Date 20 June 2006

SA Law acted for MPG Holdings Ltd in their acquisition of GF Civils Ltd, the Bedford-based specialist quantity surveying firm that provides commercial support services exclusively for the civil engineering industry.

Established in 1998 by Nigel Grout, GF Civils is a rapidly expanding firm with an annual fee turnover in excess of £1 million. Although primarily servicing main contractors and subcontractors, clients also include private/public employers, consulting engineers and the legal profession.

MPG Holdings is the owner of MPG Associates – the Watford-based leader in specialist consultancy services to the construction, rail, petrochemical, mechanical and electrical services industries.

SA Law commercial lawyers Chris Wilks and Sharon Stone led the deal – undertaking the due diligence of GF Civils and advising MPG Holdings on the acquisition of all issued share capital.

A multi-disciplinary team supported the deal that included Terence Ritchie advising on the property aspects and Emma Lambert advising on IP. Employment expertise was also vital as a large proportion of the GF Civils business relies on the secondment of subcontractors and employees. 

Specialist employment lawyer Chris Cook undertook an in-depth investigation of this situation and successfully negotiated appropriate warranties and indemnities. He was assisted by Natasha Collins.

MPG Holdings used the M&A advisory firm Acquisitions International (AI) to identify, approach and negotiate with the target company. Simon Glover, Project Manager at AI, was impressed with the thoroughness that the team at SA Law brought to the legal side of the transaction.

Simon comments: “In negotiating any final share purchase agreement (SPA), it is essential that the legal adviser shows a combination of tenacity in order to obtain the best possible terms for the client and flexibility in order to ensure that the transaction actually takes place. The team at SA Law amply demonstrated this combination and carried out a thorough due diligence process that led to a well structured SPA.”

Michael Gallucci, Director of MPG Holdings Ltd adds, "Sharon Stone and the team at SA Law carried out an excellent job on the purchase and I consider them good value for money. All the legal issues were covered and firm foundations for the future were put in place."