England - West Midlands • Corporate and commercial

Shoosmiths LLP

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Jointly helmed by VC specialist Alistair Hammerton and experienced commercial contracts lawyer Simon McArdle, Shoosmiths LLP’s Birmingham team draws high praise from clients for its ‘strong commercial acumen’ – especially in the manufacturing, recruitment, tech, infrastructure, retail and data sectors. The team is especially noteworthy for the strength of its venture capital practice, anchored by the efforts of VC team head Alastair Peet. National corporate chair Ben Turner – who splits his time between the firm’s London and Birmingham offices – works with various household names on M&A and PE-driven work, often with a cross-border element. Helen Burnell focuses especially on VC and infrastructure sector matters, advising on a slew of investment transactions.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Al Hammerton is by far the best transaction lawyer I have worked with. I have worked with him on over 20 deals for this reason. Helen Burnell is also excellent.’

  • ‘Shoosmiths team works very well together - seamless experience working with Restructuring and Corporate team on the same transaction.’

  • ‘James Keates is very commercial, a strong negotiator, proactive in suggesting solutions, and good at challenging the client's thought process.'

  • 'Al Hetherington; very calm in difficult situations, good balance between being in the detail but still able to see the bigger picture.’
  • ‘They are a very strong team across the board, from partner down to paralegal. An outstanding combination of market/industry knowledge, legal knowledge and deal management, delivered in a no-nonsense package.’

  • ‘The team have an excellent attention to detail, diligent and have strong commercial acumen. What stands them apart from other lawyers, is they are approachable and are partners on the transaction rather than advisors and are low ego.’

  • ‘The team, led by Alastair Peet, possess a unique blend of in-depth legal knowledge coupled with an entrepreneurial drive to identify and resolve issues proactively and pragmatically which enables them to deliver unparalleled client service. They collaboratively manage all aspects of a transaction to meet deadlines without fail and always develop cohesive, tested, well-balanced solutions.’

  • ‘The individuals within the team collaboratively tackle complex issues to develop simple, achievable solutions throughout the advice they deliver. Alastair Peet is hands down one of the best lawyers I have ever worked with in any country (against a legal peer set that spans 4 continents).'

Key clients

  • John Banaszkiewicz and Freight Investor (Holdings) Limited
  • DIF Capital Partners
  • Joules plc
  • Everbridge Inc.
  • Livingbridge
  • Global Critical Logistics (USA)
  • NorthEdge Capital
  • Cow Corner Investments
  • Peloton
  • Octopus Ventures
  • Triple Point
  • Rotala plc
  • Broadway Malyan
  • BS Eaton
  • Hambro Perks
  • Insurtech Gateway
  • Business Growth Fund
  • Gresham House
  • Mercia Fund Management Limited
  • Proximity Data Centres
  • GEMS Education
  • Mutares
  • Pentech Ventures, Outward VC, West Loop Ventures (USA), Pi Labs
  • Cowen
  • Harbr
  • Ricor Group
  • Gardin Ltd
  • Blackfinch Ventures
  • Akmazo Capital
  • H&M
  • Equitix
  • Form Ventures
  • Deepbridge Capital
  • Volkswagen Group
  • Estée Lauder
  • The White Company
  • Aramark
  • WM Morrisons Supermarkets PLC
  • Deliveroo
  • Hoover
  • Mountain Warehouse
  • Loram UK Limited
  • WH Davis Limited
  • Exergy Solutions Limited
  • ADComms Limited
  • Legacy Rail Limited
  • Cignpost
  • Key Media UK Limited (and its management shareholders)
  • The shareholders of Enamel Dental and Incisive Smiles
  • Nash Squared Limited
  • N Family Club
  • 4th Utility
  • DIF Capital
  • Mercedes Benz
  • Bonnier Ventures

Work highlights

  • Advised Livingbridge on its investment in Nourish Care.
  • Advised Akmazo on its acquisition of JRNI.
  • Advising Key Media Group and its management team in relation to the investment and exit to Housatonic, multiple pre-close global reorganisations, and a US$22m facility provided by National Bank of Canada.

Lawyers

Rising stars

Georgina Rennie

Georgina Rennie

Shoosmiths LLP

Georgina works in the corporate team advising on all areas of corporate law, including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, investments, corporate restructuring and corporate governance. Georgina works with a variety of clients including private and public companies, LLPs, venture capital investors, management teams and owner managed businesses. Recent project experience includes advising: VC investors on a range of investments (including VCT/EIS investments); a British clothing company listed on AIM on its acquisition of an online homeware retailer; a NYSE listed records management and storage company on the acquisition of a fine arts storage and logistics business; the seller on the disposal of an iconic Birmingham hotel; an international hotel chain on various hotel acquisitions and disposals; a German car manufacturer on its disposal of used car sites and a body shop centre; a NYSE listed company on the UK aspects of an international reorganisation and the disposal of a facilities management provider; and shareholders of a company in the vet tech sector on an MBO backed by a private equity house.  

Next Generation Partners

Alistair Hammerton

Alistair Hammerton

Shoosmiths LLP

Alistair is a Partner in the corporate department advising on all aspects of corporate law, with particular specialty around mergers and acquisitions, growth and venture capital, private equity and joint venture arrangements. Alistair is one of the country’s leading and most active venture capital lawyers - advising on early stage seed investments to series A and later rounds and through to exits. Alistair works with a variety of clients including for prominent investors such as Octopus Ventures, BGF, Triple Point, Hambro Perks, Blackfinch and Mercia on a serial basis, private companies (from start-ups to large corporates), listed plcs, founders and management teams.  

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Alistair Hammerton, Simon McArdle

Other key lawyers

Alastair Peet, Ben Turner, Helen Burnell, Georgina Rennie, James Keates, Al Hetherington