Mathias Loertscher > Osborne Clarke LLP > London, England > Lawyer Profile

The ‘highly responsive‘ team at Osborne Clarke LLP provides a ‘very efficient, pragmatic and cost-effective service’ to investors and investees seeking or providing financing at an early through to late stage of the investment cycle. Its longstanding presence in the market, particularly as it relates to technology and life science spin-outs, scale-ups and exits, ensures that it is able to provide ‘an excellent balance between legal and commercial expertise’, while its international footprint enables the team to excel in multi-jurisdictional mandates. ‘Intelligent’ Reading-based team head Robert Wood deploys ‘great organisational and legal skills’ to good effect for funds and companies, particularly on later stage mandates often involving investor syndicates. Leveraging his broader corporate/M&A capabilities to good effect, London-based Mathias Loertscher is a popular choice among tech-focused companies on Seed and Series A financing, as well as on investment later in the growth curve – to include advise to shareholders on exit strategies. The ‘brilliant’ Rob Hayes displays a ‘very calm’ demeanour with a particular focus and expertise in working with high growth businesses and institutional investors in the technology and life sciences sectors. Justin Starling has a strong grounding in the life sciences and healthcare sector, utilising this very capably on pure venture capital deals, as well as for university spin-outs seeking to commercialise their innovations. ‘Superstar’ associate director Elizabeth Yell  continues to gain market traction and is a firm favourite for both institutional investors and venture-backed companies as a result of her ‘incredible eye for detail whilst having the skills to drive and manage everything’. All partners are based in Reading, unless otherwise indicated.

The London hub at Osborne Clarke LLP is helmed by the Bristol-based David Ferris and Simon Smith, who leads the media group and offers significant experience in M&A, restructuring and private equity transactions for management teams, corporates, and banks. the team’s recent workload includes acquisitions and sales of businesses in the healthcare, automotive retail, and energy space. The team also has a strong offering for clients in the marketing and real estate industries. Other key lawyers include M&A and venture capital expert Mathias Loertscher, who particularly focuses on the technology sector, and Edward Persse, who focuses on M&A and investments in a range of sectors. The team has been bolstered by the arrival of Matt Lewy from Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP in September 2022, whose work is concentrated in the energy and infrastructure sector. Other new arrivals include the new head of corporate reorganisation and simplification Tom Lewis, who joined from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in November 2022. Former practice head Mark Spinner has left the firm.