Areas of Practice.
Excellence Assured
Focused on achieving excellence in everything we do.
The Commercial Property
The Commercial Property Team has wide experience in dealing efficiently with the legal and financial aspects of building, buying, selling, leasing or sub-letting of shops, offices and industrial and commercial premises of all kinds.
The team handles an extensive range of commercial property transactions for large and small companies as well as private individuals. The Team is highly regarded for its property expertise.
Commercial Sales and Purchases
Covering all types of commercial property from institutional purchases and sales of tenanted property and the break-up of industrial estates, through to purchases and sales for landed estates, farmers and private individuals.
Construction
All aspects of construction including advising on the most suitable contract procurement route for the project, drafting and negotiating building contracts, sub-contracts, professional consultants' appointments, performance bonds, parent company guarantees, collateral warranties and other similar security documents.
Landlord and Tenant
All property transactions associated with landlords and tenants including commercial leases in the retail, industrial and office sectors, assignments and surrenders of leases, licences to assign and sublet.
Property aspects of corporate transactions
Sale and purchase documentation, warranties, title investigation and security.
Property Development
Acquisitions and disposals of land for commercial and residential development, highway agreements, planning, funding and onward disposals of developed sites.
Town & Country Planning
Dealing with every sort of planning problem, from advising on the legal position relating to existing or proposed development and assisting with all types of planning applications, to conducting planning appeals from beginning to end, including advocacy at public inquiries and hearings and the conduct of High Court challenges to planning decisions. Also negotiating and drafting planning obligations and other agreements under planning and highways legislation and dealing with all other aspects of planning and development.
CORPORATE
Our Corporate group advises the full range of corporate entities from early stage, high growth companies to larger corporations. We act for proprietors, management, venture capitalists and business angles on a variety of transactions. We also advise on other business structures such as partnerships, LLPs, collective investment schemes and corporate structures for not-for-profit organisations.
Corporate Recovery and Insolvency
Insolvency presents a crisis, but it can also provide opportunities. We are dedicated to devising strategies that achieve the best possible outcome with an emphasis on rescue, recovery and restructuring wherever possible.
We provide practical advice to companies and individuals on the best way forward in these situations, be it a corporate rescue or restructure, sale of part of a business as a going concern or protection of individuals.
We act for financial institutions, insolvency practitioners and turnaround experts, companies and individuals. We are well-placed in the market to understand and provide assistance in most sectors including property, aviation, sport, music, media, entertainment, banking and financial services.
Corporate Tax
Taxation matters in the United Kingdom are becoming ever more complex and difficult for businesses to manage. At ALC Law, we have a team of specialist solicitors who provide dedicated stand-alone tax advice, tax structuring advice and transactional tax advice resulting from any business activity. Our expertise crosses a wide range of taxation issues affecting commercial transactions, including VAT and stamp taxes and those arising from corporate re-organisations and disposals. We also advise on contentious taxation matters, defending and pursuing claims against HMRC, and some international tax matters.
CONFLICT RESOLUTIONS
Resolutions of disputes through litigation, arbitration including the structuring and conduct of arbitration and alternative dispute resolution (ADR).
CORPORATE FINANCE & SECURITIES
Advisory services to issuers and underwriters of debt and equity securities including legal services required for listing securities on the Ghana Stock Exchange.
FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
Advising on the establishment, operations of financial institutions and compliance with appropriate regulations. HUMAN RESOURCES: advising on legal issues relating to human resources such as employment contracts and labour negotiations.
CONSTRUCTION
Handling negotiations and drafting of building and civil engineering contracts and resolving FIDIC contracts. Securities and financial market experts. We have a specialised knowledge of the securities and financial markets which enables us to advise the major players in their practice or operations. Our profound knowledge of the financial and securities markets has put us in a position to respond rapidly and effectively to the needs of our clients in these areas.
