Goodwin > London, England > Firm Profile

Goodwin > The Legal 500 Rankings

Investment fund formation and management > Real estate funds Tier 1

Goodwin is highly active in the private equity real estate arena, with it raising a number of funds on behalf of top institutional fund managers such as NREP and Ares. Its team’s expertise includes high-value core, value-add and opportunistic funds investing across the full range of real estate assets, with heavy involvement from European and US investors. The group’s multijurisdictional regulatory and tax expertise is also notable. Samantha Lake Coghlan, who remains prolific in fund formations for the firm’s longstanding clients, co-heads the practice with Justin Cornelius, who has further developed the team’s client portfolio since his arrival from Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP in mid-2020. David Evans specialises in pan-European fund structuring and investments, while another senior associate to note is Bhargavi Mudakavi, who advises sponsors and investors on private equity and debt real estate fund formations and joint ventures.

Corporate and commercial > Corporate and commercial: Cambridge Tier 1

Goodwin has established a firm foothold in the Cambridge market since hiring a vastly experienced team from Taylor Wessing LLP in early 2020. The firm has a globally recognised technology and life sciences practice that advises private and public companies, both high-growth and well established, on major corporate transactions, fundraising and commercial licensing matters. Licensing and regulatory partner Tim Worden, equity financing expert David Mardle and IP commercialisation specialist Malcolm Bates are all highly regarded. Senior associate Adam Thatcher and counsel Elizabeth Rhodes are both recommended for advice on venture capital and M&A transactions in the technology and life sciences sectors.

TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Biotechnology Tier 1

US firm Goodwin opened a Cambridge office in 2019, bringing the strength of a global life sciences practice to the region's innovation hub. The firm acts for private and public companies in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and healthcare industries, as well as for the leading life science venture capital and investment firms who invest in them, and in 2020 its market-leading work included advising Moderna on its proprietary mRNA-based Covid-19 vaccine. Established local partners Malcolm Bates, David Mardle and Tim Worden, formerly of Taylor Wessing LLP's Cambridge office, are ably supported by counsel Elizabeth Rhodes and associate Talitha Shkopiak.

TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Intellectual property Tier 1

US firm Goodwin set up in Cambridge in 2020 with a series of eye-catching hires; the team now provides both domestic and international clients with a full suite of services, among which the development, protection and enforcement of IP portfolios is a prime focus. Since joining from Taylor Wessing LLP, Malcolm Bates and Tim Worden have built a strong presence for the firm in the life sciences IP market, with work for prestigious clients on licensing matters, commercialisation, patent strategy and IP due diligence in financings, acquisitions, IPOs and collaborations. Associate Georgia Powell handles non-contentious IP and commercial matters, with a focus on the life sciences, technology and healthcare sectors.

Corporate and commercial > M&A: lower mid-market deals, £50m-£500m Tier 2

A remarkable year for the life sciences and technology sector has seen the team at Goodwin acting on a myriad of high-value transactions that play squarely to its sector strengths. The team is jointly led by Europe chair David Evans and the highly experienced life sciences specialist Graham Defries. Splitting his time between London and Cambridge, Andrew Harrow routinely leads on UK and cross-border deals for biopharma and technology clients. Andrew Davis is a further key figure for tech and life sciences clients. Real estate specialist James Spence is another key name; fellow real estate specialist Joe Conder left for Mayer Brown International LLP in spring 2021.

Corporate and commercial > Private equity: transactions - mid-market deals (up to £250m) Tier 2

Goodwin‘s City private equity team  is reaping the benefits of significant expansion in recent years. The firm added a team from Sidley Austin LLP led by Christian Iwasko  and Erik Dahl in September 2020, having already recruited James Grimwood, who previously led the private equity team at CMS, earlier on that year. It has extensive experience acting for buyout houses, porfolio companies and family offices in acquisitions and investments, as well as regularly advising management teams. The team is led by Richard Lever, with  Gemma Roberts another key partner name to note.

Corporate and commercial > Venture capital Tier 2

With a ‘real commitment by the firm to UK venture‘, as a result of numerous high-profile hires in recent years, the team at Goodwin has made a sizeable impact in the market for both investors and investees, which leverage its ability to provide ‘commercially strong and business-focused advice’. While the practice has also been active on purely domestic mandates throughout the funding lifecycle, it has been particularly effective in leveraging the firm’s strong US heritage. The ‘sharp and personable‘ Ali Ramadan is ‘able to cut through the noise to give pertinent advice’ to start-ups, high-growth companies and investors, including in the proptech space. ‘Excellent’ Cambridge-based associate Adam Thatcher  is also recommended as a result of his balanced company and investor side practice across the technology, healthcare and life sciences sectors. David Mardle leads the practice. Sophie McGrath is well regarded for her ‘unbeatable knowledge and experience‘ in the life sciences and technology industries.’

