London

HRO is represented in London through HRO Grant Dawe LLP.
Tony Grant and Jonathan Dawe formed Grant Dawe LLP in London in 2006 as a specialist corporate law firm. They had both previously been partners for a number of years at Denton Wilde Sapte. Paul Thompson, an HRO partner in Denver who was previously based in London and is a registered foreign lawyer in London has become a partner of the firm.
The recent formal association of HRO with Grant Dawe (which has been renamed HRO Grant Dawe LLP), following a number of years of close working relationship between individuals in both firms, will combine Grant Dawe’s successful niche corporate practice in the UK with a major US law firm with a significant presence in the United States and a strong international emphasis. 
Both firms have a similar ethos of seeking to provide a first class service at competitive and realistic prices.
The clients of HRO Grant Dawe are predominantly in the telecommunications, technology, media, insurance, marketing, transport, business services and sports sectors.
HRO Grant Dawe advises clients on a full-range of corporate matters, including:
  • acquisitions and disposals of public and private companies and businesses
  • start-ups and structuring of businesses, groups, partnerships and other forms of business associations
  • joint ventures and shareholders agreements
  • equity fundraising, including flotations, secondary offers and private equity
  • acting for listed companies, including ongoing compliance with listing rules
  • advising on directors’duties and corporate governance issues
  • non-transactional corporate activities, including share buybacks, reductions of share capital, financial assistance and company re-organisations
  • ongoing corporate and regulatory compliance
  • commercial agreements
HRO’s European practice will be developed through the two main HRO offices in London and Munich and their network of contacts and relationships with legal firms throughout Europe.
HRO Grant Dawe has established relationships with several law firms in the UK which it is able to use if required for specialised advice on tax, employment and pensions and real estate matters.
The partners of the firm have considerable international experience in particular in the Far East (Tony Grant having been based in Hong Kong for a number of years), Middle East (Jonathan Dawe having worked in Dubai for several years), Europe and Africa.
HRO Grant Dawe Experience
Mergers and Acquisitions
Our practice is focussed on our M&A work, acting on acquisitions and disposals for both public and private companies including public company takeover work. Our experience includes:
  • acquisition of the European rail business of Trinity Industries by International Railway Systems ($60 million plus)
  • sale by the shareholders of Chiltern International Holdings Limited on its sale to Czura Thornton Limited
  • acquisition by Optimisa plc, an AIM listed company of kae: marketing services limited through a reverse take-over (involving a whitewash and Takeover Panel approval)
  • acquisition by Optimisa plc of the USA business information services business of Huntsworth plc (with HRO Denver office) and other corporate acquisitions
  • sale by the owners of Prima TV and European Radio Investments on the sale of their television and radio interests in Romania to SBS (US$29 million)
  • sale by the majority shareholders of Zone Vision Networks Limited on the sale of their shareholding interests to the Liberty Group (US$65 million)
  • sale by the owners of the Ideal Music Group to Imagesound, an AIM listed company for listed shares and cash
  • acquisition by Hockley Investments on its investment in Grove Atlantic, a major book publishing company
  • sale by the owners of GS Telecom, a leading telecommunications provider in Africa to Gateway Communications (US$34 million)
  • acquisition by Anschutz Entertainment Group (with HRO) of Thames Clippers
  • recommended public takeover by Optimisa plc of eq group plc, a listed market research services company
  • sale by Dolphin TV and other shareholders of The Wrestling Channel
  • sale by the owners of Nugus Martin, leading television producer of history programming to World Media Group
  • acquisition by Cooper Gay of the reinsurance and terrorism insurance portfolio of the CRS group
  • sale of 50% of Indie Mobile, a mobile music company to Vital Distribution
Joint Ventures
We act in relation to new and existing incorporated and unincorporated joint ventures in the United Kingdom and internationally. Our experience includes:
  • establishment by International Railway Systems of transport leasing and maintenance joint ventures in Eastern Europe
  • creation of 50/50 company between Strong Media Group and Viasat to establish a Swedish holding company to own and exploit a television satellite platform in the Ukraine
  • establishment on behalf of a telecommunications provider of a joint venture company to acquire data centres in the United Kingdom
  • establishment of Merchant Cash Express, an alternative finance provider, and its shareholder arrangements between management and Fast Capital LLC
Investments and Start-Ups
We advise companies and individuals on the establishment of new start-up companies and in relation to the provision of seed capital, private equity and venture capital financing. Our experience includes:
  • advising the founder management team on establishment of, and private equity investment in, Wedding TV
  • acting on the establishment of the Baby Channel, a television satellite and cable channel
  • investment by Hockley Investments in a 25% shareholding interest in Worcester rugby club
  • investment by Hastings in Nomi-Call and Global Nomi, suppliers of mobile and other telephone cards for £6 million
  • investment by Sonae Corporation, a major Portugese company, of £28 million in Cooper Gay, a leading insurance and reinsurance brokerage involving an acquisition of existing shares and the issue of convertible loans
  • establishment of myQBuster.com, a new mobile telephone service facilitating the purchase of consumables
Commercial
We provide commercial advice to our corporate clients including supply, agency and distribution arrangements, standard terms relating to the supply of goods and services and other commercial agreements. Our experience includes:
  • acting for a UK governmental regulator in relation to several confidential matters regarding the interface of public/private sectors
  • media agreements for television companies (adsales, channel representation, overseas agency agreements)
  • naming rights agreement for the O2 on behalf of Anschutz Entertainment Group

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One Hammersmith Grove
London  W6 0NB
United Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0)20 3008 5530
Fax: +44 (0)20 3008 5531 

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