Phil Pugh, Partner at Acuity Law
About
Expertise
Work

Phil Pugh trained and qualified at Acuity, reaching Partner level in 2017. A corporate and commercial lawyer, with a particular interest in transactions, M&A, IP, and IT and technology Phil has strong technical skills and advises clients on complex transactions.

He works with a number of ‘spin-out’ companies and has spent time on secondment to a Russell Group University helping develop the University’s internal mobile application policy, advising on contracts for the development of mobile applications, website T&Cs, and software licensing arrangements.

Phil is highly regarded in the sector, advising on the sale and acquisition of a number of technology / IT companies and providing specialist advice on outsourcing, hosting, and cloud storage both to the end-user and supplier. Some of his most notable successes include:

  • Advising myPinPad Limited on its multi-million-pound licensing and development arrangements with Vocalink Limited (the company behind the UK’s payments infrastructure);
  • Advising Crimson Consultants on their JV with Unit 4 and the shareholders of Crimson on the sale of their shares to Tribal Group PLC;
  • Advising IQE Plc on its joint venture with Cardiff University which involved the licensing of IQE’s know-how.

Phil has considerable experience in the life sciences and healthcare sector and has spent many years advising clients on the sale and purchase of dental businesses.

His commitment to his own personal development has seen him become a certified expert in data protection, having completed the EU General Data Protection Regulation Practitioner qualification awarded by the International Board for IT Governance Qualifications.

  • Corporate deals and transactions – mergers, acquisitions and disposals
  • Commercial contracts – assignment and licensing of brand rights and intellectual property rights, SaaS arrangements, software licensing, distribution agreements and outsourcing arrangements
  • Investments and equity arrangements
  • Private equity funded transactions and PE backed buy and build strategies
  • Corporate restructuring
  • Advising on the establishment of Verdion Properties LLP and a long-term strategic alliance with the Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan to create a £1bn+ investment platform for logistics properties throughout Europe
  • Advising the former shareholders of Swansea City FC on the sale of the club to new US-based owners in a £100m+ deal
  • Advising a number of Savile Row based brands on the exploitation of their IP rights and other commercial arrangements
  • Advising IQE Plc, a leading global supplier of advanced semiconductor wafer products and services, on its multimillion pound joint-venture with Cardiff University, creating the Compound Semiconductor Centre
  • Advising Wealthify, a robo-investment platform, on a major institutional investment by Aviva
  • Advising Bright Network, a media technology recruitment platform, on a substantial investment by PE firm, Maven Capital Partners
  • Advising BikePark Wales, the premier mountain bike resort, on an investment by BCF Equity Partners
  • Advising Owens Road Services, a preeminent haulage company, on the acquisition of a Manchester based competitor
  • Advising Hexigone on the £894,000 investment from the British Business Bank Future Fund as well as investment from new enterprise investment scheme investors and existing investors such as the Development Bank of Wales.
  • Advising the founding shareholders of Jane IT in connection with the sale of the company to the Juniper Education group, a multi-national education support service provider with a growing portfolio of innovative software solutions.

Accolades

  • The Commercial Team is ranked Tier 1 in the Legal 500.

  • The Corporate Team is ranked Tier 1 in The Legal 500.

  • The Corporate Team is ranked Band 1 in Chambers & Partners.

  • Corporate and Commercial Team of the Year
    Wales Legal Awards 2020

  • The Tech and Communications Team is ranked Tier 1 in Legal 500.

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