‘Absolutely brilliant team working at the very top end of their game.’

‘Great pan European coverage. Great experience of deals in this value range. One of the top management advisory teams in Europe.’

‘Ed Griffiths is very focused on the client’s requirements and very responsive. He gives very pragmatic and well thought out advice. Tim Wright is very experienced and exceptional at clearly explaining the issues to the client and presenting a solution.’

‘My experience with the DLA team has left me wondering why I ever used another legal firm previously. They are genuinely second to none: approachable, knowledgeable, no nonsense approach, don’t hide behind legal jargon and fight your corner to whatever extent you want them to. Nothing was ever too much trouble and I always felt they were going over and above to achieve success for us as a business and in the most timely manner possible.’

‘John Pryor remained professional and communicative at all times and looked to find compromises when it seemed there was no way forward. Tim Wright’s no nonsense approach probably precedes him but I haven’t come across another lawyer like him and would highly recommend you engage Tim and the team in any deal transaction. It really was a pleasure to work with these guys and I am delighted to be able to give such a glowing reference as I genuinely mean every single word.’

‘The team was excellent, always available and taking special care with how they handled us as clients. A real can-do attitude coupled with deep expertise. Also creative in the way that they were prepared to look into solving complex and difficult issues.’

‘A senior, tailored service. Alex Edmondson is all over what matters.’

‘Stephen Pike was particularly good on our deal. Very heavily involved and we really felt as the client that Stephen had our back the whole time which in a very demanding, competitive P/E auction process was a massive relief and advantage.’

‘The team at Travers is technically excellent, thoughtful and commercial. They are always on top of the detail, never panic and are totally reassuring to work with. Creative where relevant and I have a sense that I am an important client – how they manage to achieve this for so many clients is impressive.’

‘Ian Keefe is a truly outstanding lawyer. Qualities I ascribe to Ian are trust, competence, smarts, experience, thoughtfulness, commerciality. Jessica Cragg – working with Ian and co has seen Jess develop into an excellent lawyer and I have noticed her particular development over the last 12 months. She will likely develop into a leading lawyer in the team at Travers.’

‘My main partner contacts are Ian Keefe and Lucie Cawood. Both are very quick to respond to questions I put to them, and both are very commercial in their approach. Both stand up well to opposing lawyers on the other side of the deal.’

‘I have worked with the Travers corporate team on a number of deals, and they are about to embark on another project for me. I like the way they have two partners on each deal with split responsibilities and it provides helpful cover and continuity over time. Their service has always been high quality and timely.’

‘Highly commercial. Strong technical skills. Relationship driven – very accessible and good communicators. Good value. Fun to work with.’

‘An exceptional all-around team.’

‘Gavin Weir is an exceptional partner, with deep knowledge and understanding of the issues at hand. He has an outstanding way of finding solutions while protecting his clients.’

‘Ashurst brings excellent understanding of the commercial realities of transactions, together with excellent understanding of what we are seeking. Ashurst is able to bring creativity to find solutions to problems, both in due diligence and in negotiation and structuring.’

‘David Carter is a partner of exceptional quality. He is not afraid to tell a client when they are making a mistake, but is always sensitive to the emotions of deal-making. He is a real champion of his clients, supporting them in ways that go beyond the specific project at any time.’

‘Braeden Donnelly is thorough, knowledgeable and extremely reliable. He is commercially minded, understands when flexibility is needed and when it isn’t, and instead of simply flagging legal risks/issues he always comes with options/suggestions on how to address them, which is incredibly helpful. As an added bonus, he is lovely to work with and has a great sense of humour.’

‘Markjan van Schaardenburgh can handle multiple situations/issues which allows us to use him for more than just a specific topic. This allows for efficiencies which lead to quick responses and ultimately cost savings.’

‘Each level of the team is more competent than the last, with every layer super user-friendly. As a firm, they are as supportive and commercial with their clients as they are when in ‘deal mode’, with their superlative technical wizardry being weaved into deals with an effortless and charismatic nonchalance.’

‘The entire team was fantastic, but Braeden Donnelly and Sara Hamzawi in particular stood tall amongst their peers. The level of attention and insight into the documentation was fantastic and left us panting to keep up.’

‘Excellent team providing superb client service. Commercial, effective, problem solvers. Highly competent with a personal touch.’

‘David Carter is an exceptional legal talent. Quick, effective, creative and pragmatic.’

‘Able to blend offices and people to deliver at a sensible cost point (uses right people for right jobs rather than one size fits all). Clear and prompt billing helps us stay ahead of issues. Coverage across all key services that we needed.’

‘Nick Plant was both available and on top of the detail throughout the transaction – he also managed the wider Dentons team effectively and was authoritative in supporting our non-executive directors through the deal.’

‘Offers expertise, availability and delegation to the appropriate level. Quick response times’

‘Practical advice in terms of moving deals towards completion.’

‘Nicholas Plant is a remarkable lawyer with industry expertise and a fresh business-oriented approach. He is a reliable source to our organization and is able to connect us with other team players for our different transactions. Highly recommendable. Billing is fair.’

