Mark Wesker > Osborne Clarke LLP > Bristol, England > Lawyer Profile

Osborne Clarke LLP’s capital markets offering has an extensive track record in AIM transactions, and is well-versed at acting on a full range of mid-market deals, with noted expertise in IPOs, secondary offerings and public M&A. Financial services, technology, media & communications, life sciences, and healthcare and energy are among the sub-sector expertises of the practice. Head of equity capital markets Jonathan King has over 25 years of experience advising on all forms of public company equity financings and public M&A transactions. Ed Nisbet has experience advising public companies and investment banks on all forms of corporate finance and public M&A transactions. Seasoned financial services partner Mark Wesker is also recommended.

Described as a firm that ‘genuinely understand how to work with early stage businesses‘, Osborne Clarke LLP assists clients ranging from small innovators to multinational corporations on a range of regulatory and transactional mandates.  The broad-based fintech practice, which has seen an increase in instructions in relation to buy-now-pay-later matters, is additionally well equipped to handle cryptoassets disputes and tech procurement mandates. Regulated lending specialist Nikki Worden – who co-heads the fintech practice – is praised for her ability to ‘balance technical know-how with an understanding of how things need to get done.’ Fellow co-chair Mark Wesker advises on takeovers, IPOs and fundraising deals, while international payments practice head Paul Anning is particularly active in the US payments market. Rachel Couter excels in financial services regulatory investigations, while Tom Try specialises in corporate transactions. Receivables financing expert James Tarleton, regulatory specialist Paul Harris and the ‘highly responsive’ Ben Player are also recommended.

Highly regarded for its ‘technical expertise combined with strong commercial awareness’, Osborne Clarke LLP regularly works on big-ticket, cross-border transactions, notably within the tech, financial services, and energy sectors. Particularly well-versed in renewable energy and cleantech deals, practice head David Ferris handles acquisitions and divestitures for a host of tech sector companies. Private equity chair Alisdair Livingstone is a key port of call for a number of mid-market PE houses seeking assistance on multi-jurisdictional deals – particularly with a strong transatlantic aspect. Mark Wesker anchors the team’s financial services and fintech sector offering, while Sarah Knight’s corporate expertise is concentrated in the infrastructure sector. Damocles Merry – who was promoted to partner in May 2022 – is noted for his focus on aerospace matters. James Taylor specialises in VC and PE-driven technology work.