Legal 500 [UK 2022/23]

The Thompson Smith and Puxon Corporate and Commercial team has once again been recommended by the Legal 500 [UK 2021/22] and team leader Mary Anne Fedeyko is again singled out as a leading individual in it’s guide to outstanding lawyers nationwide. Solicitor Nick Mayles, Claire Powell and Nicola Rout are also recommended.

What the Legal 500 [UK 2022/23] says about the TSP Corporate and Commercial team…

Based in its Colchester office, the team at Thompson Smith and Puxon has developed a niche in complex reorganisation work, which practice leader Mary Anne Fedeyko has been involved in for over 20 years. Assisting domestic and international clients, the group is also well-regarded in the healthcare sector, where it handles the purchase and sale of dental practices, leveraging Nick Mayles‘ specialty working with dental practices and Claire Powell‘s experience advising GP practices.

Client Testimonials:

‘I have worked closely with Mary Anne Fedeyko on two significant cases and she has cut through to the key issues very quickly making the process more efficient and improving the relationship between the parties involved.’

‘Having worked with the corporate team on a recent transaction that was very complex, I was highly impressed with the level of senior led service the practice provided to the client, which was fundamental in getting the deal over the line.’

‘Nick Mayles and Mary Anne Fedeyko were stand out performers in the transaction. They were highly commercial and committed to client delivery.’

What the Legal 500 said in previous years…

2021: Led by senior partner Mary Anne Fedeyko, Thompson Smith and Puxon’s team undertakes the entire ambit of corporate and commercial work for local and national clients. It also has a strong profile among overseas-based entities, particularly those located in the US and Canada. Fedeyko has almost 25 years of experience advising clients on complex section 110 reorganisations and demergers. Elsewhere, other drivers of work include M&A, MBOs/MBIs, joint ventures, partnerships and shareholder agreements. The firm generates mandates from clients across a broad range of industries, with particular strengths in areas such as agriculture and healthcare (including matters relating to dental practices, GP practices and NHS contracts). Nick Mayles, Claire Powell and Nicola Rout are also recommended.

2020: Thompson Smith and Puxon’s corporate and commercial team handles a broad variety of work, covering franchise acquisitions, agency and distribution agreements, construction contracts, demergers and data protection. Serving both regional and international clients, it is particularly notable for team lead Mary Anne Fedeyko’s expertise in agribusiness. In addition, it is also well established in the healthcare sector where it regularly oversees the purchase and sale of dental practices. Nick Mayles specialises in corporate finance and commercial law while Claire Powell is known for her work with GP practices and NHS contracts.

2019: ‘Exceeding all expectations’, Thompson Smith and Puxon’s corporate and commercial team is adept at handling the full scope of corporate matters including M&A, disposals, and distribution agreements. Led by Mary Anne Fedeyko, who is noted for her ‘very practical commercial approach’, the practice group works seamlessly across practice groups and provides significant cross-border services to national and international clients across a broad range of sectors. Nick Mayles is ‘excellent’ and has experience with restructuring and reorganizations.

2018: Thompson Smith and Puxon’s corporate department provides ‘exemplary service’ with an ‘efficient, pragmatic and commercial approach’ and ‘resolves matters in a prompt and professional way’. M&A, restructurings, commercial contracts, business disposals and sponsor agreements form the bulk of the practice’s work. The team achieved a growth in matters relating to the agricultural, construction and food industries, while healthcare remains a strong focus. The ‘helpful and informative’ Mary Anne Fedeyko ‘explains proceedings clearly’ and has a ‘rapid understanding of the relevant issues and how to manage relationships with other solicitors’. ‘Extremely thorough’ property expert Stephen Firmin and the ‘calm, unflustered and committed’ Caroline Nicholls are also recommended. Together with Claire Powell and Nick Mayles, they make up the core team in Colchester.

2017: Thompson Smith and Puxon’s corporate and commercial practice is ‘professional, friendly and easy to work with’, and is particularly experienced in the healthcare sector. The lawyers advise on NHS contracts as well as pilot schemes, partnership arrangements and business disposals. Additionally, the ‘thorough, knowledgeable and responsive’ Claire Powell also specialises in advising GP practices and healthcare franchise work. The ‘first-rate’ team is also active in the financial sector as well as the construction industry, in relation to which Nick Mayles provides ‘proactive and considered advice’. The ‘incisive, cool-under-fire’ senior partner Mary Anne Fedeyko has a ‘sharp intellect and always delivers’. Recent work for Fedeyko includes assisting with the restructuring of a farming company, including a demerger and all associated documentation. She also advised on the sale of millions of shares in a property portfolio company and a joint venture spreading across France, India and the UK. Fedeyko and solicitor Caroline Nicholls, who handled the reorganisation of key client Clacton on Sea Golf Club, ‘provide sound and considerate advice with a commercial approach’.

2016: Thompson Smith and Puxon’s team provides ‘well-researched legal advice on a wide variety of corporate matters’. Mary Anne Fedeyko is singled out for her ‘good business acumen and legal experience’. She advised E.S.C. (Europe) on the £2.1m sale of its share capital. Nick Mayles is also recommended. 

2015: Mary Anne Fedeyko leads the “responsive, flexible and proactive” team at Thompson Smith and Puxon with “brio”; “nothing seems to daunt her and she is always a pleasure to work with”. Nick Mayles is also recommended. Clients range from start-ups and SMEs to large PLC companies.

2014: Mary Anne Fedeyko’s “lively, proactive and extremely professional” team at Thompson Smith and Puxon is active across acquisitions and disposals, company restructuring, insolvency, and agency and distribution agreements. Clients range form start-ups and SMEs to large PLCs. Stephen Firmin, Claire Powell and Nick Mayles are other contacts in the team.  

2013: Mary Anne Fedeyko leads the corporate and commercial team at Thompson Smith and Puxon which works “at the highest level” and is “prompt, knowledgeable and good value for money”. Its recent work includes a substantial international refinancing and the MBO of a telecoms business.

2012: Thompson Smith and Puxon’s team acted on the UK aspects of a multimillion-pound refinancing of a US company and on a joint venture for an Indian PLC. Dual-qualified Mary Anne Fedeyko has a “sharp mind”.

2011: 2010 Work highlights for Thompson Smith & Puxon’s team ranged from multimillion-pound corporate reorganisations and disposals, to advising on an international joint venture with a trading company in India. It has also recently expanded its expertise in renewable energy. Practice head Mary Anne Fedeyko is “excellent”.

2010: Thompson Smith and Puxon acts for national and international clients on a range of matters, such as restructuring, M&A, financing and refinancing. the team recently handled an Office of Fair Trading (OFT) investigation, which included negotiating agreed arrangements with the OFT and advising on undertakings. Mary Anne Fedeyko heads the department.