The Legal 500

London: Corporate and commercial

Flotations: small and mid-cap

Flotations: small and mid-cap - ranked: tier 4

Marriott Harrison LLP

Marriott Harrison LLP attracts a significant number of high-end mandates across the Main Market, AIM, NASDAQ First North and NEX Exchange. Complementing his private practice experience, practice head Simon Charles previously worked as a NOMAD at Numis Securities. In 2017, Charles and associate Marina Ehrlich acted for finnCap as the NOMAD and broker to Pelatro Plc (the holding company of an Indian AI marketing software business) in its AIM launch. Charles is currently assisting online training provider Wealth Dragons Group Plc with its proposed NEX Exchange admission. Other clients include Angling Direct Plc, Zeus Capital and Northland Capital Partners.

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M&A: smaller deals up to £50m

M&A: smaller deals up to £50m - ranked: tier 1

Marriott Harrison LLP

The team at Marriott Harrison LLP has a strong client base of SMEs, entrepreneurs, owner-managers and growing businesses, as well as large corporates and institutions, including Kaplan International Holdings, The Fulham Shore, Coolabi Group and Edge Investments. The technology, media, leisure and retail, healthcare and education sectors are key areas of focus. Jon Sweet leads the practice; he acted for Cello Group on its acquisition of the assets of Defined Healthcare Research and Cancer Progress. Other highlights included Ben Devons acting for Coleridge and Murphy on its £40m sale to Bucherer and advising Market Makers on its £17.5m sale to Centaur Media, and Jonathan Leigh-Hunt acting for Faraday Property Management on its sale to HML Holdings. Daniel Jacob, who specialises in advising clients in the leisure and technology sectors, is also noted.

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Venture capital

Venture capital - ranked: tier 3

Marriott Harrison LLP

The 'responsive and cost-effective' team at Marriott Harrison LLP is 'extremely knowledgeable and commercial' and handles a significant volume of repeat work in the venture capital space by dint of its entrenched relationships with several leading investors including Mobeus Equity Partners, Balderton Capital and Accel Partners. Headed by the 'supportive and very intelligent' Andrew Wigfall, the team is particularly strong at handling deals throughout the funding lifecycle within the technology sector. Praised for his 'willingness to go above and beyond by connecting us to others in the industry, both on the investor and investee perspective', clients appreciate Wigfall's 'ability to add real value on transactions'. He recently advised Accel Partners on the £82m Series F fundraising by leading peer-to-peer lending platform, Funding Circle. The 'responsive and very commercial' Jonathan Leigh-Hunt recently advised Mobeus Equity Partners on its £2.9m investment into Buster + Punch and also on its £5m investment into Wetsuit Outlet, a leading online water sports retailer. Daniel Jacob regularly acts for entrepreneurs and investee companies on fundraisings and exits and recently represented fintech start-up, AxeTrading, on its €2m fundraising from Illuminate Financial Management. Ben Devons is also recommended.

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London: Dispute resolution

Commercial litigation

Commercial litigation - ranked: tier 8

Marriott Harrison LLP

Marriott Harrison LLP is 'a relatively small practice but has a strong commercial litigation practice with some excellent practitioners'. Tamar Halevy is 'an excellent lawyer and very hard working'. Halevy's experience includes director and shareholder disputes, breach of contract, breach of trust, fraud, and professional negligence.

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London: Real estate

Commercial property

Commercial property: corporate occupiers - ranked: tier 4

Marriott Harrison LLP

Marriott Harrison LLP provides ‘competent, prompt and exceedingly professional’ advice and is ‘notably well-informed’ across a variety of real estate matters including strategic investment, development, secured lending and commercial lease agreements. Headed by Mark Lavers, the team was instructed by Banco Sabadell to acquire vacant possession of the bank’s former HQ on Pall Mall, and assisted the client with a subsequent letting transactions. Additionally, the group has advised Thakeham Homes on multiple development site acquisitions, and is involved in the development of a luxury boutique hotel in London. Nick Smith is ‘a decisive thinker with infectious enthusiasm’ and Guy Hitchin is ‘a knowledgeable and thoroughly committed’ secured lending and development specialist. Additional clients include Redactive and Princetown Distillery.

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London: TMT (technology, media and telecoms)

Pharmaceuticals and biotechnology

Pharmaceuticals and biotechnology - ranked: tier 4

Marriott Harrison LLP

Marriott Harrison LLP focuses predominantly on regulatory matters, and provides 'first-rate response times' and 'value for money'. Alexander Denoon has 'excellent commercial judgement' and is 'extremely knowledgeable on non-transactional life sciences law'. Julian Hitchcock is also recommended and highly experienced in regulatory issues.

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