The Scottish corporate team of global legal firm DLA Piper has acted for Capita, the provider of business process management and professional support service solutions, on its acquisition of the Fires Services College – one of the world’s biggest fire and emergency response training colleges worldwide.

Capita was announced as the preferred bidder for this important National Resilience Asset in December and has committed to invest in a significant programme of infrastructure and transformation.

The DLA corporate team in Scotland was led by Paul Pignatelli and comprised Tom Maxwell, Gemma Gallagher with support from Callum Sinclair and Colin Waddell (Intellectual Property and Technology) and Kate Hodgkiss (Employment Pensions and Benefits).

Paul Pignatelli, a partner in DLA Piper’s Corporate team, said: “This was a key transaction for Capita and gives it a fantastic opportunity to realise the potential of a world class asset, securing the College's future as an award-winning provider of fire and wider emergency response training. Completion of the deal underlines our team’s expertise in advising on complex transactions anywhere in the UK.”

Andy Parker, Capita's joint chief operating officer, said: "We envisage that the college will become a pioneering facility for the fire service, other emergency services and related markets, such as defence, oil and gas.

“Capita recognises the college as an establishment that offers great potential in enabling the emergency services to meet the demands of the future."

The Moreton-in-Marsh site in Gloucestershire has been operated as a trading fund since 1992 and it was announced last March that the college would be sold. The sale process began last April and final offers were received in November.

The Department for Communities and Local Government is to share in any future profits from the development of college land and will also receive revenue from the sale of houses previously part of the college estate.

Fire Minister Brandon Lewis said: "I believe that by freeing the college from the constraints of government ownership, a private sector owner like Capita will have the freedom to generate new business and provide the innovation and investment which the college needs to safeguard its long term future."

http://www.dlapiper.com/dla-piper-scotland-advises-capita-on-acquisitio…