Robert Postlethwaite
Phone: 020 7470 8805

Robert is a share plan specialist with particular expertise in:

  • helping private  and smaller listed companies find the right share plan to match their needs, then looking after all aspects of legal implementation
  • arranging ownership succession through transfers of ownership to employee trusts
  • putting in place all-employee share ownership plans
  • ownership models for the delivery of public services through employee-led mutual companies
  • communication - ensuring that both companies and participants understand how their share plan works
  • agreeing share valuations with HM Revenue and Customs.

Robert is a member of the Employment Lawyers Association, the Share Plan Lawyers Group and the Share Plan Committee of the Quoted Companies Alliance.  A graduate in law from the University of Bristol, Robert was a partner in a national firm of corporate lawyers before founding Postlethwaite in 2003.
 
He is described as a Leader in his field in the 2012 Edition of Chambers Guide to the Legal Profession.

David Reuben
Phone: 020 7470 8805

David is an experienced share scheme lawyer.  His main areas of expertise are:

  • advising all types of company on management incentives, ranging from cash bonus plans to more bespoke tax-efficient schemes where more conventional solutions may not be appropriate
  • on takeovers and refinancing, helping management and vendor shareholders ensure that their tax liabilities are minimised
  • where employment is being terminated, helping employers and/or employees minimise their tax liabilities
  • advising non-UK companies on creating share incentives for their UK employees
  • advising UK companies on extending their share plans overseas
  • ensuring that any merger, acquisition or company reorganisation in which a company may become involved  is structured to be compatible with the terms of its employee share plans
  • listing rules and takeover code
  • advice on uses of employee trusts and their tax treatment.

David is a member of the Share Plan Lawyers Group.  David has an LLB in law with German from King's College, London. He was an employee benefits partner at an international law firm in the City for many years, before moving to Postlethwaite in February 2010.

Judith Harris
Phone: 020 7470 8805

Judith looks after a number of our clients needing advice on commercial law, and in addition to employee share schemes she also advises on employment and entertainment law.
 
Judith’s particular expertise includes:

  • helping companies design and implement new share option plans and other share plans
  • guidance on plan communication to employees and companies
  • liaison with HM Revenue and Customs
  • share Plan Annual Returns
  • commercial contracts
  • employment contracts

A graduate in law from the University of Manchester, Judith qualified as a solicitor in 1990 and worked for a number of years in the area of general company and commercial law, particularly for clients in the entertainment industry.

Stephen Chater
Phone: 020 7470 8805

Stephen is widely respected in the area of employee share plans and consistently ranked as a leading lawyer in this area. His special interests include:

  • acting for UK public and private companies and non-UK companies on the  design and implementation of new employee share plans for selected or all employees
  • advising on share plan issues arising in connection with takeovers and acquisitions, initial public offerings (IPOs), privatisations, management buy-outs and business sales
  • how employee trusts may be used to help operate employee share plans
  • how healthcare trusts may be used.

Stephen is a member of the editorial panel of the PLC Share Schemes & Incentives service and sits on the Quoted Companies Alliance Share Schemes Committee and the Share Plan Lawyers Training Committee.  A graduate in Modern History from Oxford University, Stephen was previously a partner in Addleshaw Goddard and prior to that he was a partner for many years in Allen and Overy. 
 
Stephen is described as a Leader in his field in the 2012 Edition of Chambers Guide to the Legal Profession.

Charlotte Watts
Phone: 020 7470 8805

A graduate in English from the University of Lancaster and holder of the Graduate Diploma in Law from the College of Law, Charlotte combines working as our Office Manager with her professional legal studies.

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