Dona Ardeman > Mills & Reeve LLP > Cambridge, England > Lawyer Profile

In Cambridge, Mills & Reeve LLP houses a multi-disciplinary life sciences practice that advises on transactional issues, patents and IP, and privacy. The ‘excellent‘ James Fry leads the team, and acted for GSK on the spin-off of its consumer health business Haleon plc, having a great deal of expertise in IP licensing and distribution. Fry also notably acts for F-star Therapeutics and NRG Therapeutics. Funds specialist Dona Ardeman, corporate partner Jonathan Greenwood , employment adviser Melanie James and corporate finance expert Zickie Lim are among the key contacts for biotechnology clients.

The charities and social enterprise practice at Mills & Reeve LLP advises an impressive array of charity clients, among them the Francis Crick Institute, The Children’s Trust and the Institution of Engineering and Technology. ‘Exceptional lawyer’ and practice head Neil Burton, charity finance-focused Sarah Seed, fundraising specialist Dona Ardeman, and employment expert Nicola Brown are some of the key practitioners to note in the Cambridge office. The team stands out for its ability to ‘clearly identify risks and best approaches’. Principal associate Nathalie Jacoby-Danesh moved to Browne Jacobson LLP in April 2023.

Mills & Reeve LLP is ‘very experienced in VC-related transactions’ within the tech and life sciences sectors, acting on behalf of investees and investors, and in the latter case also often being the law firm of choice for the initial fund structuring mandate. Cambridge-based team head Zickie Lim has vast experience in the field, particularly at an earlier stage, including continuing to handle a considerable volume of work relating to university spin-outs. Also based in Cambridge, Dona Ardeman provides a holistic approach to early stage-focused funds, acting as she does on both their fund creation and subsequent transactional work. Principal associate Edward Sloan leads the firm’s efforts from the London office and is appreciated for his ‘ability to find solutions to tricky problems’ for investors and investees.