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Freeths - Law firm

Food

Nurturing your appetite for growth

What is involved?

In this increasingly competitive sector, you need legal advisors who understand the issues you face – whether driven by regulation or commercial pressures. Because we have worked with many food businesses across the UK, advising on a wide range of issues, you can be confident that we will deliver effective and holistic solutions to the challenges you face.

The food sector team offers a complete source of legal support, including specialist expertise in regulatory regimes including food safety, health & safety, environmental, GSCOP and competition. We also have vast experience of handling high profile cases and are well versed in dealing with the media and preventing the adverse publicity that can inevitably accompany emotive issues.

Freeths have a close working relationship with the Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC), supporting members with legal insight, including employment and immigration advice. We speak at their events and contribute knowhow to their news updates, as well as being yearly sponsors their Fresh Awards presenting the award for Best Company to Work For.

 

 

Why choose Freeths?

  • Our national team of lawyers are based in offices in major food-producing regions across the UK
  • We’re familiar with the challenges you face whether as a food producer, processor or manufacturer
  • We’ll help keep you up-to-date with any European and UK legislative and regulatory changes
  • You can expect clear, commercial advice based on a genuine understanding of the food sector

 

Want to get involved?

We deliver regular legal and topical updates to the food sector community through insight pieces and through our series of sector specific webinars.

We also run regular small food sector focus groups with HR professions to discuss issues that they are facing, including immigration and Brexit related issues.

Click here to subscribe to our mailing lists to keep up to date with the latest information and seminar invites for your sector.

Our industry focused team offers a full spectrum of knowledge, including meeting stringent regulatory and health & safety requirements, as well as appealing against enforcement notices and prosecutions. Or, should you find yourself in disagreement with suppliers or customers, we can assist in settling disputes, using mediation techniques where possible.

We will also support you with staff management, property and construction, or environmental issues. And when it comes to commercial agreements we apply our business sense to ensure your contracts are robust and enforceable.

Call our legal experts to get advice tailored to your unique business needs.

Who we work with

  • Aldi
  • Padleys
  • Freshtime
  • Visual Foods
  • Moy Park
  • NSF
  • Noble Foods
  • 2 Sisters
  • Karsten UK
  • Holland’s Pies
Meet the team

Food Lawyers


Lisa Gilligan
Managing Partner

0345 272 5723

Simon Baigent

Simon Baigent
Partner

0345 274 6903

Simon Barker

Simon Barker
Partner

0345 634 2583

Emma Brooksbank
Partner

0345 166 6300

Paul Burnley

Paul Burnley
Partner

0345 017 8381

Rebecca Howlett

Rebecca Howlett
Partner

0345 166 6338

David Marsden

David Marsden
Partner

0345 404 1757

Martin Noble
Partner

0345 030 5699

Rebecca Sawbridge

Rebecca Sawbridge
Partner

0345 634 2589

Laura Tracey - Employment Lawyer

Laura Tracey
Partner

0345 166 6349

Image of Tom Walker

Tom Walker
Partner

0345 166 6337

Tristan Duncan
Director

0345 166 6301

Kishan Pattni

Kishan Pattni
Director

0345 070 3811

Paul Bownes
Managing Associate

0345 404 4142

Daniel McNally - Compliance and Regulatory Lawyer

Daniel McNally
Managing Associate

0345 030 5728

James Lapham
Associate

0186 578 1291

Amy Platt
Associate

0345 166 6267

Related news
More related news, articles and events for Food
Testimonials

"The team delivered an extremely proactive and efficient service during our recent MBO, driving the process through to a successful completion. The team showed excellent professionalism and knowledge throughout the process."

"We knew what to expect after the first few deals and all the other work that Freeths has done for us over the years. The commitment, support and sector knowledge they brought to the process were vital in getting us to completion on the right terms."

"The 'adept and experienced' Lisa Gilligan gives 'practical and insightful advice' that 'instils confidence in clients'; she continues to act as the sole licensing counsel nationwide for Aldi, managing supermarket premises licences for stores across the country."

(The Legal 500, 2017)

"Paul Burnley of Freeths LLP is well regarded for his broad practice, which covers the full gamut of health and safety law. He defends clients against prosecution and criminal investigations, as well as representing them in inquests."

(Chambers & Partners, 2018)

Notable Work
  • Acquisition of Fabulous Bakin’ Boys – Freeths food group advised Netherlands based food business Daelmans on the multi-million pound acquisition of Fabulous Bakin’ Boys out of administration. Daelmans Group acquired brand, IP and manufacturing assets and 100 employees were also transferred to the new owners. Freeths’ understanding of the sector ensured European and UK regulatory requirements were completely covered and the team continues to assist with commercial property requirements.
  • Acquisition of Mr Freeze – The team also acted on the acquisition of Mr Freeze – producer of freeze pops – by Cooke Bros Holdings Limited (ultimate parent of Calypso Soft Drinks Limited). The deal involved 50% cash from a third party and 50% from the shareholders of Cooke Bros, on a share for share exchange. It was coupled with new asset based finance facilities of £13.4million to finance the purchase and replace existing working capital facilities for the enlarged group.
  • MBO of Arden Fine Foods – Freeths acted for the vendors of Arden Fine Foods – a speciality global food importer – on their circa £10 million buyout by management. The £24 million turnover business works with food manufacturers from across the world to develop sweet and savoury biscuits for supply to UK retailers.
  • Protecting trade secrets for Holland’s Pies – Our litigation experts were instrumental in gaining an injunction for iconic brand Holland’s Pies who were at risk of a competitor using secret information about the manufacture of their products. The injunction’s purpose was to prevent industrial espionage, following a former director of Holland’s Pies recruiting staff for his rival pie business.
  • Managing employment relations for 2 Sisters Food Group – As sole employment advisers to 2 Sisters Food Group, which employs 23,000 staff across 40 sites, including Fox’s Biscuits, Goodfella’s Pizzas and Holland’s Pies brands, our employment team handles a constant flow of employment queries relating to all types of employment situations.

Client service

‘Doing the right thing’ is at the heart of Freeths. Find out more about our excellent client service and the strong set of values that guide the way we work.

Our values

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Talk to us

Freeths are a leading national law firm with 13 offices across the UK. If you have a query about our services or just want to find out more, why not give us a call?

Contact: 03301 001 014

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