Robert Wood > Osborne Clarke LLP > Reading, England > Lawyer Profile

An M&A, private equity, and venture capital powerhouse, Osborne Clarke LLP in the Thames Valley advises across a broad range of industries, with specific sector expertise in TMT and healthcare and regularly handling multi-jurisdictional transactions. The latter is a focus area for practice head Sara Valentine who is ‘exceptional in all respects‘. Greg Leyshon is renowned for his corporate practice, particularly his understanding of private equity deals. A specialist in venture capital transactions, Robert Wood is a go-to for investor syndicates. The firm’s management advisory group is led by Mike Freer, a safe pair of hands for management teams on buy-outs, buy-ins, and exits.

With seven core venture capital partners spread across the firm’s London, Bristol and Reading offices, as well as being able to draw upon a sizeable presence in Europe, Osborne Clarke LLP has the strength-in-depth to handle a huge range and volume of purely domestic and cross-border mandates for a balanced roster of investors and investees. Led by ‘excellent’ Reading-based partner Robert Wood, the firm is active throughout the investment life cycle where it is able to ‘combine exceptional legal ability with a very commercial and practical approach to getting the deal done’, particularly on transactions within the technology and life sciences sectors. Particularly focused on TMT-related transactions, London-based Mathias Loertscher has a strong reputation acting for both funds and companies raising venture and growth capital rounds, as well as for shareholders of venture-backed businesses on their exits. Combining excellent technical skills alongside an ‘incredible commercial approach’, Reading based Rob Hayes has made a strong impact to the practice following his relatively recent arrival from Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP, partcularly in the context of life sciences mandates. An ‘absolute rising star’, Reading-based associate Elizabeth Yell has also impressed since joining from Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP and provides ‘commercial and practical‘ advice.