Retail Solicitors

Client Intro:

Case Overview:

Client Intro: Sophie and Thomas Birkert

Our clients are directors of a company trading as Screen With Envy, which hand-designs, crafts, and assembles screens which can be used in homes and gardens. 

Case Overview:

After our clients’ original company, Screen With Envy Limited, entered liquidation, our clients purchased the trading name Screen With Envy, along with the company's business and other key assets, from its joint liquidators.  As part of this transaction, our clients took professional advice as to the use of the trading name and believed they had properly complied with their legal obligations by giving notice to creditors that they intended to carry on using the trading name Screen With Envy.  Unfortunately, due to the precise and narrowly drafted provisions of Section 216 of the Insolvency Act 1986, our clients found themselves inadvertently in breach of those provisions and therefore had to make an application to the court for permission to carry on using the name Screen With Envy.  The application to the court was successful.   

Fee Earner Comment:

Vicky Biggs, an insolvency law expert at Myerson Solicitors, said:

“Applications under Section 216 of the Insolvency Act 1986 are relatively rare as most directors in a similar position are able to rely on one of the statutory exemptions set out in the Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016 which render an application to the court unnecessary.  It was vital that our clients were granted permission from the court to carry on using the trading name Screen With Envy as this name enjoys a significant presence on both social media and in the press and was intrinsic to the ongoing success of their business.  It was a pleasure to assist Sophie and Tom with the successful application to the court”. 

Client Intro: Begbies Traynor (London) LLP

Our clients are licensed insolvency practitioners based at the UK’s market leader in business rescue and recovery, receiving more corporate insolvency appointments than any other UK insolvency practitioner firm.

Case Overview:

We acted for the joint administrators of Thornrose Limited (a well-known in-store and online high-end jewellery retailer trading as Sean Leane) in relation to:

• Their appointment as joint administrators;
• The provision of advice on various aspects of the administration, to include the registered security held by the secured creditor, as well as advising on a range of issues such as retention of title, the delivery up of goods belonging to the company and the status of the company’s intellectual property rights; and
• The sale of the business and assets of the company as a going concern to a third-party purchaser, to include the preparation of all relevant sale documents.  This sale was reported in the press: Buyer found for Shaun Leane as eponymous founder steps down. 

Fee Earner Comment:

Richard Wolff, Partner and Head of Insolvency & Restructuring at Myerson Solicitors, said:

“The instructions we received from our clients required, within a short timeframe given the precarious financial position of the company, detailed and specific advice on the security held over the company’s assets, advice on a variety of issues relating to the recovery and sale of the company’s assets and dealing with the sale of the business and assets of the company to a third party, enabling the retail brand to survive and a number of jobs to be secured”. 

Client Intro: Begbies Traynor (London) LLP

Our clients are licensed insolvency practitioners based at the UK’s market leader in business rescue and recovery, receiving more corporate insolvency appointments than any other UK insolvency practitioner firm.

Case Overview:

We acted for the joint administrators of a known women’s fashion label, whose largely online retail business was based in Ibiza.  Our instructions included:

• Dealing with the appointment of the administrators;
• Advising the administrators on the validity of registered security held by one of the company’s creditors; and
• Acting on the sale of the business and certain assets of the company (to include the preparation of the relevant transactional documents) to a connected party purchaser. 

Fee Earner Comment:

Luke Wilkins, an insolvency law expert at Myerson Solicitors, said:

“It was a pleasure to work with our clients on this matter which required coordination between a team of legal advisors at Myerson and other legal professionals instructed on the matter within a relatively tight timescale in order to achieve a successful outcome in respect  of the sale of the business and assets of the company”.

Client Intro:

The client specialises in creating and renovating grand staircases in various bespoke materials and finishes and stocking and selling oak and pine components to trade companies and the public.   

Case Overview:

Our employment team assists this client with a range of employment-related matters, including reviewing and updating their employment contracts and policies and providing legal support on all general HR matters to support them in the effective recruitment, management and retention of their employees.  

Fee Earner Comment:

Charlotte Gilbert, an employment law expert at Myerson Solicitors, said:

It is a pleasure to continue supporting this local retailer with all their general employment law needs. We recognise that as an owner-managed business, it is important for this client to be able to access our advice in a commercial and time-sensitive manner.

Client Intro:

The client is a well-known, national listed retail business

Case Overview:

Our employment team regularly assist this client with various employment-related matters, including:

• senior executive departures and arrivals, including dealing with significant bonus and long-term incentive arrangements;
• union recognition arrangements, negotiating the scope of recognition and resisting recognition in parts of the business; and
• tribunal claims

Fee Earner Comment:

Joanne Evans, an employment law expert at Myerson Solicitors, said:

It is a pleasure to assist such a household name with their complex and strategic employment matters. We understand the challenges of operating in a fast-moving and very competitive retail environment, and we appreciate the trust they place in us to ensure our advice is always tailored to take these challenges into account.

