The Legal 500 > United Kingdom - Solicitors > London > M&A: lower mid-market deals, £50m-£500m

Addleshaw Goddard handles complex corporate M&A in both the mid-market and high-end spaces, working for blue chip clients including Barclays, Diageo and SSE. The integrated nationwide team affords the firm a strong bench strength, channelled through the London office, where Andrew Rosling heads the M&A team. Rosling is an experienced M&A partner, holding  relationships with a number of the firm's key clients, with a particular focus on the retail and consumer goods sectors. Head of the London corporate team, Mike Duggan's expertise lies in the financial services sector, and he manages the firm's relationships with banking clients and financial institutions. Also recommended is Graham Cross, who regularly advises both investors and management teams in connection with all stages of the investment cycle, together with portfolio management issues. The firm hired James Dawson this year, previously of Macfarlanes LLP, who has notable experience working with start-ups in the technology sector.

DLA Piper uses its multi-jurisdictional platform to advise clients on cross-border transactions in various key sectors. These include TMT, in which practice co-head Jon Kenworthy is especially experienced, and consumer goods, in which fellow co-head Robert Bishop has been notably active. Bishop recently advised Unilever on its acquisition of UK snacking brand Graze from the Carlyle Group. Rob Salter has  a focus on corporate real estate transactions, and has worked with FTSE100 clients including DS Smith.  Following the departure of private equity specialist Anu Balasubramanian to Paul Hastings LLP, Chris Arnold was promoted to DLA's partnership, while Martin Nelson-Jones was  hired from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP in the infrastructure-related M&A space. The firm also brought on board Tracey Renshaw from Clifford Chance, who has extensive experience in M&A transactions in the oil and gas sector. Charles Severs is an experienced M&A practitioner, especially in cross-border deals for listed public companies.

Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP advises national and international clients on cross-border M&A transactions, acting for corporates, financial institutions and private equity firms. The firm's global reach facilitates this multi-jurisdictional approach, with the London office operating as a hub for advising clients. Key sectors for the firm include energy and infrastructure, industrials, real estate, TMT and financial services. Head of department Richard Moulton is especially experienced in the latter two, in addition to acting for private equity clients. Although the firm saw Sebastian Orton leave for Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP, the team was bolstered by the hire of Stewart Womersley from Addleshaw Goddard, a specialist in real estate transactions, covering both indirect real estate and real estate funds. Co-chair of cross-border M&A, Roger Johnson, is also recommended.

Pinsent Masons LLP has a broad international M&A practice, focused predominantly on cross-border deals within the energy and infrastructure, manufacturing and technology, healthcare, retail, financial services and real estate sectors. Across these sectors, the firm has handled complex mandates, facilitated through a strong international presence, in addition to US lawyer expertise, especially in the capital markets and securities areas. As part of this  push into US law, the firm recently recruited Roberta Markovina from Herbert Smith Freehills LLP, an expert in the US securities space. The firm also hired Madhu Jain from Linklaters LLP, who is highly experienced in the insurance sector, and has a strong track record acting for clients in transactions by way of both share and portfolio transfer. The department is headed by John Tyerman, who divides his time between the London and Birmingham offices.

Simmons & Simmons handles corporate transactional and advisory work for financial institutions and asset management clients, as well as corporates in the TMT, healthcare and life sciences sectors. The firm has also developed a Brexit specialism in relation to M&A activity, and has offered the UK Government transactional advice. A further area of interest has been shareholder activism, where Simmons has worked with clients including Elliott Advisors on structuring transactions and guidance on methods of both public and private engagement with directors and shareholders of listed companies. Examples include the firm's advice to Elliott Advisors in relation to its holding in Sky and the two competing offers by 21st Century Fox and Comcast, as well as the implications of the merger between 21 Century Fox and Walt Disney. The firm operates from both London and Bristol, with Giles Dennison heading the practice in the City.

McDermott Will & Emery UK LLP handles a broad spectrum of corporate transactions, invariably of a cross-border nature. Work is driven through the London and US offices primarily, with the firm's Italian, German and French offices also involved in cross-border mandates. The team has a notably strong reputation in the life sciences and healthcare sectors, and acts for a number of high-profile clients in these areas, as well as in the energy and consumer goods sectors. Practice head Nick Azis advises clients on public and private M&A, in addition to corporate finance and joint ventures, with a particular nod to overseas markets in Africa. One commercially significant mandate saw Lisa O’Neill  assist Praxair on its €5bn disposal of the majority of Europe-based businesses to Taiyo Nippon Sanso; the deal was necessary from an antitrust and regulatory perspective to secure Praxair's merger with German industrial gases company Linde.

Squire Patton Boggs offers a national corporate M&A practice, with its London team part of an offering that also includes Leeds, Manchester and Birmingham. This allows effective handling of complex domestic mandates, while the firm's extensive international network means that multi-jurisdictional work is equally well facilitated. Cross border work is on the increase, with the firm taking on outbound investment work, often with a private equity angle. Key sectors include media, energy and utilities, recruitment, sport, healthcare and financial services. Robert Bray heads the corporate practice as well as the financial services team. The firm's international scope was further strengthened with the hire of Nimi Patel from Herbert Smith Freehills LLP, whose role is to help develop the India practice in the London office.

