Growth/Venture Capital

We have a long history of advising both investors and companies/founders on venture and growth investment rounds. We are well placed to advise on the particular technical, commercial and occasionally emotive issues that these transactions can present.

The nature of early stage investments presents its own particular set of challenges: balancing the investor's risk profile (and the need for downside protection) with the founders' desire to maintain control of their business and their own economic interests.  We fully understand these challenges and can navigate through them, whether from the perspective of the investors or the company / founders.

The interplay of successive investment rounds can be complex.  We can help all parties through the difficulties around syndicate investor arrangements, liquidation preferences and anti-dilution protection measures.  We also have extensive experience of addressing the particularly challenging issue of how and when an exit will occur and have advised on many unorthodox and innovative solutions to this issue.

We appreciate that cost control in early stage investments is particularly critical.  The size of the investment will not permit legal complexities to give rise to disproportionate costs being incurred.  We understand the need for efficiency and creativity on the part of the lawyers in this context.

We can also help venture capital and growth capital funds in connection with their fundraising and financing.

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"Active on both high-end and mid-market transactions, with excellent credentials throughout the private equity field. Noted for its multidisciplinary approach, which includes substantial regulatory and tax structuring expertise."

Chambers UK 2020

"Their detailed drafting and commerciality is excellent,’ a client reports, adding: ‘They're a very trusted pair of hands and a pleasure to work with’."

Chambers UK 2020

"They're really flexible, cerebral and high quality. It's a broad offering and I enjoy working with them,’ another source says."

Chambers UK 2020

"The technical expertise of the lawyers (particularly at the senior end) is a real differentiating feature. The group offers high-quality legal advice and has a tenacious desire to combine legal know-how with the achievement of the client's commercial objectives’."

The UK Legal 500 2019