Client Intro:

The client is an independent family-run ecommerce business specialising in various products.

Case Overview:

Our client received a ‘take down’ notice in respect of one of their product listings on Amazon. It was alleged the product infringed the design rights of another company based in China.

Our specialist Commercial Litigation solicitors were able to quickly ascertain that the claim for infringement was spurious, and we prepared a formal response to Amazon disputing the allegations and were successful in ensuring the products were swiftly reinstated., minimising any potential loss and disruption to our client’s business.

Client Intro: Dulux Decorator Centres, part of Akzo Nobel

Our client manufactures decorative paints, which are sold from over 230 Dulux Decorator Centre stores located across England and Wales.

Case Overview:

Myerson has acted for Dulux Decorator Centres for over ten years. We regularly advise our client on the management of its multi-million-pound rental portfolio.

This includes new leases (often with agreements for lease conditional on landlord and/or tenant works), renewal leases, lease regears, assignments and subleases, licences for alterations and wayleave agreements.

Our Property Litigation team regularly advises the client on lease renewals under the 1954 Act, dilapidation claims, landlord/tenant covenants, rent reviews, and break rights.

Fee Earner Comment:

Sarah McNair, an Associate in the Real Estate team at Myerson Solicitors, said:

As a Myerson client, Akzo Nobel benefits from using our Property Portal and exclusive Client Area, where we securely store all of its deeds and important documents for us and our client to access. This enables Akzo Nobel to manage its portfolio of stores more efficiently and helps to create a seamless working relationship between us and our client.

Client Intro: Stroud Regeneration Limited

Our client is a property developer and owns the Five Valleys Shopping Centre in Stroud.

Case Overview:

Since 2020, Myerson has been involved in all estate management work at Five Valleys Shopping Centre, Stroud, dealing with lettings to various retailers.

Five Valleys is home to a number of unique independent retailers and offers a line-up of national, well-loved brands. There is also a market hall with a mix of food traders and artisans, with the legal paperwork put together by Myerson to enable market traders to be signed up with the minimum of fuss.

Fee Earner Comment:

Ian Gordon, a Real Estate expert at Myerson Solicitors, said:

We work with the client to ensure that any new occupier is signed up as quickly as possible, particularly in current circumstances, to ensure that the tenant is open and trading without delay.

Client Testimonial:

Ian Gordon gets the job done, speaks to his clients and understands the commercial reality of a deal.

Client Intro: Dransfield Properties - developers specialised in retail-led regeneration schemes across the UK.

Case Overview:
Our commercial property team acted for Dransfield Properties in securing a new retail tenant at Sanderson Arcade in Morpeth, Northumberland. Ethical frozen food retailer COOK has opened a new store in a former Body Shop unit, further enhancing the retail offering.

Our role included advising on lease agreements and ensuring a smooth transaction that aligned with the objectives of both Dransfield Properties and COOK. With the deal successfully completed, the new COOK store has created 13 jobs and helped boost footfall at Sanderson Arcade.

Fee Earner Comment:

Ian Gordon, Legal Director in the Commercial Property team said:

"We are delighted to have assisted Dransfield Properties in welcoming COOK to Sanderson Arcade. We have worked with Dransfield for many years and understand the complexities of retail lettings, working closely with landlords to secure high-quality tenants that complement their existing retail mix. Dransfield Properties continues to set a benchmark for premium retail destinations, and we are pleased to support them in their ongoing success."

Client Intro:

Our client, ClearCycle, offers a stock liquidation and re-commerce solution that uses market information to drive optimal product routing, refurbishment and pricing decisions, providing retailers with the best yield for returns and overstock and enabling retailers to sell sustainably. ClearCycle were recognised by The FT as the UK’s fastest-growing retailer in both 2023 and 2024, reinforcing its position as a leader in sustainable retail solutions.

Case Overview:

Our commercial property team acted for ClearCycle in securing a new lease of a 70,000 sq ft industrial unit in Golborne, Warrington, which our client plans to fit out over the next two months to house its entire business. Our role involved agreeing the lease documentation and ensuring a seamless transaction to align with our client’s exit of their existing premises. ClearCycle will now have their whole operation under one roof, which will drive efficiencies and further reduce their carbon footprint.

Sarah Cowen, Head of Retail and Partner in the Commercial Property team said:

“It was a pleasure to support ClearCycle on this transaction, which was of great importance to the growth of their business.”