Neil Taylor -- Profile
Direct: +27 (0)12-346-8035
Cell: +27 (0)79-369-2456
Email: Email me
vCard: vCard download
Nationality:
South African
Post Qualification Experience:
24 years
Academic Qualifications:
B. Soc. Sci. (Economics) -- University of Cape Town (1993)
LLB -- University of Cape Town (1996)
Admissions:
Admitted as an attorney in South Africa (1999)
Admitted as a solicitor in England and Wales (2001)
Involvement:
Law Society of the Northern Provinces -- Member
Law Society of England and Wales -- Non-practicing roll
Corporate Lawyers' Association of South Africa (CLASA) -- Member
National Small Business Chamber (NSBC) -- Member
Business Network International, Tshwane Region (BNI) -- Former Ambassador
Business Network International, Dynamics Chapter (BNI) -- Former Leadership Team & Growth Co-ordinator
Business Network International, Dynamics Chapter (BNI) -- Former Member
Overview:
Neil completed his articles at Deneys Reitz Inc. (now part of the Norton Rose Fulbright Group), one of the "Big Five" South African law firms and was thereafter appointed as a Professional Assistant at that firm. He was subsequently seconded to Slaughter and May, a Magic Circle law firm based in London, where he practised as an overseas-qualified lawyer. After completing the Qualified Lawyers' Transfer Test (QLTT) and being admitted as a solicitor in England & Wales, he proceeded to practise as a solicitor in the United Kingdom and thereafter worked as a senior in-house counsel for two large European hedge fund managers.
Neil and his young family returned to the country of his birth in late 2009 after having been based in the United Kingdom for more than 11 years. Shortly after his return to South Africa, he joined Adams & Adams, the largest IP law firm in the Southern Hemisphere, as a partner. He practised in the Corporate and Commercial Department of that firm and was also the partner in charge of the Companies Section, with a team of five people reporting to him, until his departure in mid-2013 when he decided to establish Taylor Attorneys.
Practise Areas:
Neil's focus is on domestic and international corporate and cross-border transactions, commercial and company law-related matters as well as non-contentious employment law.
He regularly advises successful, established companies, growing businesses (including SMME's), family offices and entrepreneurs operating in a variety of sectors including the technology, telecommunications, financial services, tourism, marketing, manufacturing, engineering, construction, health-care, education and veterinary sectors, in relation to domestic and cross-border transactions, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, company law and shareholder rights and e-commerce, as well as in relation to non-contentious employment law and investment funds and alternatives.
His specific areas of specialisation and experience include:
Cell: +27 (0)79-369-2456
Email: Email me
vCard: vCard download
Nationality:
South African
Post Qualification Experience:
24 years
Academic Qualifications:
B. Soc. Sci. (Economics) -- University of Cape Town (1993)
LLB -- University of Cape Town (1996)
Admissions:
Admitted as an attorney in South Africa (1999)
Admitted as a solicitor in England and Wales (2001)
Involvement:
Law Society of the Northern Provinces -- Member
Law Society of England and Wales -- Non-practicing roll
Corporate Lawyers' Association of South Africa (CLASA) -- Member
National Small Business Chamber (NSBC) -- Member
Business Network International, Tshwane Region (BNI) -- Former Ambassador
Business Network International, Dynamics Chapter (BNI) -- Former Leadership Team & Growth Co-ordinator
Business Network International, Dynamics Chapter (BNI) -- Former Member
Overview:
Neil completed his articles at Deneys Reitz Inc. (now part of the Norton Rose Fulbright Group), one of the "Big Five" South African law firms and was thereafter appointed as a Professional Assistant at that firm. He was subsequently seconded to Slaughter and May, a Magic Circle law firm based in London, where he practised as an overseas-qualified lawyer. After completing the Qualified Lawyers' Transfer Test (QLTT) and being admitted as a solicitor in England & Wales, he proceeded to practise as a solicitor in the United Kingdom and thereafter worked as a senior in-house counsel for two large European hedge fund managers.
Neil and his young family returned to the country of his birth in late 2009 after having been based in the United Kingdom for more than 11 years. Shortly after his return to South Africa, he joined Adams & Adams, the largest IP law firm in the Southern Hemisphere, as a partner. He practised in the Corporate and Commercial Department of that firm and was also the partner in charge of the Companies Section, with a team of five people reporting to him, until his departure in mid-2013 when he decided to establish Taylor Attorneys.
Practise Areas:
Neil's focus is on domestic and international corporate and cross-border transactions, commercial and company law-related matters as well as non-contentious employment law.
He regularly advises successful, established companies, growing businesses (including SMME's), family offices and entrepreneurs operating in a variety of sectors including the technology, telecommunications, financial services, tourism, marketing, manufacturing, engineering, construction, health-care, education and veterinary sectors, in relation to domestic and cross-border transactions, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, company law and shareholder rights and e-commerce, as well as in relation to non-contentious employment law and investment funds and alternatives.
His specific areas of specialisation and experience include:
- providing advice and input on the South African law and/or English law aspects of global re-organisations, re-structurings, acquisitions and disposals and drafting and/or reviewing all agreements in relation to these transactions;
- undertaking the necessary due diligence investigations on target companies or companies in which clients plan to take an equity stake or to lend money and preparing comprehensive due diligence reports;
- advising on and drafting shareholder agreements and providing strategic advice in relation to shareholder rights and the duties and responsibilities of directors and officers;
- providing advice and input in relation to the purchase or sale of shares, the purchase or sale of businesses as going concerns or the purchase or sale of assets;
- advising on and drafting supply, distribution, manufacturing and service level agreements for clients operating in a number of different sectors;
- advising clients in relation to the best legal structure to be utilised when establishing a presence in South Africa or elsewhere within Africa and, where relevant, other legal, exchange control and tax consequences thereof;
- providing strategic advice on and drafting a variety of day-to-day commercial and IT agreements;
- advising on the impact of inter alia the South African Companies Act 2008, the Protection of Personal Information Act 2013, the Consumer Protection Act 2008 and National Credit Act 2005;
- preparing legal opinions and advice for clients on a variety of topics;
- providing guidance on and drafting employment contracts and dealing with other employment-related issues (such as non-compete and non-solicitation provisions);
- establishing Cayman Island, Luxembourg and Irish off-shore and US onshore hedge funds and other investment vehicles;
- negotiating investment management agreements for segregated managed accounts;
- overseeing the legal side of sales and distribution activities; and
- negotiating a wide variety of trading, broker and counterparty documentation including ISDA’s, GMRA’s, MRA’s and the like.