Stephenson Harwood's corporate M&A team is noted for its capability to advise clients across a range of sectors. These include healthcare and life sciences, corporate real estate, in which the firm has advised US and European clients, and insurance and  financial services, in which the team has acted for continental European clients. The firm uses its network of international offices in conjunction with cross-border alliances to facilitate multi-jurisdictional work, spearheaded by lawyers' expertise in those markets. Practice head Duncan Stiles is recommended for his experience working with US clients, while Andrew Edge heads the corporate department, and is experienced across the whole range of corporate transactions, including public and private M&A and equity fundraisings. The firm re-hired former partner  Marc Hammerson from Akin Gump LLP . Hammerson primarily handles M&A transactions in the energy and infrastructure sector.

Taylor Wessing LLP's corporate M&A team combines the firm's private equity, corporate finance and corporate technology practice, working with large international clients on the full range of corporate work. Over the past twelve months, this has included public and private mergers, acquisitions and disposals, leveraged buyouts and public-to-private transactions. The corporate technology practice focuses exclusively on transactions within the TMT sector, and the London office works closely with international offices in tech hubs on these cross-border matters, including Silicon Valley, Paris and Singapore. Also of note is the firm's activity in the hotels and leisure sector, which has seen significant year-on-year growth. David Mardle co-heads the international corporate group, as well as leading the UK corporate practice from the Cambridge office, and predominantly focuses on M&A transactions in the technology and life sciences sectors.

Bird & Bird LLP predominantly acts for technology clients on corporate M&A matters, with a number of supporting panel appointments for clients in the TMT sector. In tandem with this, the team has acted for a number of start ups and fast growth clients with venture capital investment and early-stage M&A. The team is headed by Matt Bonass, who has particular experience in both public and private M&A in the energy and sports sectors, as well as negotiating joint venture agreements. Associate Richard Bloomfield focuses on technology, communications and energy, and is experienced in cross-border M&A. The firm hired James Baillieu from Norton Rose Fulbright, who brings life sciences sector expertise in addition to clients within the pharmaceuticals sector.

The corporate M&A team at Fieldfisher has been focusing more on key target industries recently, in line with the firm's wider strategy. Focus sectors now include technology, media and telecoms and energy and natural resources. In the technology space, the team has advised both UK and US clients on inbound and outbound investments, including Silicon Valley-based companies. In the energy sector, the team works predominantly with AIM-listed clients on fundraising and strategic transactions, including emerging markets clients. Andrew Blankfield heads the team in the London office, which also works with the firm's Birmingham and Manchester offices on transactions. These regional teams are led by Chris Hill and David Bowcock, a recent arrival from Brabners LLP, respectively. In addition to Bowcock in Manchester, the firm hired Brian Chadwick from Cooley (UK) LLP and Matthew Williams from Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe (Europe) LLP in London. Chadwick is a dual qualified UK/US lawyer with a strong focus on the technology market, underlying the firm's drive in this sector. Williams has extensive experience advising energy and infrastructure clients on commercial transactions, with a particular focus on renewable and conventional power facilities.

Mishcon de Reya LLP acts for both public and private companies, as well as institutional investors and family offices - a product of the firm's well-regarded private client practice. The team has been taking on more international mandates, particularly in the technology sector, which has been a strong area of growth over the past year. A decrease in client confidence and inbound investment into the UK has signalled some slowdown in real estate M&A work, although this area continues to be strong. Hospitality has been largely unaffected, and continues to provide work and new clients, including Minor International. Practice head Nick Davis has a broad client base but is best known for his work in the  recruitment services sector.

Morgan, Lewis & Bockius UK LLP focuses on the life sciences, technology and energy sectors, regulatory acting for such clients from the emerging markets as well as the UK. Despite a slowdown of Chinese investment into the emerging markets, the volume of transactions in the energy and natural resources sector has remained high; with the London office collaborating with colleagues in Kazakhstan and Europe on emerging markets work. In the life sciences and technology sectors, the firm advises both blue-chip clients and early-stage growth companies on strategic transactions and divestments. This is aided through a strong US presence, facilitating transatlantic M&A work. Practice head Thomas Cartwright is active across the firm's focus sectors, working closely with private equity firms, sovereign wealth funds and family offices. The firm made a number of hires from Herbert Smith Freehills LLP to further boost its international scope, adding a partner trio, including private equity specialist Mark Geday  and  Tom Wozniak, who is experienced in Russian corporate matters.

