Nicola Paton

Areas of Specialism: Commercial Law and Employment Law

Nicola Paton is a Director at Parker Arrenberg Solicitors and specialises in commercial and employment law. She joined the firm in 2021 and quickly became an important part of the senior team, bringing with her a broad and distinctive range of legal experience.

Nicola’s undergraduate degree was a BA (Hons) in Business Studies. This commercial foundation continues to inform her work as a solicitor, particularly when advising clients on the practical realities of running, managing and growing a business. It also supports her contribution to commercial, marketing and financial matters within Parker Arrenberg.

Nicola qualified as a solicitor in 2007. In the earlier part of her legal career, she spent significant time at Southwark Crown Court representing clients in complex, high-value fraud and money laundering cases, including VHCC matters. During this period, she developed a strong interest in confiscation proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act, commonly known as POCA.

From around 2012, following significant cuts to legal aid, Nicola began to refocus her career and moved away from VHCC, fraud and money laundering case work. She joined a firm where she very quickly went on to head up its interest rate derivatives department. This followed the FCA’s direction for banks to undertake a regulatory review of the sale of interest rate hedging products to commercial clients. That role enabled Nicola to develop substantial experience across ombudsman complaints, regulatory matters and litigation.

Nicola then continued to broaden her practice and moved increasingly into commercial law. She now focuses on advising businesses and business owners on the legal issues that arise throughout the life of a company, from start-up and growth through to restructuring, downsizing and sale.

Nicola particularly enjoys supporting start-ups and early-stage businesses, helping founders put the right legal foundations in place from the outset. Her work in this area includes advising on business structure, commercial terms, staff contracts, consultancy agreements, business owner and shareholder agreements, partnership arrangements, workplace handbooks, employment policies and internal procedures. She also assists with the wider legal documentation and practical compliance issues that growing businesses often need, including customer and supplier contracts, confidentiality arrangements, restrictive covenants, dispute prevention, and the management of employment and regulatory risk.

Nicola has particular expertise in supporting small and medium-sized enterprises. She assists clients with practical, commercially focused advice and provides the legal support needed to help business owners make confident decisions. Her combined legal and business background allows her to consider not only the legal position, but also the commercial, financial and operational factors that may affect a client’s decision-making. Her experience across commercial, employment, regulatory and dispute resolution matters enables her to take a rounded and strategic approach.

Known for her determined, focused and approachable style, Nicola thrives on complex challenges and is committed to achieving the right outcome for each client. She has built long-standing and trusted relationships by providing well-informed advice that is clear, practical and free from unnecessary legal jargon.

Nicola prides herself on strong communication and on delivering advice that clients can understand and rely upon. Her commercially astute approach allows her to support clients not only with legal compliance, but also with the wider practical realities of running and developing a business.

Outside of work, Nicola enjoys nothing more than cooking for a table full of friends and family.