Russell Cooke Putney London 2

About Thomas

I provide clear, commercial and proactive advice with the aim of getting deals done.

Thomas advises clients on a wide range of matters with a main focus on acquisitions and disposals.

He routinely assists clients with, business reorganisations and restructures, shareholder agreements and articles of association as well as corporate governance and risk.

Thomas is also well known for providing advise relating to employee incentives, both in terms of structuring and implementation of schemes such as EMI Options and growth shares. He also advises employees and senior executives on their equity packages. 

He works closely with SMEs across all sectors, with particular experience advising clients within IT industry, including Microsoft resellers, cloud service providers, IT managed service businesses and SaaS providers.

Thomas joined Russell-Cooke in 2025 from a City firm, having previously spent ten years at a large regional firm.

Thomas advises clients through complex negotiations and corporate transactions to achieve successful outcomes.
Client

Experience

  • Advised Alissa Healthcare Research Limited on its transition to employee ownership through an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT), successfully completing the transaction ahead of the 2025 Budget changes to the EOT tax regime and helping the business maximise the benefits of employee ownership. (Covered by Insider Media here.)

  • Advised on multiple transactions with a combined value approaching £60 million ahead of the 2025-26 tax year-end, navigating accelerated deal timetables driven by Business Asset Disposal Relief changes and wider tax policy uncertainty. (Covered by Solicitors Journal here.)

  • Advised the shareholders of Simpson Associates, a leading Microsoft data transformation partner, on a strategic investment from Beech Tree Private Equity, helping secure funding to accelerate growth, broaden service capabilities and pursue strategic direction.

  • Advised the shareholders of Airbench Ltd, a specialist manufacturer of industrial dust, fume and mist extraction systems, on the cross-border sale of the business to Swedish technology group Amplex Indu AB.

  • Advised the sellers of a significant consultant to the public section for circa £15m.

  • Advised on the sale of a Microsoft solutions business to a leading European provider.

  • Acted on the distressed acquisition of a Microsoft licence reseller by a major UK-based outsourced services company.

Thomas is my first call for legal services and would recommend him wholeheartedly to anyone looking for an enthusiastic, intelligent and friendly lawyer at any point in the corporate journey.
Client

Memberships

  • Member of The Law Society of England and Wales.

I enjoyed working with Thomas on the very successful sale of two separate trading divisions. I found his advice and support to be first rate across of range of issues, some quite technical, as we prepared for what was ultimately a £100m transaction.
Client

Thomas' highlights

News

16.10.2026

The corporate housekeeping checklist every business owner should complete before a sale

When business owners prepare for a sale, they tend to focus on valuation, identifying potential buyers and negotiating the best terms. In reality, many transactions encounter difficulties long before negotiations become challenging...
Thomas Clark (1) Mark Norman
Multiple Authors
3 min Read
Thomas Clark, Mark Norman
News

09.10.2026

What buyers really look for when acquiring a technology business

Technology businesses continue to attract significant interest from strategic acquirers, private equity investors and consolidators. While financial performance is unquestionably important, buyers are often assessing a much broader set of factors...
Thomas Clark (1) Mark Norman
Multiple Authors
3 min Read
Thomas Clark, Mark Norman
News

02.10.2026

Five legal issues that reduce business value during due diligence

When business owners think about value, they often focus on revenue, profitability and finding the right buyer. However, in many transactions, value is eroded long before negotiations begin....
Thomas Clark (1) Mark Norman
Multiple Authors
4 min Read
Thomas Clark, Mark Norman
View all News & Insights