Neill

In-house for ASOS's Governance/Legal & PX/Talent (i.e. HR) departments:

• IR 35 - working with Governance & HR - liaising with Heads of and Senior Management in Procurement, IT and BX/Studios departments - on the tax-related matter of IR 35...
  • Direct contact with ASOS' global suppliers of contractor workforce (including mutinational companies, recruitment agencies as well as indviduals with PSC's) to elicit relevant information;
  • Review of:
    • Managed service agreements, terms of service and supply of services agreements;
    • supply of labour agreements and individual contracts;
    • Agency contracts.
  • Part of team making contractual/agreement amendments with Heads of Legal and Senior Legal Counsel (and Heads of relevant business department).
• Data Management:
  • Tracking relevant contractor workforce information internally through contractors & HR and externally via agencies or online resources e.g. Companies House;
  • Sole responsibility for keeping above information up to date and in a spreadsheet for reports to the entire business (including C-Suite) to use.
• Part of ASOS's global CoronaVirus response team (other team members from Business Assurance, Health & Safety and Security) shaping ASOS policy - from early March onwards.

Seconded to a client's M&A department where I was responsible for:

• Creating hard copy corporate governance records for 30 UK based susbsidiary companies of a $70bn multinational telecoms company to ensure they are compliant with relevant legislation and up to date;
• Cross-referencing original documents with internal electronic filing system "Blueprint" (Diligent Entity Management Software) and public records (Companies House);
• Document review and diligence with exposure to share purchase agreements (SPAs), Power of Attorney (PoAs) documents, share buybacks & stock transfer agreements, non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) and confidentiality agreements
• Creating document templates, writing guidelines for record maintenance and general administrative duties;
• Review of corporate governance law (primary and secondary legislation) and governance good practice.

Chancery advocates were tasked with obtaining listed stock exchange status for the Barbados Stock Exchange (BSE). I assisted with this in the following ways:

• Legislative review: Review of Financial Services Commission Act, 2010, Securities (CAP) Act, Securities (Amendment) Regulations, 2010.
• Document review of the BSE business plan & strategic roadmap of Barbados Stock Exchange, 2016-2020.
• Exposure to International Securities Market (ISM) & financial products (equities, debt securities, investment funds).
• Exposure to NDA’s and confidentiality agreements.
• Staying aware of industry best practices and impact of legal & regulatory changes for all product type agreements.
• Client coverage: Barbados, Caribbean, Canada & USA

Shadowing James Counsell QC in a clinical negligence trial; and:

• Legal Research (review of: PACE (1984), rules for judicial review and constitutional law)
• Creating a PowerPoint presentation on the English Legal System for Saudi nationals
• Assisting with background research on files: complete KYC/AML checks and ensure clients are regulated by the FCA
• Review guidelines for Insolvency Act 1986

• Following former partner & solicitor advocate (now Barrister), Anne-Marie Hutton, in Crown court and office duties (Bradford);
• Following senior partner (now circuit judge), Rachim Singh, in a Crown court trial (Leeds).

• Shadowed founding partner.
• Attended client meetings and made notes.
• Drafted a letter of instruction.

• providing commercial advice to small business and reviewing their legal matters:
  • Drafted an international distribution agreement between US & UK firm;
  • Currently drafting a partnership agreement between three UK based companies;
  • Review of international sales agreement for a luxury watch brand;
  • VAT advice for EU wide trade of luxury watch brand;
  • Completion and review of Trademark applications and transfers for three businesses;
  • Obtaining business rates relief for businesses.
  • Assisted in litigation: submission of counterclaim/defence/witness statement; compiled evidence bundle and acted as McKenzie friend in County Court for a debt claim.

• Assisting the CPPC in her campaign for the Luton North seat:
  • Oversaw hiring process for campaign team;
  • Advised on social media strategy;
  • Co-ordinating canvassing in constituency.

Approached and hired by Russian based partners to provide creative input on branding and launch of a new restaurant in Soho:

• worked with key stakeholders on an international scale to develop the plan and promote/optimise internal communications;
• developed a relevant market based research plan into hospitality trends based around London, UK and Russian-food;
• Planning & implementing a full marketing & PR strategy prior to launch and into first month post-opening;
• Managing press relationships through publications with PR agency oversight and brand partnerships.

• Running an events company
  • Managing all company activities – administrative, accounting, personnel & marketing;
  • Drafting, negotiating and reviewing contracts;
  • Event Planning & management for corporate/brand clients in a diverse array of industries (legal, tech, finance, film, etc).
  • Client relationship management;
  • Developing strategic partnerships and sponsors;
  • Managing all marketing and sales activities.

Managing brand matters with focus on creation of marketing and public relations strategies, including:

• Kitsch London (Mayfair)
• Divo (restaurant and bar, St James')
• Il Bottaccio (event space, Belgravia)
• No 5 Cavendish Square (Fitzrovia bar, restaurant and club)
• Molton House (Mayfair member's club)
• Vineria restaurant (Italian restaurant in St John's Wood)
• Kumo Knightsbridge (sushi bar)
• Alula Leisure (Match Bar, Oxford Circus)
• British Luxury Club (New Bond Street)
• Burgers on Broadway (Kilburn High Street)