Meet The Team

What’s your area of specialism?

I support businesses with all aspects of their lifecycle. I work with start-up businesses, advising on their incorporations and governing documents. I help established businesses restructure or scale up with acquisition strategies, funding documents and employee share schemes. And I also act on retirement sales and management buy-outs – facilitating the right exit strategy for any business owner.

What is the most interesting part of your work?

The sheer variety of work – no two instructions are the same, not just because of the breadth of law that I cover but because of the diverse range of sectors I support, each with their own needs. I’ve acted for nurseries and care-homes that have more regulatory and compliance concerns, through to manufacturers and tech companies where there is a focus on intellectual property. I like to take the time to get to know each client and business so that I can advise them in context.

What is it that you enjoy about corporate & commercial law?

It surprises most people when I tell them this – but it’s very creative. You can get some unusual structures and agreements which require layers of bespoke drafting, and often there are several ways to structure a particular instruction or transaction. So I get to combine creative thinking with pragmatic problem solving, working with a team of advisors to effect the best solution for the client.

What would your clients say about you?

I deliver a platinum service but in an approachable manner. For me, it’s all about service and looking after people whilst providing them with technical expertise.
What Holly’s clients have said: “Holly is a focused professional with a balanced approach between opportunity and risk. Genuine care for the client’s welfare and a great communicator with both client and counterpart professionals. Highly recommended. ”

How do you keep a work-life balance?

I like to say that I’m a lawyer by day, but a baker by night. I frequently make and decorate novelty cakes, bakes and cupcakes – my chocolate brownies are particularly good. Of course, I have to balance the calories from the baking with exercise so I can also be regularly found on a badminton court.

Favourite thing about working at Wilson Browne.

I’m still relatively new to the team, but I’ve been made to feel welcome and a part of the family very quickly. There is a really strong support network, not just in technical expertise but genuine support for everyone’s wellbeing and welfare, which is important at every level.

Favourite cake

A baked cheesecake – but it has to be a proper NY-style baked cheesecake, not a frozen one.

What’s your area of specialism?

I specialise in corporate and commercial law – this is a very broad sector covering advising on business structures, shareholder and partnership agreements, sale and purchase of businesses, general commercial advice including terms and conditions, finance and banking documents and succession planning (to name a few!)

What’s the most interesting part of your work?

It’s the transactional work that interests me most. The combination of being a lawyer, project manager, accountant, mediator…and many roles in between makes it challenging and keeps it interesting! Working with businesses in corporate & commercial law, you become a sounding board and trusted advisor – it’s a lot more than just the technical expertise.

What is it that you enjoy about corporate & commercial law?

I really enjoy helping people with their journey. Understanding where it is they want to go and guiding them throughout the process; supporting all aspects of their legal and business needs. I can work with clients for several years over projects – especially when engaged in a succession planning exercise – building that relationship and seeing everyone’s hard work come to fruition is a very rewarding part of the job.

What would your clients say about you?

I am often commended for my no-nonsense approach to advice; I avoid legal jargon and discuss points with my clients using everyday language.

How do you keep a work-life balance?

Most people know that I’m into classic cars, but a lot of people don’t know that I am very into the arts – music, concerts, theatre, ballet, opera & films. The best concert I’ve been to was Cold Play at the Albert Hall 2014. I got the ticket on a whim as my wife couldn’t go and I wasn’t expecting much, but it turned out to be utterly brilliant. The venue was amazing and the album they were playing (Ghost Stories) was incredible, I loved every track.

Favourite thing about working at Wilson Browne

We have a very friendly team. There is no pretence, you don’t have to pretend to be someone you’re not and everyone is here to help and support one another.

Favourite cake

Keep it simple – Victoria Sponge

What’s your area of specialism?

I work a lot on corporate transactions, dealing with the sale and purchase of businesses. Before I came to the law, I was an engineer designing for the aerospace industry and semi-conductors. Therefore, I have a unique insight into these worlds and can relate to my clients businesses easily and more commercial aspects of business. I guess it’s one of the reasons that I receive so many instructions both in relation to the sale and purchases of businesses, but also regarding commercial contracts and similar works.

What the most interesting part of your work?

I like working out and finding different solutions a problem. There can be many different ways to effect a particular transaction, but it’s about finding the most effective one for your client.

What is it that you enjoy about corporate & commercial law?

I really enjoy the technical aspects of the work. I get absorbed in complex drafting and can get very particular about it as it does have to be right. I also really enjoy working with my clients; the work we do and nature of transactions that I get involved in can be complicated. It’s rewarding helping guide people through that legal minefield and translating the legal jargon into a real-world understanding.

What would your clients say about you?

That I’m down to earth; I provide practical solutions rather than blinding people with technical language and science.

How do you keep a work-life balance?

I enjoy being outdoors; whether it’s playing golf or just going for a walk. It’s good to separate your focus between work and home and do something to ‘switch off’.

Favourite thing about working at Wilson Browne

It’s the diversity of the people that we have working here. We have a great atmosphere which makes it an enjoyable place to be.

Favourite cake

It’s got to be ginger cake. I just really like ginger!

What’s your area of specialism?

I look after all aspects of the corporate lifecycle, acting and advising on corporate structures and setting up a business, as well as restructuring groups, demergers and asset and share purchases and sales. Succession planning and business sales is an area that I particularly enjoy, as I frequently act on retirement sales and in management buy-out situations for clients in the SME market.

I also look after a lot of clients in the not-for-profit sector, dealing with charity applications and setting up community interest companies.

What is the most interesting part of your work?

It’s the people that I work with – both the clients but also the counterparties in transactions. Regardless of the size of the firm that I’m against, the law is the law, and negotiating terms and working with different solicitors from a range of backgrounds makes the M&A sector particularly interesting for me.

What is it that you enjoy about corporate & commercial law?

Working with owner-managed businesses is particularly rewarding. You get to see their business grow, and then you get to support people through what can be a very stressful process, especially when it’s your first sale which is often the case with sales in the SME sector. Clients face intensive due diligence, lengthy contracts, and complex disclosures, all in a relatively very short space of time. I really enjoy looking after clients through this process, guiding them with each aspect of a transaction, and then seeing them realise the fruits of their labour at the end.

What would your clients say about you?

I pride myself in providing a high quality service; delivering technical expertise but in an accessible way.

How do you keep a work-life balance?

I am a very active person, I often go to the gym or for long walks. I love being outdoors. What I really love though, is to travel. I’ve travelled a lot of South-East Asia, Singapore, East Australia, Europe…I like to go to a new place when I go away and see new places.

Favourite thing about working at Wilson Browne

100% it’s the people. We’ve been together for a while, and there are good working relationships throughout the office.

Favourite cake

It’s got to be chocolate; chocolate brownie if we can class that as a cake!