Advising across venture capital investments, including institutional funding rounds, follow-on growth capital, and exits by sale or IPO, Fladgate LLP is hailed for its ‘deep knowledge and experience’, specifically in the AI and software spaces. Howard Watt heads the outfit, standing out for his expertise in early-stage investments, primarily within the gaming and healthtech sectors, while Graham Spitz is an M&A-focused partner with a particular emphasis on venture capital funds. Jamie Hamilton and Yulia Leyko are also recommended.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Brilliant firm to work with, great team, fast responses and very commercial. ’

  • 'Howard Watt eats, sleeps and speaks VC. He knows the market, knows the players and is ever reliable to deliver deals on time and under budget. We have been working with Howard for five years and each year he continues to improve and impress. He has built a great practice and his ever growing roster of the best VC funds in the market is a testament to his ability to engender trust and execute flawlessly when called to do so.'

  • ‘Howard Watt and Ellie Green are our main points of contact and they are both exceptional. I would recommend them to anyone!’

  • ‘The team possesses deep knowledge and experience, enabling them to provide strategic guidance at every stage of the investment cycle. Furthermore, the practice is highly commendable for its client-centric approach and innovation. They prioritise understanding the client's unique needs and objectives, ensuring that their solutions are tailored to deliver maximum value and success. This client-focused mindset is complemented by their innovative approach to legal services, where they leverage technology.’

  • ‘The team at Fladgate LLP, particularly individuals such as Howard Watt, exemplifies exceptional commercial awareness, going above and beyond to serve our needs. Their dedication, expertise, and keen understanding of the commercial landscape have been instrumental in delivering outstanding results for us. Howard possess a deep understanding of market dynamics, enabling them to provide strategic advice that is both legally sound and commercially astute.’

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Key clients

  • Atomico
  • BeyondPlay Limited
  • Bumper International Limited
  • Denham Capital
  • Makers Fund II Company Limited
  • Notion Capital V SCSp
  • Safi Technologies Limited
  • Shackle Group
  • Unitary Ltd
  • Open Metrics Ltd
  • Tytn Ltd / TitanML

Work highlights

  • Acted for Denham Sustainable Infrastructure, an arm of global energy transition investment firm Denham Capital, in relation to a £165m commitment to invest in EV Chargers Ltd.
  • Advised Atomico, as lead investor, on its investment into Dexory Ltd, a provider of robotics and AI logistics solutions in the warehouse operations space.
  • Acted for Bumper International Limited on its £40m Series B fundraising led by Autotech. Bumper International provides a digital payment platform for vehicle repairs and services.

Lawyers

Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Howard Watt

Other key lawyers

Graham Spitz, Jamie Hamilton, Yulia Leyko, Ravi Goosena, Matthew Akehurst, Ellie Green, Mary Liu, India-Rose May