CCoollcchheesstteerrHeadgate Court Head Street, Colchester Essex CO1 1NPTelephone: +44 (0)1206 764477

DDoovveerrccoouurrtt45 Kingsway Dovercourt, Harwich Essex CO12 3JUTelephone: +44 (0) 1255 502428

FFrriinnttoonn143 Connaught AvenueFrinton on Sea Essex CO13 9ABTelephone: +44 (0) 1255 851000

Looking Back on 2006

EllisonsSOLICITORS

www.ellisonslegal.com

Client News

Local Colchester business - AgencyUnderwriting Limited (AUL) –was acquired byTowergate Partnership as an addition to itsUnderwriting Division but continues to operatefrom Colchester in Towergate’s prestigiousnew offices at the Octagon Centre under thecontinued management of Richard Lamberthand his team of 50 staff.

Long term advisers to AUL, Ellisons Solicitors, acted for the threeshareholders of AUL Holdings Limited on the deal which wascompleted in November for the entire issued share capital.

Ellisons Corporate Partner Sally Hudson led the Ellisons legalteam which involved Property Partner Kevin Wilsher andEmployment specialist Jayne Scott.

It’s a Family Affair!Client Profile: Mersea Homes

Mersea Homes, a third generation family-run business is entering its 60th year.Stuart, Trevor and Darren Cock arerunning a business founded by Stuart's andDarren's grandfather and the family hashigh hopes for a fourth generation of thebusiness to come. Stuart recognises themany benefits of keeping things in thefamily and there is a great sense of pride inholding the business for the nextgeneration. It is not always easy and theyall recognise that planning for thetransition between one generation and thenext is a big challenge, but this is onefamily business which proves it can be done

Stuart can't remember a time that Ellisonswas not advising them. This relationship istypical of the company's approach. Oncethey find someone who does the jobproperly, they are in for the long-term.This applies equally to employees andmuch of the reason for remainingregionally focussed is that the companyprefers to use local tradesmen who theyknow and trust rather than expanding andlosing control over a quality which is hardto match.

Concentrating on sites in East Anglia andbeing a family-run developer has itsadvantages as Stuart explains: “We like tothink our company structure enables us totake the lead on issues such as customerservice, quality control and effective localplanning and land strategies.”

This commitment to remain a quality ledcompany dedicated to stability, organicgrowth, local focus and client and

employee satisfaction is of course furtherinspired by the promise of a fourthgeneration of the family to take up thereins. And the challenge for Ellisons - to beequally driven to grow its own talent andplan for generational transitions.

Mersea Homes projects current at thebeginning of 2007 include: WellhouseGreen, West Mersea and The Grove atGreat Horkesley.

AUL – AcquiredSally commented on the deal as follows:

“This is exactly the type of deal that Ellisons is well suited to. We have enjoyed a long-term relationship with AUL and when itcame to this important milestone in terms of the shareholders’ businessstrategy, we were able to provide the full range of legal advice neededto meet their objectives. By working closely with two localaccountants, we were able to field a truly local team of experts.”

AUL controls £24m GWP, with a strong track record inunderwriting buy-to-let, specialist property owners, and nichetravel business. Towergate Underwriting, a part of TowergatePartnership, is one of the UK’s leading providers of specialistinsurance products

Where would any firm be without clients? This section features a selection of Ellisons clients and the work it hascarried out for them in the last year. This is by no means comprehensive or indeed fully representative as a greatdeal of the work Ellisons do is confidential or of such a commercially or personally sensitive nature that it would notbe appropriate to put in print.

Sally Hudson

As Colchester United Football Club’spopular manager Phil Parkinson resignedand competitor league club Hull City poisedto poach, the Directors and Management ofthe Club took the bold step of seeking aHigh Court injunction to ensure that allparties adhered to the correct protocol ofterminating the manager’s contract, whichstill had almost a year to run,

Advised by local Ellisons partner GraemeWallington and Devereux Chambers, theclub gained a temporary injunction on the23rd June, clearly showing both Hull andtheir valued manager that they were seriousand were prepared to fight for what was bestfor the club and its future.

Happily after almost a further week ofnegotiation a sum of in the region of£400,000 compensation, plus the recoveryof legal costs, was agreed.

We believe this was the first injunction ofthis kind in the football sector.

September 2006, Corporate Head SeamusClifford acted for the Club’s chairman, PeterHeard, in his sale of his controlling interestto local businessman, Robbie Cowling, foran undisclosed sum.

Heard - who had owned the newlypromoted club for nine years - and thecurrent board of directors stayed on, atCowling’s request.

As his car dealership businessapproached its 25th anniversary,local businessman GerryWiggins acquired two new cardealership garages for hisportfolio making the currentnumber of Underwoods brandedsites seven, with elevenfranchises in total sellingVauxhall, Peugeot, Ford, Mazda,Skoda and Renault cars

This latest expansion involvedtwo site acquisitions from the

East of England Co-operativeSociety. The first, a further outletin Colchester, formerly theSterling Garage in WimpoleRoad, operates as a Peugeotdealership. The second, anotherSterling Garage in Cornard Road,Sudbury represents Gerry’s firstforay out of Essex and intoSuffolk.

Advising Gerry Wiggins on both these deals was PartnerKevin Wilsher.

Over the Summer 2006,Robert Jones and his teamwere informed by QBEEuropean Operations(QBE EO) that it wasconducting a review of itsuse of solicitors. Ellisonshad a long relationshipwith Ensign, one of the

Firm’s principle PI clients and which is nowpart of QBE. The Firm was invited to tenderfor motor claims-related work in order tocontinue to work for Ensign. Ellisons’ tenderwas successful and team leader Robert Joneshas now expanded his team to deal with theadditional work awarded as a result of thesuccessful tender process.

The Firm has acted for Essex WildlifeTrust, the largest conservation charityin the county, for over ten years.Recent work for this importantcharity includes senior Partner BrynSmart advising on the legal aspects ofthe transfer of the Nature Reserve atWrabness to the Trust, which tookplace in September 2006. The 52 acre Nature Reserve has afascinating history. It was a formermine depot established in 1921 bythe Ministry of Defence and closed in

1963, and a site of numerous planning applications (including an application fora prison in 1968 and 1989), until it was saved from development and bought byWrabness Nature Reserve Charitable Trust in 1992. Ellisons Solicitors is also happy to be Corporate Members of Essex Wildlife Trust.

Onside with Colchester United

Wild about Essex Tender Moment

Deal or no deal?

Gerry Wiggins (left) and Kevin Wilsher)

Robert Jones

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Ellisons in the Community

December and the Colchester Moot Hall at the Town Hall wasonce again the venue for the glittering Colchester YouthAwards. For the second year running Ellisons Solicitors wasproud to be sponsors of the Arts award which was won bytalented Natasha Rickman.

Central to Natasha’s nomination is the incredible achievement,for someone still at school, to have written and directed a play“Saving Camelot” which was staged at the Mercury to sell outperformances. Described by her nominator as “extremelymodest”, the judges felt that Natasha deserved greaterrecognition for proving to other young people that you can aimhigh and succeed. Her story is one of talent but also of steadydetermination and the ability to inspire others to achievefantastic results. Ellisons partner Seamus Clifford was at theceremony to present Natasha with her prize.

The Colchester Youth Awards were created to celebrate theachievements of young people across the Borough and there areeleven separate categories: Youth Service, EducationalAchievement, Carer, Sports Development, Citizenship,Volunteer, Community Improvement, Health, Enterprise,Personal Journey and of course Arts.

Ellisons has a wonderfully prominent position on the Town’sbusy Head Street and is happy to use its front windows toreflect community projects in which it is involved. A long termCorporate Community member of The Mercury, Ellisons isparticularly pleased to work with the theatre to promote itsproductions. This is particularly true at Christmas time whenEllisons design posters with The Mercury to promote theannual pantomime and at the same time provide a fun,festive window display to be enjoyed by passers by andvisitors to the office. The 2006 Jack & The Beanstalkrepresented the third year of panto fun for Ellisons and it wasparticularly welcome in light of the “difficulties” surroundingthe town’s Christmas decorations!

The Firm has long supportedthe local university – notsurprising really in that somany of its lawyers are alumni.

This academic year (2006/7)Ellisons is lending its supportboth financially andintellectually to the Mootingteam. In a moot, two pairs of‘advocates’ argue a fictitiouslegal appeal case in front of a‘judge’. To win, you do notnecessarily have to win the legalcase, but must make the bestpresentation of your legalarguments.

The sponsorship money willprimarily be used to support theUniversity mooting teams

compete in the three majormooting competitions: ESUEssex Court Chambers,Midlands and OxfordUniversity Press. But the Firm isalso putting its mouth where itsmoney is, in that PartnerGraeme Wallington was pleasedto be asked to be the Judge forthe first round of the ESU EssexCourt Chambers NationalMooting Competition –onWednesday 29th November2006. Sadly for hosts Essex, BenSimmons and Troy Anthony-Thomas were narrowly beatenby visitors Emma Harling-Phillips and Shazana Mokhtar,representing the London Schoolof Economics (LSE)

The Young Ones

Essex University – A Moot point!

we’re behind you!The Mercury Theatre

Touch Down – Down Under for 1st XV BraidwoodThe 20 year old from Colchester is pursuing an opportunity of a lifetime when he gave uphis place on the Colchester squad and his job as a heating engineer, to follow his dream tomake it as a Rugby professional by heading for New Zealand and a new team in Napier,Hawkes Bay. The Kiwi adventure is the result of a friendship formed with former teammate Shane Manning who played for Colchester for two years before returning home toNew Zealand. Braidwood jumped at the opportunity to improve his rugby skills andenjoy an antipodean lifestyle when Manning proposed a return match down under. Thedecision was made even easier when 1st XV sponsors Ellisons Solicitors donated fivehundred pounds to help the talented youngster on his way.

Mark Braidwood was very grateful for the financial support: “It is not just the moneyalthough I admit that does of course help. But knowing that a firm like Ellisons believes I have potential and is prepared to put its name and money to help me achieve myobjectives, really gives me confidence.”

Photo: Colchester Rugby Club 1st XV wearing kit with sponsors’ logos; Mark Braidwood takes a tackle centre. With thanks to Andrew Sarek for the photo

Colchester Rugby Club 1st XVplayer Mark Braidwood set off for New Zealand in January 2007 with

a little help from Ellisons

Ellisons – sponsors of ColchesterRugby Club 1st XV

Anyone for tennis?Soon to follow were main sponsors TotalGreek Yoghurt and other joint sponsorsHatfields, Nicholas Anthony, WheelerCellars, Lavenham Press, MerlinSwimming Pools & Spas and the EssexChamber of Commerce. Ellisons localFrinton Partner Nicky Coates explainedwhy the firm was so happy to besponsors: “We were delighted to supportthe Tennis Club this season not only withthe Pro-Celebrity Challenge but also assponsors of a Junior Tournament cuplater in the season. We liked the idea ofbeing one of the founding sponsors forthe launch of Frinton’s first pro-celebrityevent and have been impressed by theTennis Club’s energy in terms of raisingthe game for Frinton and attractinggreater prize money from The Lawn

Tennis Association in the LTA Satelliteevent later in the summer.” ComedianBobby Davro acted as Master ofCeremonies as some of Britain’s keenestcelebrity tennis players including - MikeRead (award-winning DJ and presenter);Rudolph Walker (actor - Patrick Truemanin EastEnders); Jona Lewie (chart-toppingpopster best known for his Christmas hitStop The Cavalry); Sam Kane (actor –made his name as hairdresser Peter Phelanin Brookside);James Max (The Apprenticesemi-finalist/TalkSPORT presenter) andothers fought it out for a newlycommissioned silver trophy. The “round-robin” style event was won by Jona Lewiepartnered by Frinton Professional ChrisHarris in the final against Mike Read andRudolf Walker

Mike Read joins Nicky Coates, Jayne Scott, Judith Winward and guests for tennis.

