Case Studies

Case Study: When “Big Law LLP” comes calling – a niche law firm acquisition

Armstrong Watson was engaged by a significant niche firm who were being purchased outright by a large global player in order to create a fully formed specialist team within the significantly larger practice. We were therefore engaged to value the smaller practice, to negotiate heads of terms, to comment on the taxation aspects of the deal and to perform the “reverse due diligence” on the acquirer.

Case Study: Armstrong Watson & Capitalise partnership helps client achieve significant and timely Cashflow Benefits

VWG Mechanical Limited is a mechanical engineering contractor and the Dooling family have been long standing clients of Armstrong Watson.

Case Study: Museums and Galleries Exhibition Tax Relief

We recently assisted a Yorkshire-based museum with their first Museums and Galleries Exhibition Tax Relief claim for a temporary exhibition imported from Canada.

As the exhibition was hired from outside the EEA and this was a significant proportion of the exhibition costs, the client was unsure if the exhibition would qualify for the relief. We were able to review all of the expenditure associated with producing the exhibition and found that there were sufficient costs incurred in the EEA to make a claim.

Case Study: Claims Management Company Contract Dispute - £200,000+

An entrepreneur sold her claims management business for a sum to be paid in stages over a three-year period, with the consideration linked to the performance of the business and a share of future value upon a sale within a defined period.  During the deferred period, the seller was retained as a consultant by the purchaser.

Case Study: Sports Club Construction Dispute

A sports club had sold part of its land to a developer in return for the construction of a new clubhouse on the organisation’s remaining land.

As construction costs over-ran, the developer stopped work and refused to resume until additional funds were provided by the sports club.  This resulted in a stand-off that saw lawyers instructed by both sides.

The case got stuck for over 12 months in a legal process that made little headway, other than to highlight weaknesses in the contract that meant each side had some form of potential argument with which to attack the other.

Case Study: Paying the Right Inheritance Tax

Losing a family member can be a very distressing time, especially when this comes suddenly and is unexpected.

One of our dairy farming clients faced an inheritance tax bill of over £220,000 on their fathers estate which included 2 working farms. The sons of the deceased individual came to Armstrong Watson as their trusted advisors to review the correspondence they had received from their solicitors and H M Revenue and Customs.

Case Study: Pro-Activity Leads to Tax Savings

Jason Adlam is the CEO of Harris CM Limited, a multidisciplinary construction company who engaged Armstrong Watson for Audit and taxation services in 2017.

Case Study: Rural Yorkshire manufacturer secures grant funding for expansion.

“Refurbishing the warehouse shelving was something we’ve wanted to do for many years. When Armstrong Watson advised me that grant funding was available to help manufacturers in rural locations for projects like this, I was delighted”. 

Glencroft Countrywear have been manufacturing and selling premium quality sheepskin goods from the Yorkshire Dales for over 30 years.  As an ambitious company, hoping to expand into new markets, Glencroft approached Armstrong Watson for help with their business plan.

So far the Glencroft business planning process has addressed:

Case Study: Oldfield Electrical Supplies

Oldfield Electrical Supplies Limited is a wholesaler and retailer of electrical and lighting equipment, operating from 3 geographical locations in the Skipton area. The directors of the company approached Armstrong Watson in the late summer of 2015 seeking assistance.

Case Study: Protection of Interests in Law Firm Closure

Armstrong Watson was engaged by Genus Law Limited to find a firm to acquire the ongoing matters, client relationships and successor practice status; monitor compliance and lead on interaction with the SRA; and to ultimately liquidate the business.