporate structures is second to none. He offers his clients a quality of work which is difficult to find outside the City.

Andrew works closely with our employment and litigation teams on disputes between directors and shareholders.

Banking and Finance 

Andrew leads the firm’s transaction finance offering to a national high street bank. He advises banks, and others on lending and taking security such as facility/loan agreements, debentures, corporate and personal guarantees, intercreditor arrangements and deeds of subordination. Andrew acts for banks providing funding for acquisitions, including reviewing transaction documents.

Healthcare (pharmacies) 

Andrew acts for buyers and sellers of pharmacies, whether asset or share sales/purchases. His pharmacy sector experience also allows him to advise banks/funders on lending to the purchasers of pharmacies and ensuring that the relevant regulatory consents (such as from NHS England) have been obtained. Acting for lenders in this sector means Andrew appreciates the different perspectives and approaches to transactional matters.

Charities 

Andrew leads the firm’s charitable offering for incorporated charities such as companies limited by guarantee and charitable incorporated organisations (or “CIOs”). He advises on company and connected charity law matters, such as mergers, acquisitions, disposals, amending articles of association, advising on directors’ duties, board meetings and company filings as well as preparing commercial contracts.

Recent work highlights include:

  • Advising a retail trading company on the multimillion-pound asset sale of its business (including six retail stores)
  • Advising individual sellers on the share sale of a pharmacy and subsequent acquisition of a care home business
  • Advising two individual sellers on a share disposal of their software and cloud trading business together with a separate corporate joint venture with the buyer
  • Advising an investment vehicle for an angel investor on the investment of six figure start-up capital together with the advance of funds by way of a secured term loan to a number of companies
  • Advising a high street bank on the lending of funds to a limited company buying a pharmacy
  • Advising a private second ranking lender (out of five) on the terms of the lending and security documents required to fund a multimillion-pound commercial property development.
  • Advising a tech company on a founder shareholder dispute
  • Advising a charitable company (limited by guarantee) operating a golf club on its articles of association

In Touch

Andrew studied history and politics before undertaking the Graduate Diploma in Law and the LPC at the College of Law (York). Andrew qualified in 2009, joined Debenhams Ottaway in 2014, rising quickly through the firm becoming a partner in 2019.

Andrew is a director of and runs a residential management company (limited by guarantee), is a member of the firms’ corporate and social responsibility committee, a member of the Law Society, member of the Charity Law Association (CLA) and previously the treasurer of the Letchworth Round Table charity. He is a keen sportsman, playing football, tennis and golf. Andrew is a judge on the panel of the Funding Network Hertfordshire, a charity crowd funding event that the firm sponsors, click here to visit their website.

 

  • Andrew Yates has an excellent knowledge of corporate law and contract law. Always pragmatic.

    The Legal 500 UK 2023

  • Andrew Yates is our primary contact for all our varied commercial work, be it investments, acquisitions and growth share schemes – he is particularly able and amenable.

    The Legal 500 UK 2022

  • Thank you for your assistance in completing [the sale of a public company he was the managing director of and majority shareholder]. I appreciate that you weren’t involved from the start…but you are a sure credit to Debenhams Ottaway.

    Richard Mitchell

  • Clearly understood issues, empathetic, professional advice.

    Paul Beasley, Richmond House Group

  • Andrew came up with the idea of a shareholders agreement which gave us a solution as required.

    Brian & Jacqui Bowman

  • You dealt with [the preparation of a deed of retirement and a new partnership agreement] efficiently and in a timely manner.

    W. Hill and Son

  • Andrew made me feel that my enquiry was valued. He was brilliant because he displayed an excellent mix of empathy, enthusiasm and deep knowledge. His engagement was just about perfect. He made sure that I understood exactly what he was explaining to me and he made me feel valued.

    Client

  • Andrew simplified the process. He explained everything to us in a way we understood. He was extremely approachable and reassuring.

    Client

  • Clearly understood issues, empathetic, professional advice.

    Client

  • During my years in business, both at corporate level and SME level, I have been involved with a good number of solicitors. Andrew is, by far, the best one I have ever dealt with.

    Client

  • I would like to thank Andrew and Louise’s help in this matter.

    It’s been a great reassurance that you have been involved in making sure that everything has been done correctly and efficiently.

    Client

  • Impressed with immediate knowledge of subject, clarity of explanation of options available and production of necessary documents. Highly professional service.

    John Garrard

  • I was dealing with a situation that I was unfamiliar with. At every stage I felt supported and that time was taken to explain things clearly and what would come next. All queries were responded to instantly and it felt like nothing was ever too much trouble. It made a very stressful time easier to deal with. I would have no hesitation in using your services again and I will recommend to anyone who needs your services.

    Client

  • Very professional and always keep me up to date with very clear and concise information.

    Client

  • Having access to a partner who was able to respond promptly and provide clear, precise guidance and advice.

    Richard Mellor, Laurenna Homes (Sandal) Limited

  • Entrepreneurs want lawyers who understand business and who aren’t afraid to innovate. Andrew Yates’ grasp of corporate law is such that he can square pretty much any circle while lesser lawyers navigate the reeds. Even when your bandwidth is limited, Andrew is always fully across the task at hand with laser-like precision, superb organisational skills and a reassuringly dry sense of humour.

    Luke Sanders, The Solar Centre Ltd

  • Exceptional, knowledgable people who are genuinely great to work with. Our needs were totally understood and we got clear, concise advice which allowed us to get to the right outcomes.

    Nick Mason

  • Andrew Yates has been very professional in dealing with the sale process, including ensuring that documents were turned around efficiently, queries answered appropriately and in a timely fashion and keeping us updated. We are grateful to him for this.

    Client

  • James Brawn and Andrew Yates are sensible and pragmatic lawyers who are also clearly very good at what they do. They have an eye for the detail and technical aspects of the work, while also working hard to ensure that transactions are completed smoothly and efficiently for all involved.

    The Legal 500 UK 2024

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