Praised for its commitment to securing the 'utmost best outcome for the client in a timely fashion', the team at Fieldfisher has extensive expertise in the tech, media, and life sciences spheres, regularly assisting with all stages of venture capital financing work. Co-headed by the ‘incredible’ Tom Ward in Manchester, and the 'exceptional leader' Thomas Colmer in London, the duo specialise in private equity transactions, strategic investments, and complex funding rounds. Janita Good is knowledgeable in joint ventures and cross-border M&A, while the ’exceptional’ Manchester-based Andrew Oliver is also recommended.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘The two key strengths from the team is knowledge in the subject matter and experience, and the second one is trust and collaboration. They are incredibly devoted to getting the job done with the utmost best outcome for the client in a timely fashion. They can be relied on and also go above and beyond in supporting our needs beyond the core scope of their mandate. They have been immensely helpful throughout our hyper growth period enabling us to deliver on our investors and clients' needs.’

  • 'Thomas Colmer has stood out as an exceptional leader both internally pulling resources within his org together to a common goal of excellence as well as being strategic in guiding us in our journey anticipating events and needs. Last but not least Thomas was always available and reliable whereas I never had any doubt he would deliver what was agreed.’

  • ‘Very engaged, provide rapid and relevant access to other legal services of the firm, excellent coordinator. Focused on our segment. Host relevant events and proactively/personally reach out to let you know that they are happening and to invite you.’

  • ‘Just the best people to work with. Tom Ward is an unbelievable mix of super responsive, very experienced and also someone who you genuinely trust. Throughout working with him during our round, he evolved into a trusted voice for decision making, rather than just a lawyer executing documents.'

  • ‘Thomas Colmer - A highly experienced partner who combines hand-holding client management and sophisticated deal leadership.'

  • ‘Tom ward and Andrew Oliver have been incredible. They are available around the clock and are extremely pragmatic.’

  • ‘Tom Ward is the team lead and exceptional lawyer. He is a very pragmatic and approachable negotiator and usually protects or advances our position with a style that leaves the other side feeling comfortable to give ground. His ability to manage the breadth of our business is his standout skill.'

  • 'Andrew Oliver is also an exceptional lawyer; he behaves with the mindset of a partner at a very young age and executes on our deals flawlessly, leaning on the juniors in the team to leverage his capacity highly effectively.’

Key clients

  • Acet Circular Solutions (t/a Again)
  • Adaptive Financial Consulting Ltd
  • Adaptive Group Technology Ltd
  • Aggero Ltd
  • Basinghall Tech Fund
  • Board Intelligence Ltd
  • BondAuction Limited
  • Better Half (t/a Paired)
  • Bower Collective Ltd
  • Carmoola Group Ltd
  • Circle Up Growth Partners
  • CG Hero
  • Clinithink Ltd
  • Complement Therapeutics Ltd
  • Creator Fund
  • Digital Insight Technologies Ltd (t/a Xapien)
  • Diode
  • Dronamics Global Ltd
  • EB Research Partnership
  • Ember Core Ltd
  • Emperia Ltd
  • FF Meander Ltd (t/a Byway Travel)
  • FF Poplar Ltd (t/a Poplar Studios)
  • FF Indie Ltd
  • Founders Factory
  • Fuel Ventures
  • Fuse Universal Ltd
  • Genesis Global Technology Ltd
  • Glory Global
  • Growth Catalyst Partners LLC
  • Guider Global Ltd
  • Guinness Asset Management (EIS funds)
  • Hammock Financial Services Ltd
  • Hived
  • Howard Holdings (trading as Landways)
  • Improveasy Ltd
  • Joblogic
  • Messier Holdings Ltd (t/a Pinwheel)
  • MNAI Data Solutions Ltd
  • Nanomox Ltd
  • Oh Goodlord Ltd
  • Orchestra Technologies
  • Osprey Flight Solutions
  • Ozone Financial Technology Limited
  • Perkier Foods Ltd
  • Phides Holding Limited
  • Playground Ventures III L.P.
  • Pushpull Technologies
  • QStory Ltd
  • Quiqup Ltd
  • Saas Hospitality Ltd (t/a HotelRunner)
  • SideQuest Meta Ltd
  • Strategic Software Applications Ltd t/a Ruleguard
  • Superfluid Finance Ltd
  • SWEN Capital Partners
  • Switch EV
  • SymphonyAI LLC
  • Tembo Money Ltd
  • Tortoise Media Ltd
  • Truffle Invest Ltd
  • UKTV Media Limited (t/a UKTV Ventures)
  • Ultromics
  • Visor Commerce (t/a OnBuy.com)
  • Valarian (formerly Worldr Technologies)
  • Worn Again Technologies Limited
  • 5Y Technology Ltd

Work highlights

  • Advised field service management software experts Joblogic on its £60m equity investment from Axiom Equity.
  • Advised US venture capital fund Playground Ventures as lead investor on the £13m Series A financing of Phasecraft, a UK based leading quantum computing business.
  • Advised Complement Therapeutics Ltd (CTx), a preclinical stage University of Manchester spinout, on its €72m Series A financing.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Thomas Colmer, Tom Ward

Other key lawyers

Janita Good, Andrew Oliver, Joshua Cronin