Claire Armstrong > Dentons > Edinburgh, United Kingdom > Lawyer Profile
Dentons Offices

QUARTERMILE ONE
15 LAURISTON PLACE
EDINBURGH
EH3 9EP
United Kingdom
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Claire Armstrong

Work Department
Corporate and Financial Services
Position
Claire is a partner in the Firm’s Asset Management practice, dividing her time between the Edinburgh and London offices. She joined the Firm in January 2011, having been a partner with an international law firm in its London office.
Claire is a corporate finance and investment funds lawyer advising on UK and global investment funds, corporate and commercial matters including fund establishment and structuring, partnership law, listed funds, co-investments, schemes of arrangement, M&A, capital raisings, direct investments, group reorganizations and commercial contracts work. She frequently coordinates multidisciplinary teams and manages complex commercial projects.
Claire has a range of experience in advising closed-ended listed funds, in both advisory and transactional capacities. She also advises a wide range of alternative investment funds across all asset classes, including private equity, real estate, infrastructure and debt.
Claire is admitted as a Solicitor in Scotland and in England and Wales.
Career
Trained Archibald, Campbell & Harley WS; qualified Scotland 2000; Biggart Baillie 2001-08; qualified England and Wales 2008; associate Fasken Martineau LLP 2008; partner Fasken Martineau LLP 2010; Maclay Murray & Spens 2011; partner 2014.
Education
St Georges School for Girls, Edinburgh; University of Dundee (1997 LLB (Hons); 1998 Dip LP).
Leisure
Skiing; hill walking; cooking; entertaining.
Lawyer Rankings
London > Investment fund formation and management > Listed funds
Split between London and Edinburgh, Dentons‘ listed funds team is called on by REITs, fund managers and sponsors in relation to a broad range of tasks, including s. 110 mergers, prospectus launches, changes in fund managers and day-to-day regulatory issues. Leading the team together are the ‘pragmatic’ Guy Norfolk, a specialist in the structuring of investment vehicles, and Claire Armstrong, whose practice covers capital raisings and fund transactions. Owen McLennan is noted for his regulatory expertise and is also well versed in fund structuring, while Sarah Wylie handles formation, fundraising and regulatory issues under MiFID II and AIFMD, among others.
Scotland > Corporate and commercial > Corporate and commercial: Edinburgh and Glasgow
With an ‘experienced and timely’ team that provides ‘practical advice and strong knowledge across sectors’, Dentons is experienced in handling a variety of premium cross-border and UK mandates that requires M&A, PE, venture capital and joint venture counsel. The practice has expanded its remit with listed funds and asset managers, and works with clients on a growing portfolio of impact investing and major company takeovers. Team leader Brian Moore has an extensive track record in cross-border instructions, as well as public and private M&A and equity capital markets work. Claire Armstrong is a go-to name for investment funds and oversees investments in a multitude of sectors, especially the energy, infrastructure and financial services industries. Adam Knowles is equipped to act on private M&A and private equity matters, and Owen McLennan is another name of note for funds work. Diana Mennie is recommended for her ability to advise on early-stage venture capital transactions and is well versed in the tech sector, while Paul Flynn has a strong transactional and advisory offering. Iain Sutherland and Derek McCombe left the firm to join Addleshaw Goddard in October 2023.
Scotland > Finance > Investment funds
Recently advising on financial regulatory and governance mandates, Dentons acts for a variety of clients, with a particular emphasis on closed-ended listed funds; the team is also expanding its fund formation offering. Team lead Claire Armstrong is the first port of call for close-ended listed funds, and also assists fund managers and sponsors with regulatory and transactional matters. Stuart Fitzsimmons is well-regarded for his strength in financing transactions, while Owen McLennan has recently advised on impact investing and fund establishment issues for first-time managers. Sarah Wylie provides further regulatory, advisory and transactional capabilities, while Sam Smart has been involved in investment and merger mandates.
Lawyer Rankings
- Investment funds Scotland > Finance
- Corporate and commercial: Edinburgh and Glasgow Scotland > Corporate and commercial
Top Tier Firm Rankings
Firm Rankings
- Finance > Banking and finance
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Intellectual property
- Finance > Investment funds
- Real estate > Property litigation
- Transport
- Real estate > Commercial property: Edinburgh and Glasgow
- Real estate > Construction
- Corporate and commercial > Corporate and commercial: Edinburgh and Glasgow
- Employment > Employment
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Energy (excluding oil and gas)
- Finance > Insolvency and corporate recovery
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > IT and telecoms
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Projects
- Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation