Harender Branch Partner - Corporate and Employment

Harender is an experienced partner and head of the corporate department, having acted on corporate and commercial matters for over 20 years. Harender previously headed up the corporate team of the London office of a national firm, before joining us in 2012. Harender prides herself on long term client relationships and offering clear, user-friendly advice through her personable approach.

+44 (0) 20 7851 0109

hkb@branchaustinmccormick.com

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Harender has substantial experience in a broad range of commercial work, including M&A, MBOs, joint ventures, partnerships, corporate restructuring, insolvency and corporate finance. Much of Harender’s work has a cross-border/ multinational element, either in the European Union or further afield.

Harender also undertakes corporate advisory work and assists clients with general governance and compliance issues; her remit will often include assisting with shareholder agreements and other commercial contracts. Harender’s practice has also grown to include employment advice, particularly in relation to redundancy advice (for both employers and employees), as well as employment contracts and settlement agreements.

Harender’s client base comprises high net-worth individuals, entrepreneurs, professional partnerships and private and public companies. Many of the companies for which she acts are family-owned businesses and small to medium enterprises. Her clients are based in the UK and overseas, in a variety of sectors, including IT and telecommunications, energy, retail and healthcare, fashion, logistics, manufacturing, media, care homes, professional services and real estate.

Harender has been ranked as a leading lawyer in legal directories, where she was praised with providing “extremely good quality advice” and as being “professional and experienced”. Harender has acted for many of her clients for well over 15 years; the majority of her work comes from client referrals and other long standing professional relationships.

Harender studied LLB (Hons) English Law and French Law at the University of Manchester, before passing the Legal Practice Course at the College of Law in London with a commendation. She qualified as a solicitor in 1999.

Out of the office, Harender enjoys travelling and planning the next family holiday (ideally in the sun), as well as learning languages, fitness boot camps and theatre.

Expertise

  • Career Highlights
    • The sale of Connexus Networks, a managed IT services and communications business, to Windsor Telecom Limited.
    • The sale of Glemnet, a leading provider of Unified Communications, cloud, and mobile solutions.
    • The sale of 60% of the shares in the UK holding company of a rail logistics company to a subsidiary of the Chinese company China Cosco Shipping Limited. The rail company operates primarily in Greece, North Macedonia, Serbia and Bulgaria.
    • Acting for an AIM-listed telecommunications company in relation to its acquisition of a mobile telecommunications specialist.
    • Assisting with the establishment of the Business Club Luxembourg – United Kingdom on behalf of the UK Embassy of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce.
    • The acquisition of the entire issued share capital of a leading online cosmetics and fragrance company.
    • The sale of the entire issued share capital of a specialist seating manufacturer.
    • Acting for various high net worth FORBES List clients in relation to general commercial advice, including shareholders’ agreements and option arrangements.
    • Acting for PR/ brand management clients in the UK and EU relation to various issues, including minority share sales, management buy-outs and restructuring, with varying deal values from under £1million to over £10million.
    • Drafting documentation in relation to a fractional ownership scheme for a luxury development in the Algarve, Portugal.
    • Acting on the sale and purchase of commercial property holding companies specialising in hotels, student accommodation, shopping centres and hotels.
    • Acting on the sale of a majority stake in a Russian bank.
    • Lead adviser for a FTSE listed publishing and education company in relation to its internal restructuring involving a transaction value in excess of £300million.