Neil Jones

BPharm (Hons), Dip. Law, Solicitor, Director

Joint Head of Corporate &
Commercial, Compliance Officer for Legal Practice (COLP)

Corporate Transactions & Banking

M&A, disposals, MBOs/MBIs and investment deals, with clear, bank-ready documentation for refinances, acquisition finance and security packages.

Healthcare: Pharmacies & Care Home

Former pharmacist with deep sector insight. Acts for independents, groups and PE-backed platforms on sales, purchases, re-financing and reorgs.

Succession & Ownership Planning

Pragmatic strategies for owner-managers: succession and exit planning, Family Investment Companies, governance and shareholder protections.

Practice areas

Neil is Joint Head of Corporate & Commercial and COLP at Ansons. He advises owner-managers, investors and boards on M&A, investment and exit strategies, group reorganisations and governance.

A former pharmacist, Neil has a long track record in the healthcare sector, particularly pharmacy and care homes—and regularly advises on banking and refinancing matters.

His work also covers business succession planning and the use of Family Investment Companies to support inter-generational wealth and control.

Key Specialisms

Neil focuses on deal execution and the legal architecture that keeps companies running, aligning documentation with real-world commercial goals.

Email Neil

Mergers & acquisitions; company and business sales

Group reorganisations and restructures

Shareholder agreements and corporate governance

Joint ventures and strategic partnerships; partnership and LLP matters

Commercial contracts, trading terms and T&Cs

Companies Act compliance

Experience

Sale of Midlands Engineering Group (£17m+)

Led the sale to a Canadian listed buyer, including National Security & Investment Act clearance.

UK engineering acquisition (£11m+)

Acted for the UK subsidiary of a German international group on a strategic bolt-on.

Employment agency sale (c. £70m)

Advised the sellers on full legal due diligence and disclosure process.

IT/software solutions sale (£7.85m+)

Led cross-border disposal to a Swedish international group.

HVAC platform growth (2024–25, £4.1m+)

Completed two bolt-on acquisitions for an acquisitive UK client.

Multiple retail pharmacy deals (2025)

Led sales of multi-site retail pharmacy companies (£2.75m and £2.85m), including NHS/regulatory and property workstreams.

Capital reduction demerger (2023)

Advised an £11m-turnover group on an eight-stage reduction and reorganisation (100+ documents).

Group refinancing (£4.5m, 16 companies)

Negotiated facilities and security across a multi-company structure with a major UK bank.

Global master services agreement (c. £20m)

Advised on MSA and governance for Australian arm of a US-headquartered multinational.

Sale of Midlands Engineering Group (£17m+)

Led the sale to a Canadian listed buyer, including National Security & Investment Act clearance.

UK engineering acquisition (£11m+)

Acted for the UK subsidiary of a German international group on a strategic bolt-on.

Employment agency sale (c. £70m)

Advised the sellers on full legal due diligence and disclosure process.

IT/software solutions sale (£7.85m+)

Led cross-border disposal to a Swedish international group.

HVAC platform growth (2024–25, £4.1m+)

Completed two bolt-on acquisitions for an acquisitive UK client.

Multiple retail pharmacy deals (2025)

Led sales of multi-site retail pharmacy companies (£2.75m and £2.85m), including NHS/regulatory and property workstreams.

Capital reduction demerger (2023)

Advised an £11m-turnover group on an eight-stage reduction and reorganisation (100+ documents).

Group refinancing (£4.5m, 16 companies)

Negotiated facilities and security across a multi-company structure with a major UK bank.

Global master services agreement (c. £20m)

Advised on MSA and governance for Australian arm of a US-headquartered multinational.

Neil Jones on Legally Sound

Host Martin de Ridder sits down with corporate specialist Neil Jones to unpack succession planning and practical exit routes, including MBOs, EOTs and trade sales.

Expect clear advice on shareholder agreements, due diligence and protecting business value before you exit.

Explore the Legally Sound podcast on YouTube

Testimonials

Neil Jones is very professional and knowledgeable about the pitfalls and nuances of the complex processes involved in the sale of our business. He stood up to the purchasing solicitors who were a much bigger organisation when unreasonable demands were being made and always went the extra mile to solve difficult problems.

Legal 500 UK 2022

Neil Jones is extremely able and has consistently demonstrated a well balanced approach with clients, blending technical ability with clients’ commercial requirements and needs in an exemplary way.

Legal 500 UK 2023

Neil Jones takes personal responsibility for leading and delivering the firm’s services. Neil is honest and realistic in his advice on commercial issues and timescales. Proven to be more than a match for any of the biggest law firms.

Legal 500 UK 2024

We work with Neil Jones, Jamie Gill and Emma Rowley, and their knowledge and expertise as corporate lawyers is second to none. They are very commercial and offer good, sound advice. Nothing is too much trouble and they will go out of their way to help a client.

Legal 500 UK 2024

Two individuals for me - Neil Jones and Emma Rowley. Both have been extremely professional and a pleasure to deal with. I can always reach out to them if any issues crop up on transactions and they will get on to it immediately.

Legal 500 UK 2025

Neil Jones is a lovely person to work with and understands that the whole team of professionals advising a mutual client need to be kept up to date and that they too have a valuable part to play in any transaction. A true team player.

Legal 500 UK 2025