Frinton Tennis Club and Big L radio 1395 welcomed an array of stars to play in

the club’s first Pro-CelebrityTournament on Friday 23 June.

As Ellisons has a strongpresence in this Essex seasidetown, the Firm was happy to bethe first to sign up as sponsors

for this new event

Arachne, the networking forum aimed atwomen in business in the region andformed by Ellisons Solicitors, is nowover two years old and membership isgrowing all the time. Halloween wascelebrated in spectacular style thanks toDawn Dorrell our resident Tarot readerwho organised the spiritual side of theevening with Simon Bacon, the psychicmedium enthralling the Arachneaudience with his very impressivedemonstration of stand up mediumship.Meanwhile others were able to consult ahealer, have their tarot cards read or justnetwork with the rest of the guests overa glass of wine. The Firm's charity forthe year, The Balkerne Gardens Trust,benefited from a fundraising tombolaand Arachne would like to thank all thekind donors who gave prizes andensured a very generous sum of moneywas raised for this good cause.

Nobody in Colchester will dispute that itwas a great year for the local footballteam. Premier Partners Ellisons threw inits support with sponsoring not one buttwo of the games which the U’s played intheir FA cup journey, including the cliffhanger at Chelsea.

But as Ellisons partner and Director ofColchester United FC, Peter Powell ispleased to point out, Colchester Unitedwas not the only football team to have amemorable year. “Ellisons Solicitors hassupported two local teams this year.

The Firm sponsored two of the U’smatches but we also continued to providethe kit for Lexden Saints, whosegoalkeeper’s mother is one of our staff.Both teams have had a memorable yearand have done us proud”

Ellisons’ “other” team Lexden Saints(Under 13s) won the Colchester andDistrict Youth League (under 13s) for thefifth year running and Jamie Le Page, themanager for the past six years is proud ofhis squad. He also appreciates thecontinued backing of Ellisons Solicitors:

“It means a lot to the team to have thissponsorship and know that the businesscommunity supports the game.”

The Firm certainly has gone “footballcrazy” and have decided to add anotheramateur team to its premiership.Wormingford Wanderers is the latestteam to sport the Ellisons logo. MatthewBarber who is a member of the Firm’sAdministration team was very persuasivein ensuring his squad, which has won theAcorn Memorial Cup three times in arow, had a fresh kit for the new season.

Ellisons Solicitors is involved in and supports a number of other community initiatives: AFC Sudbury, COLBEA, Colchester 2020,Colchester Choral Society, Colchester Town Partnership, Colchester United Premier Partners, Essex Wildlife Trust, firstsite, HarwichSea Festival and more.... Individual members of the Firm are even further involved in local charities and community projects on apersonal level. However, we hope that the initiatives and events highlighted in these pages give a flavour of how Ellisons take itsrole in the local community very seriously indeed.

Football Crazy!

Wormingford Wanderers Lexden Saints (Under 13s)

Trick or Treat?