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe (Europe) LLP's corporate M&A practice handles work across a broad range of sectors. In particular, the team has been active in the technology and media sectors, in the UK, US and continental Europe; where it collaborates closely with Paris. In addition to working with the firm's US offices the London M&A team,  headed by Shawn Atkinson, also has US qualified lawyers. Recommended lawyers include Jinal Shah, whose corporate M&A and private equity practice spans the energy and infrastructure, technology and financial services sectors. The 'oustanding' Yolanda Yong, a senior associate in the team, advises on predominantly cross-border transactions, with a strong focus on energy and infrastructure matters. There has been some movement in the team, with a couple of departures offset by recent arrivals such as  Daniel Wayte  and James Connor, from Milbank and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP respectively, who have experience in M&A for client including buyout houses.

Burges Salmon LLP has a strong footing in the domestic M&A market, advising clients from both its London and heritage Bristol office. Increasingly, the firm is also acting on international mandates for established clients, using its network of preferred firms to facilitate. Notable sector specialisms include food and drink, energy, particularly nuclear and renewables, and hotels and leisure, in which clients are predominantly from the south west. Richard Spink heads the firm's corporate finance group, and focuses on corporate transactions and reorganisations, with a particular emphasis on private equity clients.

Cooley (UK) LLP is best known for its technology and life sciences sector expertise, and handles corporate M&A for clients within these areas. Much of the work is private M&A for large TMT and pharmaceuticals corporations, with the firm utilising its strong US presence in transatlantic mandates. Justin Stock is managing partner of the London office, and is most active in M&A, corporate finance and private equity matters.

Gowling WLG's corporate M&A practice handles national and international transactions through partners with deep sector expertise. Key sectors of note are real estate, life sciences, healthcare, energy and manufacturing, with each sector spearheaded by individual partners. The overall corporate team is led by Sunil Kakkad . Given the firm was formed through the merger between legacy Canadian firm Gowlings and UK firm Wragge Lawrence Graham, many mandates are cross border, with the firm developing its mid-market client base  on both sides of the Atlantic.

HFW's key recognised sector strengths are transport, energy and infrastructure, and insurance, within which the firm handles corporate M&A transactions. Work carried out by the London team invariably carries cross-border considerations, and the team is able to call on colleagues in Singapore, Paris, Dubai, Hong Kong and Sydney, in particular. Furthermore, the firm recently opened an office in Abu Dhabi and formed  alliances with an energy firm in the US and Brazil-based CAL, adding further strength to its cross-border offering.  The London team is led by Nick Hutton, while the ports and terminals and infrastructure teams are headed by Alistair Mackie, who retains an important role in the firm's M&A capabilities.

RPC's corporate team  primarily acts across three key sectors: retail, insurance and technology. In the insurance sector, the firm has seen notable growth in private equity-driven deals, and the growth of the corporate practice has mirrored that of the private equity practice. With four offices across Asia and the UK, the London team closely collaborates on domestic mandates with the Bristol team, as well as working in conjunction with the Hong Kong and Singapore offices, particularly in technology sector M&A. In addition, the firm offers a dedicated due diligence team focusing on corporate transactions. Corporate head Karen Hendy has expertise in private M&A, joint ventures and listed company work, in addition to handling complex restructurings.

Arnold & Porter's London office predominantly handles corporate M&A work in the life sciences sector, one of the firm's core sectors. Within this area, the firm works for blue chip pharmaceutical companies on investments, divestments and strategic acquisitions, often in collaboration with the US offices and the firm's  highly rated life sciences regulatory teams. The London team also regularly handles M&A work in the technology sector, and is additionally developing a growing M&A practice in the sports sector.  Practice head Jeremy Willcocks is experienced across corporate M&A, private equity and equity capital markets work, and advises on share transfers, joint ventures and debt capital markets transactions.

Clyde & Co LLP's corporate M&A team advises clients on strategic alliances, joint ventures, acquisitions and corporate compliance across key sectors of expertise, including real estate, marine, energy and natural resources and professional services. The international nature of the firm means that clients are both domestic and international, instructing the team on cross-border mandates across Europe, Asia and emerging markets. The team is led by Simon Vere Nicoll  , who advises both public and private companies on corporate finance transactions, including private equity-backed acquisitions.

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP's London office handles work across both the public and private markets, with a particular nod to activist investors. The team works closely with offices in the US, in addition to handling international components spanning the Middle East and Asia. Key sectors include technology, energy and natural resources and financial services, all of which department head James Campbell is experienced in. His practice covers M&A, joint ventures and corporate finance, in addition to acting on fund formation and private equity. The team was bolstered with the arrival of Gavin Watson from Dechert LLP, where he headed the international oil and gas team.

Withers LLP is best known for advising on IP-rich transactions, particularly in the luxury brands, sport, pharmaceuticals and technology sectors. Within these, clients range from individuals and family offices to large corporates, with work often cross-border. The most notable recent development is the firm's merger with technology boutique JAG Shaw Baker, which expanded Withers' expertise in this sector and added a number of new clients, as well as additional partners, including the co-founder of JAG, James Shaw. The corporate practice is headed by Paul McGrath.