Tom Purton
Partner
Tom combines over 25 years of experience, business acumen and legal expertise in a broad-based commercial practice. His main focus is on joint ventures, outsourcing and commercial contracts (including supply, franchise, brewing, agency, sponsorship, marketing and distribution agreements).
Tom’s core expertise is advising on complex, valuable, innovative and long term commercial contracts which often underpin the client’s business and revenue. He has extensive experience across multiple sectors including retail, leisure and hospitality, real estate, financial services and business support services. He also uses his commercial expertise to support M&A and other deals on transformation and separation projects.Tom is widely acknowledged in the market as a trusted business and strategic adviser who is “pragmatic, commercial and knows his stuff.”
He is the author of the UK chapter on outsourcing in PLC’s Global Guide and the Chambers Global Guide and a panellist and speaker at numerous conferences and events.
Directory quotes
"Tom Purton is exceptional, and we trust his advice." - Legal 500 UK 2024
"Tom provides excellent advice and direction to commercial negotiations, making complex situations clear and understandable." - Chambers UK 2023
Top Ranked – Chambers UK 2022
"Tom Purton maintains a broad commercial practice, with a specific focus on strategic partnering arrangements and commercial contracts. He is skilled at advising on contracts covering the full gamut from manufacturing and distribution to sponsorship and facilities management. He is well known for his experience in the retail, leisure and logistics sectors." - Chambers UK 2022
Leading individual - The Legal 500 UK 2022
Recommended - The Legal 500 UK 2022
"Tom Purton is one of the finest legal minds I’ve come across." - Chambers UK 2020
"Tom always provides commercial and succinct advice." - Chambers UK 2020
"He’s extremely knowledgeable, good at developing a team, and he’s a good negotiator." - Chambers UK 2020
"Very clear and intelligent advice." - The Legal 500 UK 2020
"He gives a commercial, solutions led approach whatever the complexity of the task." - The Legal 500 UK 2020
Memberships
- Commercial Law Committee of the City of London Law Society
- Law Society
- Liveryman of the Tallow Chandlers Livery Company
Relevant experience
Key clients that Tom has advised include:
- Retail: Poundland and its European parent company, Pepco Europe, on its franchising and distribution agreements in the Asia Pacific region.
- Hospitality/Leisure: Shepherd Neame, the UK’s oldest brewer, on its brewing and licencing agreements for Kingfisher, Asahi, Sam Adams and Singha lager.
- Real Estate: Office Space in Town on a £100 million joint venture with Tavistock (the family office of billionaire Joe Lewis) to develop bespoke serviced offices in the City of London and a £162 million joint venture with RDI REIT.
- Business Support Services: Gist on its £3.5 billion worldwide food logistics and warehousing services outsourcing agreement with M&S.
- Financial Services: Brewin Dolphin on the transition and integration aspects of its acquisition of a leading IFA.