Phil Linnard has been a partner since 2017, and advises across all aspects of our employment and incentives practice. He also advises on pensions.
Phil’s employment work focuses on arrangements for the appointment and termination of senior executives of listed and non-listed companies, as well as sensitive issues involving whistleblowing, investigations and terminations of employees in difficult circumstances, and the conduct of senior employees within the UK and overseas.
His incentives work involves advising on the corporate governance aspects of executive remuneration, as well as the drafting, implementation and operation of equity and cash incentives plans for listed and non-listed companies.
Phil also specialises in the employment and incentives aspects of corporate transactions including the application of TUPE, IPOs, demergers, restructurings, outsourcings and insolvency matters.
Phil is recognised as a Next Generation Partner in the Employee Share Schemes section of Legal 500 (2022). Phil is also a member of the Corporate and Regulatory Committee of the Share Plan Lawyers Group, and a member of the Employment Lawyers Association and the Association of Pension Lawyers.
Phil’s recent transactional work highlights include advising:
- ASOS plc on the employment and incentives aspects of its move from AIM to the London Stock Exchange Main Market.
- Meggitt plc on the employment and incentives aspects of its recommended cash acquisition by Parker Hannifin Corporation.
- Viridor on the employment-related aspects of the disposal of its collections business and certain recycling assets to Biffa plc, and preparation for the refinancing of Viridor’s Energy Group.
- GW Pharmaceuticals plc on its recommended acquisition by Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc for consideration constituted by a mixture of Jazz shares (listed on NASDAQ) and cash, which valued GW at $7.2 billion.
- Oxford Nanopore Technologies plc in relation to the share schemes, incentives and employment aspects of its IPO on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange.