David Wisbey

I am Chairman of Birkett Long and a member of the Commercial & Corporate Finance team, which I joined after more than 13 years working in the City of London. I trained with the City firm, Stephenson Harwood, spending 4 years in Hong Kong with that firm, and more than 7 years with the City office of the National firm, Eversheds.

I advise investors and businesses on corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions and commercial law, locally, nationally and internationally, as well as advising lenders and borrowers on secured and unsecured lending.
In addition to my legal practice, I am a member of the Company Law Committee of the Law Society and Chairman of its working party on Corporate Governance and Shareholder Rights. I have written and spoken frequently about the implementation of the Companies Act 2006 and was a member of the working party of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators that produced guidance on the implementation of Part 13 of that Act.

I have particular experience of the health, automotive and technology sectors. International transactions have included advising a UK plc on the purchase of a company in Switzerland and a UK company on the sale of its German business, and advising on joint ventures in Singapore, Russia and Spain. I advise banks on a wide variety of matters, including acquisition finance, and borrowers when taking out, renewing or amending bank facilities.

At Birkett Long I have advised a major UK listed company in the healthcare sector on the funding for projects for the construction and operation of treatment centres. I advise clients locally and nationally on transactions in a variety of health related sectors but with a particular specialism in residential care.

I have, for more than 20 years, advised an international car component and sub-system manufacturer (headquartered in France) on all its UK corporate activity and have advised them on business purchases and sales and contracts and contractual disputes. I also have experience of the retail market, having advised on the purchase and sale of car dealerships.

I have many years experience of assisting technology based companies, from “start ups” to public companies, on their corporate and commercial legal needs, including advising on business purchases and sales and contracts and contractual disputes. I advise on the terms for private equity or venture capital investment and have advised both companies and investors on investment agreements and funding and security documents.