‘Matthew Tinger was very engaged and available. One key differentiator is that he “owns” a process and will guide the deal team/ proactively manages the process and pushes documents along. At the same time, very efficient in work scope and fair with regards to billing.’

‘Lizzy Tindall is extremely hard working and efficient. She’s been a huge asset for our firm in bridging the gap between “market” practice in US vs. UK/European LBO transactions.’

‘Combination of international reach and UK network allowing efficient support for both domestic and international transactions.’

‘An extremely hard working team. Very commercially focused. Assisted in overcoming some of non-legal challenges. Great communication and extremely trustworthy’

‘Our experience of working with Eversheds is that they are able to move quickly and are always incredibly responsive. Combined with the team’s sector experience and pragmatic, proactive approach they ensure their internal experts give swift responses and the coordination with the other advisers ensured that our part in the transaction is always extremely straightforward.’

‘In tricky situations they take time to listen to the issue, to ensure they understand it and are then efficient in researching and analysing the potential creative solutions that can be developed. There is always clear, calm communication as to what is required and they will keep working with us until the most suitable solution has been delivered.’

‘Richard Lever is responsive, knowledgable, very much focused on finding ways to help get the transaction over the line.’

‘Anthony Doolittle brings quality and breadth to Hogan Lovells.’

‘What distinguishes Hogan Lovells is a positive blend of technical skill, practical application and market knowledge’

‘John Connell is accessible, knowledgeable and practical’

‘The team (for us James West and Electra Callan) always perform to the highest standards and deliver to tight timelines. They have a unique ability to connect with their counterparties to ensure a seamless legal process and execution.’

‘James West is very strong at building relationships with opposing counsel.’

‘I worked with Perry Yam’s team at Mayer Brown on a recent UK deal. It was a super experience. They were helpful on deal process and then on a rapid escalation to get the deal nearly closed in the two weeks before Christmas. We had extraordinary access to four partners during the process’

‘I worked with Perry Yam, James West, Electra Callan and Tarun Patel. All were exceptional.’

‘Perry Yam leads the team effectively and is able to cut through complex problems. James West is highly responsive and a pleasure to work with’

‘Worked with me as a client, enabling increased efficiencies and ultimately making my life easier whilst giving me what I need’

‘Most of my work is with Alistair Francis, supported by Alex Littlefield. I lean heavily on both and find them to be commercial, pragmatic, diligent and always have the best interests of their client at heart.’

‘Great knowledge, skill and availability. They all know what’s going on so they can each ensure issues are dealt with.’

‘I trust the partners there – Jonathan Jones, Charles Leeming, James Fitzgibbon. They do things in the right way (i.e. they have morals) and they give advice, not just options’

‘Great team, worked well together, clear distinction of roles, excellent pragmatic advice’

‘Mark Yeo and Joe Abbott both excellent. Sensible pragmatic advice, always calm, worked well with PE firm lawyers, non-adversarial approach, worked very hard and always available when needed.’

‘The Squires team are extremely proactive and reactive in terms of deliverables. They also have a very commercial viewpoint and are excellent at sifting through points which need client input, taking the load on other points. Squires go above and beyond in terms of covering all considerations.’

‘Mae Salem was standout for our deal and was never phased by challenging situations with a very clear attitude of getting the deal done with the best terms for us, the client.’

‘Excellent communication / deal management and commerciality.’

‘David Milne is an excellent deal manager – incredibly responsive and measured. Paul Mann is an excellent client partner – available at all the right times. Giles Chesher has excellent PE experience.’

‘Really strong team – capable partners and high quality associates. Very commercial, strong negotiation skills, but also listened to our needs. Transparent costs too’

‘The Taylor Wessing team were highly collaborative, maintained a fantastic rhythm in their communications and advice to the management team. Explained issues and potential solutions clearly and accurately and worked diligently to explore all alternatives before moving forward. At all times personable and contactable with great response times.’

‘Emma Danks was demonstrated a deep understanding and keen eye for potential issues in all of the work streams.’

‘Successfully handling very complex deal structures and directly addressing several stakeholders with a commercial approach that made all the difference for us (a PE buy-side client). TW has an edge in today’s fast pace growth equity market – as a firm and as individuals.’

‘Taylor Wessing stands out for their understanding and avoiding getting stuck in with counterparties. Always very hands-on, professional, and positive. The team seems to be having fun as well!’

‘Expert, experienced in venture and growth equity investment rounds – they just know the business’

‘Ben Shribman – skilled, expert, calm and accommodating. A pleasure to work with.’

‘Very innovative and solution-focused’

‘Ben Shribman is excellent – very commercial, solution-focused and high attention to detail.’

‘Julian Runnicles is a rock star. He is pragmatic, commercial. A joy.’

‘If you want a top-notch, hold-their-own-against-anyone firm, then the Jones Day PE/VC team is a great call. Transparent and surprisingly reasonable on fees. Excellent strength and depth in the team. They are technically excellent, very commercial, friendly, responsive and practical.’

