Bath law firm Mowbray Woodwards has recently acted for the owners of city-based animation and design studio A Large Evil Corporation on its sale to US giant Funko for $4m (£2.98m).
Since its foundation by owners Guy Thomson and Seth Watkins in 2006, A Large Evil Corporation -also known as Evilcorp – has developed a unique reputation for its animated commercials for brands such as Gu, Kia Motors, Greenpeace and Now TV. 
It has also achieved acclaim for its Vinyl Idolz designs, a range of quirky collectible figurines featuring characters from cult movies such as The Big Lebowski, Shaun of the Dead, Batman, Ghostbusters and Back to the Future.
The range is sold in high street retailers such as HMV and Forbidden Planet and online via sites such as Amazon.
The figures are manufactured by Funko, which has its own top-selling lines of licensed vinyl characters, action figures and other products. Since 2014 Evilcorp has produced animations for Funko.
Evilcorp is to be rebranded as Funko Animation Studios with Guy and Seth continuing as general managers. The deal came shortly after Washington State-headquartered Funko’s floatation on the US NASDAQ stock market in November.
Evilcorp was represented in the sale to Funko by Mowbray Woodwards partner and head of commercial Patrick Mears and assistant Karling Lau.
Patrick, pictured, said: “It has been so exciting to see one of our most talented and unique local creative companies attracting such flattering attention from an international big-hitter.
“It is particularly gratifying to see so much genuine warmth and creative optimism underpinning a deal. I have no doubt that Funko Animation Studios will achieve even greater things.”
Seth Watkins added: “Patrick and the team were excellent throughout the process. A very thorough interrogation of the myriad of documentation flying back and forth, skilfully guiding us through the US/GB pitfalls and always available for the inevitable late night transatlantic calls.”
Single office firm Mowbray Woodwards provides individuals and businesses with legal services ranging from buying and selling a home, writing a will and dealing with probate, to tax planning, divorce to buying a business.