Investment fund formation and management > Private funds Tier 2

Goodwin‘s broad funds practice encompasses mid-market and bulge bracket private equity fundraising, infrastructure and debt fund expertise, and an active secondaries offering. The London team is integrated with its US and Luxembourg offices, allowing it to handle complex cross-border mandates. Practice head Michael Halford advises major private equity clients on fund structuring and operations, with a particular focus on GP-led restructurings, while Ed Hall advises on fundraisings, co-investments, and fund of fund arrangements for a combination of private equity and infrastructure funds. Ravi Chopra co-leads the firm’s secondaries practice, with Ajay Pathak noted for his work on regulatory issues and spin-outs, and Shawn D’Aguiar handling innovative social impact, emerging markets, and sharia-compliant work. Counsel Benjamin Yeoh advises on fund formation, structuring, and investment matters.

Industry focus > Hospitality and leisure Tier 3

Goodwin's fast-growing leisure and hospitality practice acts for a roster of clients including equity and debt investors, alternative lenders and high-net-worth individuals, as well as major global brands and hotel and resort owners/operators. In addition to the team's well-established financing, management, branding and development expertise, it has expanded into dispute resolution, financial restructuring and technology licensing work for clients in the sector. Real estate partner and sector lead Matthew Pohlman advises on the acquisition, disposition and financing of hospitality assets. With close links to the firm's US practice, the London team offers good global transactional insight.

Industry focus > Life sciences and healthcare Tier 3

Goodwin is recommended for its work with emerging life sciences companies and with venture capital and investment firms, handling early stage financings, M&A, strategic collaborations and licensing transactions.  IPOs and fundraisings for listed and private companies are an area of particular strength, as are complex biotech deals, with the practice having significant experience of international mandates. Graham Defries advises a range of biotech companies, pharmaceutical companies and investors. He jointly chairs the team with venture capital expert David Mardle and IP and licensing expert Malcolm Bates.

Real estate > Commercial property: investment Tier 3

Since its London launch in 2008, US firm Goodwin has forged a reputation as a ‘go-to team for the most complex transactions’. David Evans chairs the wider European practice from the London base and his team works alongside the wider firm’s finance, regulatory, tax and funds departments to provide a one-stop shop for transactions. James Spence is the key contact for real estate-related M&A deals and the department saw two new partner-level arrivals over the past year with investment fund expert, Justin Cornelius, joining from Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP and finance specialist Richard Semple making the switch from Kirkland & Ellis International LLP.

Corporate and commercial > Private equity: transactions – high-value deals (£250m+) Tier 4

Goodwin's London buyout team has grown significantly in recent years. In May 2020, the practice was joined by James Grimwood, who previously led the private equity team at CMS, with the firm following this up in September with the addition of a five-partner team from Sidley Austin LLP  led by Christian Iwasko and Erik Dahl. These partners joined an existing team, led by Richard Lever, that advises on acquisitions, exits and secondary transactions across a range of sectors. In addition to advising PE houses, the team also acts for management on mandates. Gemma Roberts is another name to note.

Real estate > Property finance Tier 4

With 13 offices situated globally, the 'strong, partner-led' real estate finance team at Goodwin has particular experience in debt-related transactions, mezzanine financing and CMBS loans both domestically and abroad. Practice head Paul Lyons is active in the debt and fund financing arena, advising borrowers and lenders. The team has benefited from the recent additions of Richard Semple, who joined the firm from Kirkland & Ellis International LLP in October 2020, and Geoff O’Dea, who joined from Baker McKenzie in March 2021.

Corporate and commercial > Corporate tax Tier 5

Goodwin's tax team displays a strong level of expertise in the private equity, real estate, technology and life sciences sectors. Practice head Laura Charkin is a recognised fund tax practitioner, while Robert Young has a strong background in the technology and life sciences space, and Katie Leah focuses on the tax elements of real estate transactions and private equity work. Key changes to the team includes the arrival of Dulcie Daly from Kirkland & Ellis International LLP in March 2021.

Finance > Acquisition finance Tier 6

Goodwin has recently made some notable hires on the debt finance side, including that of Hugh O’Sullivan  who joined in April 2021 from Kirkland & Ellis International LLP, enabling it to be better equipped to advise the firm's growing roster of private equity clients. Simon Fulbrook  provides 'level headed and pragmatic advice' and 'understands the key commercial points that matter to a private equity sponsor'. 

Finance > Corporate restructuring & insolvency Tier 7

Goodwin's nascent restructuring practice continues to go from strength-to-strength and, despite its relatively compact size, is picking up some notable mandates for a range of stakeholders at every stage of the restructuring cycle. Much of this work flows from a growing roster of fund clients turning to the firm to provide 'efficient and effective solutions to problems', whether it be in the context of their distressed investment strategies, driving a restructuring process or for private equity portfolio companies on the debtor side.'Willing to make innovative suggestions and not just follow a set formula', team head Simon Thomas has a vast amount of credibility among fund and IP clients.

Dispute resolution > Banking litigation: investment and retail

TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > IT and telecoms

Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: premium

East Anglia > Corporate and commercial > Corporate and commercial: Cambridge

East Anglia > TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Intellectual property

East Anglia > TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > IT and telecoms