Fatema Orjela > McDermott Will & Emery UK LLP > London, England > Lawyer Profile
McDermott Will & Emery UK LLP Offices
22 Bishopsgate
London
EC2N 4BQ
England
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Fatema Orjela
Work Department
Corporate Advisory
Position
Fatema is an award-winning private equity partner whose practice focuses on providing strategic counsel to European and US private equity sponsors. She has pan-European cross sector experience on the full range of corporate matters, including leveraged buyouts, strategic mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, structured and minority equity investments, equity and debt restructurings, and management equity plans, as well as related advisory work.
Fatema has received acknowledgement from numerous industry ranking guides:
- Chambers UK 2024 – Ranked for Private Equity: Buyouts: £500 million and above. Sources note, “Fatema is deeply knowledgeable and infinitely approachable.” “Fatema has very high capability and the ability to be creative and think outside of the box.” “Fatema’s ability is wide-ranging and she prioritises client relationships.”
- The Legal 500 UK 2024 – Fatema has been ranked as a “Leading Individual” for Private Equity: Transactions – Mid-Market Deals. Sources note, “Fatema is an outstanding PE lawyer. We particularly value Fatema’s ability to find creative solutions in complex situations, working with clients to find viable paths forward where one is not obvious —– this really sets her apart from others in the industry. We also appreciate how dedicated she is to her clients. Fatema is always on top of both the details and the bigger picture, even at short notice. Fatema is our go-to PE lawyer.”
Fatema is distinguished by her work in promoting diversity in the legal profession. She has been included in the Class of 2021 at Law.com’s Women, Influence & Power in Law UK Awards as “Mentor of the Year” for which Fatema was the top “Outstanding Winner”.
Fatema has also been actively involved in initiatives across the City, including her roles as co-founder of “Women in Law, London” (WILL) a network with over 2,000 members across London aiming to promote and engage the next generation of women leaders in law, an Events Committee member of the “City Women’s Network” (CWN), and advisory panel member of “Oxford Women in Law” (OWL).
Read full biography here: https://www.mwe.com/people/fatema-orjela/
Lawyer Rankings
London > Corporate and commercial > Private equity: transactions - mid-market deals (up to £500m)
(Leading partners)McDermott Will & Emery UK LLP is sought out by both sponsors and portfolio companies for its transactional capabilities across the tech, healthcare, and life sciences sectors. Eleanor West is a highly active adviser who anchors the team’s offering in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries. Counsel Elisa De Carolis‘ focus ranges from VC-backed growth investors to digital health and medtech-oriented funds. Former practice head Tom Whelan departed to Reed Smith LLP in February 2024, while cross-border PE buyout specialist Fatema Orjela joined from Sidley Austin LLP in April 2024. Fatema regularly advises on major deals for leading European and US firms, with recent engagements including multijurisdictional buyouts and sell-side processes
Lawyer Rankings
- Leading partners London > Corporate and commercial > Private equity: transactions - mid-market deals (up to £500m)
- Private equity: transactions - mid-market deals (up to £500m) London > Corporate and commercial
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Real estate > Property finance
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Power (including electricity and nuclear)
Firm Rankings
- Corporate and commercial > M&A: Lower Mid-Market Deals, £100m-£750m
- Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: mid-market
- Private client > Contentious trusts and probate
- Finance > Debt capital markets
- Industry focus > Emerging markets
- Crime, fraud and licensing > Gaming and betting
- Private client > Personal tax, trusts and probate
- Corporate and commercial > Private equity: transactions - mid-market deals (up to £500m)
- Finance > High yield
- Dispute resolution > International arbitration
- Industry focus > Life sciences and healthcare
- Risk advisory > Regulatory investigations and corporate crime (advice to corporates)
- Finance > Acquisition finance
- Finance > Corporate restructuring & insolvency
- Corporate and commercial > Corporate tax
- Finance > Bank lending: investment grade debt and syndicated loans
- Employment > Employers
- Real estate > Property finance
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Power (including electricity and nuclear)