‘The Sidley private equity team is very strong technically, provides excellent pragmatic advice and has a core team dedicated to our relationship.’

‘Paul Dunbar is one of the team leaders, he has strong commercial judgement and provides clear pragmatic advice.’

‘They know what they are doing, they have an impressive roster of clients and they can execute just as well as the magic circle or the elite US firms. They just don’t shout about it.’

‘Eleanor Shanks is not only one of the best technical lawyers in the City but also the kind of lawyer you want captaining your ship in a storm. She knows exactly what she is doing, is graceful under (often) immense pressure and always delivers her deals on time and above expectations.’

‘Broad based team with good coverage of different industries.’

‘Paul Dunbar is a strong lawyer, provides good insights into market practice and solutions to difficult issues.’

‘Well rounded team with solid experience of the mid-market. Able to take deal features from larger deals and utilise them in smaller setting and vice versa.’

‘Adam Crossley is a fantastic lawyer; commercial, diligent and personable.’

‘They have deep expertise and understanding of private equity transactions. Solutions-driven and innovative thinking.’

‘Jonathan Pittal is a partner with decades of market knowledge. He is highly commercial. Senior associate Emily Davies is an absolute star; proactive, highly capable and excellent at explaining in plain English.’

‘Ian Ivory is exceptionally responsive and understands our concerns. Whilst an expert in his field, he appreciates the bigger picture which means he is able to deliver solutions-orientated advice. He goes over and above to provide the best possible service.’

‘Carol Osborne is a standout individual. She always delivers and provides commercial advice in an efficient manner. She is very impressive and great to work with.’

‘I have found Sophie O’Connor to be outstanding to work with – responsive, considerate, pragmatic and practical, she provided a great understanding of the management equity arrangements and group cap structure of the deal. I always feel when dealing with Sophie that my company and long term success are important to her.’

‘They offer attention to the client and market knowledge.’

‘The team is efficient and pragmatic.’

‘Danny Lee is good under pressure.’

‘People and collaboration’

‘Daniel Rosenberg is very dedicated, persuasive, hardworking and always customer-oriented. James Broadhurst is very customer oriented, hardworking and persuasive.’

‘The team were very responsive and delivered sensible advice to help us get the deal done on time and in a way which helped set up the relationship with acquiree management post acquisition.’

‘These guys are massively pro-active. They come with a range of solutions. Also, I really feel that they own the transactions. They have a great attention to detail, and I can really feel them working on our side. Also, amazing value for money.’

‘James Cross takes a great high level view, and keeps an incredibly calm head. A can-do attitude makes him a pleasure to work with.’

‘The team at K&L have been excellent in every interaction I have had with them. They go above and beyond to assist with every transaction and are always available to offer assistance. I have never reached out to the team without getting a very quick response – which is such a hugely valuable attribute during times of pressure to get deals over the line. Furthermore, the team make a real effort to understand the transaction and what it means to our business and stakeholders.’

‘The entire team has been very approachable, knowledgeable and extremely hard working in my interactions with them – always willing to go the extra mile to help us get a transaction over the line. James Cross has a calm head in all situations, especially where multiple other law firms are involved. His colleague Toby Karenowski is also a real asset to the firm.

‘Diligent, thorough and thoughtful.’

‘James Cross is great to work with. He has a strong sense of which legal issues are commercially relevant, and avoids the unnecessary point scoring seen with others’

‘Good understanding of the market and our requirements’

‘High calibre individuals on the deal team who take a very commercial approach to getting a deal done whilst protecting the interests of the buyer’

‘A great team who are always responsive, pragmatic and perceptive of how to achieve a great end result.’

‘Allison Keyse is an extremely effective and no-nonsense private equity lawyer, cutting straight to the key points with a pragmatic and cost-effective manner.’

‘Really attentive team, always on top of things’

‘Nadim – best lawyer I have ever dealt with. Calm and knowledgeable. Always know you are in very good hands with Nadim. Alex Green – very strong. Really took control of the indemnities. Joana Santos – determined, thoughtful, great at gently chasing clients.’

‘Excellent market knowledge. Flexible fee structures. Highly collaborative.’

‘James Mee and David Wallis are collaborative, available and innovative in solution findings. James in particular has excellent market contacts.’

‘Excellent industry knowledge and top rate partners who are responsive and keen to understand the commercial drivers.’

‘Paul Amiss is a safe pair of hands in a tricky situation. Both Paul and Ian Borman are easy to deal with, results oriented and good at bringing parties to the table.’

‘Depth of experience in cross border transactions, often coordinating multiple jurisdictions. Partner level attention assured throughout.’

‘Solutions orientated, with the ability to maintain a sense of humour.’

‘Highly experienced and knowledgable professionals, great availability and capable of adjusting quickly to changing deal dynamics.  Capable of sourcing know-how from wide range of practices, as needed. We were particularly impressed by Paul Amiss.’