2007 started with awelcome to TomMcPhie who joinsEllisons afterspending nearly tenyears in the LegalServicesDepartment at

Colchester Borough Council. Tom, whohas lived in Colchester all his life, decidedon law as a career relatively late in lifewhen at the age of 30 he enrolled at EssexUniversity. After graduating with a lawdegree, he started a training contract with

Seamus Clifford, rejoinedEllisons Solicitors afterspending six years in theCorporate department of aLondon law firm. Seamus,who trained and qualifiedwith Ellisons, now heads

up the Corporate Commercial team,advising on a wide range of corporatematters including mergers and acquisitions,joint ventures, shareholder arrangementsand corporate re-organisations. Seamus haslived in the Colchester area since he was ayoung boy. He is married to a local barristerand they have one daughter. A keensportsman, he has played rugby for Mersea,Sudbury and Colchester teams and is amember of the West Mersea Yacht Cluband Colchester Rugby Club

2006 was off to a good start with three of the Firm’ssenior lawyers being promoted to the new position of“Associate”. Each of the three specialises in keypractice areas. Jayne Scott (pictured left) is pivotal tothe Firm’s Employment Law Department and hasdeveloped a strong reputation among both local andLondon based clients. She advises on all aspects ofthe fast moving area of employment law and alsorepresents clients at Employment Tribunal. Caroline

Price (on the right of the photo) has over 16 years experience in Family Law. She deals withall aspects of matrimonial law including divorce and negotiations in respect of financialarrangements. Caroline also advises on cohabitee disputes, separation issues and mattersconcerning children including residence and contact. The third, Sally Hudson (centre), wassubsequently promoted to partner in May. Sally specialises in all aspects of corporate andcommercial work including issues relating to sole traders, partnerships and companies,from setting up in business to providing on-going advice and support. She also advises oncorporate transactions including acquisitions and disposals and management buy-outs.

Philip Roberts completedhis training period at theFirm in September and isnow part of theCommercial Propertyteam led by partners Bryn

Smart, Peter Powell, Guy Longhurst andKevin Wilsher.

Ellisons solicitor Judith Winward wasgranted a Notarial Faculty by theArchbishop of Canterbury, making her aNotary Public. Judith joins an ancientprofession, which is essentially a thirdbranch of the law (solicitors, barristers,notaries) whose authority to practise isgiven by the Lord Archbishop ofCanterbury, through the Court of Faculties(ecclesiastical court). There are only threeNotaries in Colchester and Ellisons SeniorPartner Bryn Smart is not only one of theother two but with almost 20 years ofpractice he is also the longest qualified.

The key point of differentiation for any law firm is its people. As a service based business, Ellisons appreciatesthat it is only as good as the people it employs. And in the last twelve months there was plenty to celebrate interms of new joiners, returners and promotions!

People

the Borough Council and has been avalued member of the Council’s legal teamuntil joining Ellisons. The formerBorough Principal Solicitor specialises inadvising on planning matters bothcontentious and non-contentious and hisskills extend from general advice anddrafting planning agreements toprosecution work. During his time at theCouncil, Tom has been involved in manylocal planning initiatives includingadvising on the Hythe regeneration area aswell as many of the more recentColchester renaissance projects.

Tom is Planning for Ellisons Future

Take Three Girls

Welcome back Seamus

Hot Property

And then take four more…Girl Power at Ellisons seems destined to continuewith the Firm’s Trainee Solicitors. In July MarshaRobinson literally started her new job running,when within two weeks of being at Ellisons Marshasported her new Firm’s logo in return forsponsorship and ran the Race for Life in 36 minutesin aid of Cancer Research. Ceri Rogers is in herfinal year of her training contract trying to decidebetween a career in Litigation or Corporate. She isan active member of the Suffolk and North Essex

Trainee Solicitors' Group and one of the organisers of the annual Summer Ball which washeld last year at Le Talbooth in Dedham. Victoria Barclay joined the Firm in Novemberand finally Kirsty Panton joined in January 2007 to make four..

Take Note

In 2006, the Firm was also happy to welcome Brenda Meredith, Jo Morgan,Barbara Macklin, Susan Ashman, Trudi Ross, Matthew Barber, Vicky Lowden, JamesFrench, Catherine Sandles, Mary Hanmer, Hollie Buck, Clare Parkins, Chris Barber-Riley and Catherine Leonard.

L to R: Ceri Rogers, Victoria Barclay, Kirsty Panton and Marsha Robinson