Mr Tom Nicholls > Stephenson Harwood > London, England > Lawyer Profile

Stephenson Harwood’s ‘client-focused, practical’ team is well-regarded in the market for its work with listed investment funds and brokers, who instruct it to advise on IPOs, fund mergers and takeovers, secondary fundraisings, and dual listings, among other ECM transactions. The team also stands out for its ability to guide international and offshore clients through equity issuances and fundraises in the UK, with key partner William Saunders having recently advised Ashoka WhiteOak Emerging Markets Trust on its LSE Main Market IPO. In addition to working with funds and investment banks, practice head Tom Nicholls also acts for corporate issuers in sectors such as mining and natural resources on a diverse array of fundraising matters. David Dowding and Tom Page are further key contacts in the team.

The corporate finance team at Stephenson Harwood takes a multidisciplinary approach, working alongside other practices including tax, banking and finance, and technology to advise on transactions. The group has a strong industry coverage, with particular expertise in the financial services, decarbonisation, transport and trade, technology, and healthcare sectors. It has recently seen an uptick in cross-border transactions for technology businesses. Sam Gray concentrates on cross-border M&A transactions, predominantly acting for insurance brokers and clients from the financial services sector. Duncan Stiles stands out for his extensive experience assisting US companies on European-focused acquisitions, while Ben Mercer is adept in private M&A, joint ventures, and restructuring. Life sciences and biotechnology expert Anthony Clare and corporate department head Tom Nicholls focus on public and private M&A and joint ventures- including in relation to venture capital. On the healthcare front, Karima Hudson – who rejoined the team from Taylor Wessing LLP in June 2023 – specialises in advising both operators and funders in the healthcare space. Other notable names include Jonathan Bridcut and Michelle Gomes.