Dispute Resolution and Litigation
Whether a dispute threatens or has already materialised, our specialist team can draw upon a wide range of expertise and experience to help you reach a satisfactory settlement. Whatever the size of your business or the problem, we can help assess the issues and formulate a plan for resolution. Whether a dispute threatens or it has already materialised, our specialist team can draw upon a wide range of expertise and experience to help you reach a satisfactory settlement. Whatever the size of your business or the problem, we can help assess the issues and formulate a plan for resolution.
Employment, Pensions and Incentives
Employers need an expert and practiced hand to guide them through the ever changing employment law maze.
In the UK, employment is the fastest changing area of the law, with a raft of recent new legislation and employment claims and compensation payments soaring. In-depth expertise is vital to help safe navigation of these difficult waters.
This expertise at ALC is provided by a team dedicated to advising employers and employees on employment law issues they face. Our lawyers are committed to providing our clients with the most effective practical solution(s) in a fast, efficient manner.
General Commercial
Any company conducting business in today's fast moving society should ensure that their commercial arrangements are well-structured and well-documented. This is often much simpler and easier than companies expect. It brings peace of mind and can often address issues to prevent them developing into misunderstandings at a later stage.
IN-HOUSE LEGAL
This unique practice area enables medium-sized companies to receive a personalised legal service without employing a full-time lawyer or recruiting an in-house legal department.
Our in-house lawyers combine the flexibility of a conventional law firm with the personal dedicated on-site attendance of an employed solicitor. Furthermore, they represent a much better value than either option.
ALC's in-house lawyers can work from your office, their satellite offices or, and most commonly, a combination of the two. Typically, attendance at your office takes place between one and three days per week and then on an hourly basis outside these days, if required. They will usually correspond with third parties using your stationary and email address and will, for all intents and purposes, be your own in-house lawyer(s).
We find that our clients experience considerable advantages in working with a lawyer who gets to know them and their business well. Having a commercially astute lawyer working closely with your business at the start of any initiative often results in a quicker and more cost-effective implementation of the business plan. In-house lawyers have a better understanding of the business, its products and strategy and tend to free up the directors of the business to concentrate on the business aspects of the deal.
Other key commercial responsibilities include monitoring the company pension and insurance schemes, undertaking the company secretarial function and handling many property and general contract litigation matters, as well as advising on employment issues.
ALC's in-house lawyers qualify as solicitors in private practice before spending at least 5 years working as in-house legal counsel for highly prestigious companies. They have access to all our usual support systems such as on-line precedents and knowledge databases as well as a £10 million professional indemnity insurance policy.
IT and Ecommerce
Many astute companies are looking to develop their global online presence to extend their brands and secure a competitive advantage with their economies of scale. The increasing use of e-commerce and cross border trade has resulted in the need for a wide range of disciplines and expertise to maximise the commercial opportunities. Our clients continue to create innovative business models and our solicitors have wide experience of using contractual arrangements to help them exploit their technology and minimise risk.
Film, Television and Radio
The entertainment industry is big business which throws up significant and unpredictable challenges on a regular basis. Globalisation and convergence has altered the media landscape, bringing new cross-media possibilities for content use and distribution. Our solicitors in this sector understand these developments and work with clients to achieve results specifically tailored to the industry.
Our Media Group acts for owners, licensees and distributors of digital audio, visual and data content including films, television, gaming and music as well as media personalities.
Our Sports Group acts for sports governing bodies, stadium operators, clubs, agencies, sponsors, broadcasters, event organisers, brands and individual athletes.
We are also able to draw on advice and support in litigation, corporate, tax, employment, competition and other areas of law involving solicitors who are experienced in the requisite area.
FEES
Flexible Approach
We maintain a flexible approach to our billings. Clients may opt for contingent fees, hourly billing, flat fee or a combination of any of the three modes of billing. Fees are negotiable and always within the range of fees recommended and approved by the Ghana Bar Association.
