Tom Pollard

Corporate/M&A

Tom regularly advises regional, national and international clients on the acquisition and disposal of companies, groups of companies and/or the business and assets of a company/groups of companies. The structure of the transactions can include share sales, asset sales, management buy-outs, management buy-ins, joint ventures, divestments and exits by investors.

He has particular experience in advising large groups of companies on their acquisitive growth strategy, often undertaking multiple acquisitions for the same client.

Tom also regularly advises owner managers on the sale of their businesses to trade acquirers, management teams and/or private equity backed buyers (whether directly or through their portfolio of investee companies).

Private Equity

Tom undertakes considerable buy side private equity work, regularly acting for a number of national mid-market private equity houses on the purchase or disposal of their investments as well as for family offices and high net worth private investors.

He also provides advice to the companies being acquired or disposed of by investors as well as providing advice to management teams.

• Equity Partner, Corporate: Hill Dickinson LLP – April 2025 to Present

• Equity Partner, Corporate: Ward Hadaway LLP - May 2022 to April 2025

• Partner, Corporate: Ward Hadaway / Ward Hadaway LLP – May 2017 to April 2022

• Associate, Corporate: Ward Hadaway - May 2013 to April 2017

• Solicitor, Corporate: Ward Hadaway - September 2009 to April 2013

• Trainee Solicitor: Ward Hadaway - September 2007 to August 2009

Member of the Law Society

Previously contributed to various editions of the Sweet & Maxwell text – “Sinclair on Warranties and Indemnities on Share and Asset Sales”.

Outside of work, Tom has a young family that keeps him and his wife very busy, alongside running their farm in Northumberland. Running the farm is Tom’s major hobby and provides him with a great counter balance to the day to day. Tom and his family also love to travel when time allows and wherever possible he tries to find time for a few days game shooting each year

Mergers & Acquisitions

• Acting for Lookers PLC on numerous acquisitions and disposals, including the acquisition of Jennings Motor Group;

• Acting for The Bannatyne Group in relation to its “buy and build” strategy, including undertaking numerous acquisitions and disposals;

• Acting on the sale of a UK based provider of operational risk management software to Prometheus Group;

• Acting on the sale of a UK based e-learning provider to a UK listed company;

• Acting for Northumberland Estates on its acquisition of GD Group Ltd & associated group companies;

• Acting on the sale of a specialist alarms business to Lifco, with management roll over;

• Acting on the sale of Cleveland Cascades Limited to Lifco;

• Acting on the sale of Workwear Express to Bunzl plc with a reinvestment by management; and

• Acting on the sale of Sterling Technology to TransPerfect.

Private Equity / Investment / Debt funding / Joint Ventures

• Acting for Northumberland Estates on various investments into Cussins Homes, Wynyard Homes, Alncom and Silent Pool Gin Distillery;

• Acting for Growth Partner on the investment and restructure of Crafter’s Companion Limited;

• Acting for Growth Partner on its investment in Stubble & Co.;

• Acting for Foresight Group on its investment in Isocom Components 2004 Limited;

• Acting for management on the leveraged management buy out of eQS Group and simultaneous bolt on acquisition followed by a further 3 company acquisitions in a superseding 12 month period;

• Acting for Northumberland Estates on a £200 million unsecured bilateral private note issue to US and UK investors; and

• Acting for Northumberland Estates on a nationally significant renewable energy joint venture with SSE.

Tom has extensive corporate finance (approaching 20 years) experience advising public and private companies as well as private equity houses, private investors and family offices, owner managed businesses and management teams across a broad range of sectors including renewables and natural resources, family offices and landed estates, human capital, TMT, leisure and hospitality, motor, industrials, engineering and manufacturing.

He is ranked by Legal 500 (Leading Individual) and Chambers & Partners (Corporate/M&A) and is generally regarded as one of the leading corporate partners in the North East of England and has built an extensive M&A and PE practice.

Tom is the head of the Corporate team for Hill Dickinson LLP in Newcastle.

He is known for his calm, pragmatic and effective approach to undertaking and leading corporate transactions which is evidenced by the following quotations/testimonials:

“He is highly efficient and always a pleasure to work with.” Legal 500, 2024

“Tom Pollard is someone who I would not hesitate to recommend to others looking to go through transactions. I know from experience that he is highly knowledgeable within his field, and he will always work incredibly hard to get the best possible outcome for his clients.” Legal 500, 2025

“Tom is an experienced and commercial corporate lawyer.” Chambers & Partners, 2025

“Tom is a very well-rounded, knowledgeable partner who delivers a specific service to us, helping us greatly in transactions. He is a very important go-to person for us.” Rory Wilson, CEO of Northumberland Estates

“Tom has undertaken numerous complex transactions for the Bannatyne Group and he is always extremely commercial, pragmatic and efficient in his work. I’ve never come across such a commercial, pragmatic and efficient lawyer.” Edwin James, Former Director & General Counsel for The Bannatyne Group

“Tom was instrumental in leading me personally and the SMT at eQS through the corporate legal jungle of not only completing our MBO but also simultaneously completing our first acquisition. Tom is not only an outstanding corporate lawyer but is also extremely pragmatic when it comes to commercial business decisions. Every interaction was made extremely straightforward and logical. It was a real pleasure to work with Tom and his whole team at Ward Hadaway. Without Tom's personal commitment I am sure we would have struggled to complete this complicated transaction in the timescales we did, literally just before Christmas. I would highly recommend Tom and his full team to anyone looking to do something similar. His experience, understanding, pragmatism and communication skills are second to none. Tom's approach has been logical and practical throughout, with the ultimate aim of making sure the right transaction was completed for all. Many thanks Tom, I look forward to a continuing relationship on many future projects to come.” Andy Gough, Former CEO eQS Group

Stand-Out Lawyer 2023

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2023

Stand-Out Lawyer 2024

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2024