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Corporate and M&A

We advise clients on domestic and cross-border public and private transactions as well as on governance and regulatory issues. We use our market knowledge to anticipate clients' needs and help them achieve their aims with a bespoke service that is client-focused and delivers on our commitment to excellence.

  • From large ground-breaking to mid-market transactions, we cover a wide spectrum in terms of both complexity and size without compromising on the quality of our service.
  • We have a proven ability to handle the most complex and demanding equity capital markets work for our clients. Acting for a mixture of issuers, sponsors and shareholders means that we understand corporate transactions from every angle.
  • Our partners counsel boards and senior executives in relation to the full range of corporate governance and regulatory compliance issues. Our advice is delivered with an understanding of the commercial objectives of the business and an understanding of the sector and environment in which it is operating.

Expertise:

Recent work

Smith & Williamson

Advising Smith & Williamson on its £1.8bn merger with Tilney Group, including the restructuring of the transaction and Warburg Pincus’s co-investment alongside Permira.

Altria Group, Inc.

Advising Altria Group, Inc., the largest shareholder in beer and soft drinks producer SABMiller, on the £79bn offer from rival brewer AB Inbev and Altria’s investment in the enlarged group.

Verizon Communications Inc.

Advising Verizon Communications Inc. on its acquisition of Vodafone’s 45 per cent interest in Verizon Wireless for $130bn. The transaction was implemented by way of a public scheme of arrangement. We also acted for Verizon on the acquisition of Fleetmatics for $2.4bn and the subsequent integration of Fleetmatics within the Verizon group structure.

Kennedy Wilson Holdings

Advising Kennedy Wilson Holdings on its £1.5bn public offer for the shares in Kennedy Wilson Europe that it did not own to create a $4bn combined entity.

Visa Inc.

Advising Visa Inc. on its acquisition of Visa Europe Limited for a total value of €18.25bn.

Improbable

Advising Improbable, a UK-based virtual simulation start-up, on the raising of $502m in its latest financing round led by Japan’s SoftBank Group Corp., with other previous investors also participating. This is the largest ever Series B investment in Europe and the biggest venture financing round by a private British company in history.

GAME Digital plc

Advising GAME Digital plc, the leading omni-channel specialist retailer of video games in the UK and Spain, on its IPO on the premium segment of the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange, with an initial market capitalisation of £340m.

Greenergy

Advising Greenergy, a leading British fuel supplier, on a major investment by Brookfield Business Partners, part of Canadian alternative asset management group Brookfield.

Alexion Pharmaceuticals

Advising Alexion Pharmaceuticals on the UK aspects of AstraZeneca plc’s acquisition of Alexion Pharmaceuticals for $39bn in cash and shares.

Hovis

Advising Hovis on the sale of the Fleming Howden and Holgran businesses to Associated British Foods.

Supermarket Income REIT plc

Advising Supermarket Income REIT plc, a United Kingdom-based, closed-ended investment company, on its IPO on the specialist fund segment of the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange, with an initial market capitalisation of £100m.

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Contact

See all contacts

Howard Corney

 Partner
+44 (0)20 7849 2373 Email Howard

Luke Powell

 Partner
+44 (0)20 7849 2658 Email Luke

In depth

Corporate Law Update

Robert Boyle, Dominic Sedghi 11 Jun 2021
In this week's update: The Government consults on new powers to block listings on national security grounds, a claim for breach of warranty was invalid because it contained...
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Corporate Law Update

Robert Boyle, Dominic Sedghi 04 Jun 2021
In this week’s update: The court refuses to pierce the corporate veil and Glass Lewis publishes an overview of sustainability reporting.
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Court upholds appeal on notice of tax covenant claim

Lois Horne, Dominic Sedghi 28 May 2021
The Court of Appeal has reversed a decision by the High Court that a notice of claim under a tax covenant was invalid because it did not state in reasonable detail the matter...
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What people are saying

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"Leading mid-market practice advising high-profile names on a range of transactions including acquisitions, disposals and joint ventures. Well versed in high-end work, often acting on international mandates for corporates and financial institutions. Also regularly called upon to advise management and director teams on M&A transactions. Broad international capabilities include recent experience in the USA, Europe and Australasia."

Chambers UK 2020

"Clients say: 'They're very professional and thorough. You know they won't miss anything when you're doing a deal’."

Chambers UK 2020

"Sources consider the team to be ‘high-quality and good value,’ and admire that the lawyers are ‘professional, hard-working and commercial in their approach’."

Chambers UK 2020

"Exceptional. I know that when using them nothing will get missed in the deal’."

The UK Legal 500 2019

"Leading mid-market practice advising high-profile names on a range of transactions including acquisitions, disposals and joint ventures. Well versed in high-end work, often acting on international mandates for corporates and financial institutions."

Chambers UK 2018

"Excellent firm providing commercial, pragmatic advice - sensitive to client needs and bandwidth availability during peak times of a transaction."

IFLR1000 2018

Awards