Ray B. Smyth practices in the areas of mergers, acquisitions and disposals; flotations (IPOs); fund raisings; corporate restructuring; EU and UK competition law; distribution, agency, licensing, franchising and joint-ventures; executive/employee incentive schemes; and general business, commercial and contract law. Mr. Smyth is a graduate of Kingston University, Surrey.

Areas of Practice

• Mergers and Acquisitions
• IPOs (flotations)
• Commercial Finance
• Venture Capital Financing
• Corporate and Business Law
• Commercial Agreements

Representative Matters

• Acting for a UK corporation carrying on business as an aluminium stockholder, processor, distributor and supplier to the aerospace industry on its initial public offering and admission to the London Stock Exchange's junior market, its subsequent graduation to the Official List of the UK Listing Authority, and in relation to a number of merger and acquisition transactions and fundraisings subsequent to the IPO.
• Acting for a UK corporation carrying on business in direct marketing and list broking on its initial public offering and admission to the London Stock Exchange's junior market; its subsequent graduation to the Official List of the UK Listing Authority; in relation to its five subsequent business/corporate acquisitions made for cash and/or securities; in relation to a recommended tender/takeover offer for the company and the subsequent delisting of its securities; and in a programme of divestment of non-core businesses following the going-private transaction.
• Represented a company carrying on manned-guarding, investigatory, security, audit and stocktaking services in its initial public offering and admission to the Official list of the UK Listing Authority; in relation to eight subsequent business/corporate acquisitions made for cash and/or securities; and in a recommended tender/takeover offer for the company and subsequent de-listing of its securities.
• Acting for the UK's largest independent distributor of children's toys and games in relation to its initial public offering and admission to the Official List of the UK Listing Authority; its subsequent migration to the AIM of the London Stock Exchange; and in relation to seven merger and acquisition transactions, fundraisings, share buy-backs and other transactions subsequent to the IPO.
• Acting for a UK corporation carrying on business as a software developer of specialist treasury and risk-management software for the banking and large-corporation market in connection with its initial public offering and admission to the AIM, and in relation to a number of subsequent refinancings and transactions.
• Acting for a UK corporation carrying on business as a supplier of investigatory, security, audit and stocktaking services in connection with its IPO and admission to AIM
• Acting for a UK corporation carrying on business as a soccer club/player agent and manager in connection with fundraising by way of the issue of Guaranteed Floating Rate Convertible Euro Bonds to raise €8 million.
• Acting for a UK corporation carrying on business as a producer of children's animation TV programmes, publisher, DVD distributor and intellectual property rights developer in connection with its initial public offering and admission to the AIM.
• Acting for a U.S. corporation carrying on business in Israel as the developer of a new form of protein-therapy delivery in connection with its initial public offering and admission to AIM.
• Acting on various rights issues, open offers, restructurings, debt-for-equity swaps and de-mergers for fully listed AIM and private-company clients.
• Acting for UK-incorporated companies acquiring their own shares, both private and public limited companies.
• Represented an English Premiership soccer club in connection with its reverse into a cash shell company listed on the Official List of the UK Listing Authority.
• Acting for a UK listed company (the UK's largest independent distributor of children's toys and games) in connection with its successful acquisition of six businesses/companies made for cash and/or securities.
• Acting for various companies and private shareholders with regard to acquisition and disposal programmes of companies and businesses.
• Represented a UK-based manufacturer of baby-care products and rubber floor mats for cars in the restructuring of the client's business and operations prior to the sale of its car-product companies to Charterhouse Development Capital in a transaction valued at approximately £300 million. The restructuring involved the spin-off of the floor-mat-manufacturing business from the businesses focusing on baby care and feeding.
• Acting for non-executive directors of an AIM-listed company in difficulties in relation to reorganisation of the board and operations of the company.
• Acting for a faction of shareholders in dispute with others, leading to de-merger of a substantial privately owned, London-based Italian restaurant group with more than 20 restaurant interests.
• Acting for a UK-listed company in relation to a dispute with a global California-based media company over the terms of a license agreement, resulting in a substantial settlement.
• Provide issue-resolution advice and negotiation services in relation to various commercial contracts and relationships.
• Developed global brand-licensing programme for a well-known digital camera brand.
• Developed global brand-licensing programme for a current leading toy brand.
• Acting and advising football/soccer clubs, players and agents in relation to player transfers, management contracts and financing arrangements
• Establishing international distribution and agency networks for clients for a variety of goods, including digital cameras and baby-feeding products
• Advising on EU competition and agency law.
• Structuring, establishing and managing employee share/stock-option schemes for a variety of UK corporations.
• Film production finance and related contracts for a number of UK film projects.

Admissions

• England and Wales

Education

• Kingston University, Surrey, England, B.A. (Hons), 1980

Other Experience

• Duane Morris
  - Partner, 2003-present
• Gold Mann & Co., London, England
  - Partner, 1988-2003
  - Assistant Solicitor, 1986-1988
• Jacobsens, London, England
  - Solicitor, 1981-1985

Professional Activities

• Law Society of England and Wales