Specialising in complex, high-value corporate transactions, Dentons has amassed extensive experience assisting multinational businesses with public and private M&A, disposals, and investments, as well as spin-offs, corporate real estate, and restructuring. Its breadth of expertise and cross-border capabilities have amassed an impressive and expanding client roster which consists of notable names from a wide array of sectors such as automotive, professional services, and technology, among others. Darren Acres co-heads the practice alongside Jayne Schnider and specialises in advising US companies looking to acquire UK, European, and African entities. Schnider stands out for her skill handling business combinations. The department also benefits from the aptitude of multijurisdictional transaction authority Neil Nicholson, who concentrates on publishing and outsourcing M&A. Another key practitioner in the group is private M&A expert Joseph Collingwood, who focuses on the technology, sport, and manufacturing sectors.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'Pragmatic, very structured, highly technical, and ran a very smooth process. The team's use of Legatics was a revelation and allowed us to efficiently track hundreds of documents exchanged to enable the transaction.'
- 'Clear communication, efficient transaction management and deep technical expertise allowed us to have full belief and reliance on our legal counsel, who were a pleasure to deal with.'
- 'The team stands out for its ability to combine deep legal expertise with strong commercial acumen, allowing them to navigate complex M&A transactions with a clear understanding of business priorities. They are highly effective under intense time pressure, maintaining complete control and visibility across all workstreams and coordinating seamlessly with multiple stakeholders. Their negotiation style is pragmatic and solution-oriented, ensuring progress without compromising on key legal protections. Compared to other firms, the team’s ability to operate as an extension of the client’s in-house function is a key differentiator — they anticipate needs, pre-empt potential roadblocks, and provide clear, actionable advice rather than lengthy theoretical analyses. This approach significantly reduces transaction friction and delivers real value to the client.'
- 'Darren Acres is exceptional in combining strategic vision with hands-on deal management. He has an outstanding ability to cut through complexity, identify the real commercial drivers, and guide negotiations towards workable, win-win outcomes. Darren’s calm authority under pressure, coupled with a sharp grasp of both the legal and business aspects, inspires confidence in all stakeholders. He is also highly responsive, ensuring that key decisions are supported by timely, precise advice.'
- 'The team is diverse and experienced, we chose them because of their presence in many of the jurisdictions that the transaction involved and their ability to advise on the various aspects of the transaction (employment, tax, property-related issues, antitrust and intellectual property etc.) A conscious effort to involve a team of varying experience and costs so that the less complex, more administrative follow-up matters are handled by the more junior team members (and these were competent and diligent individuals).'
Key clients
- Informa plc
- Capita plc
- Jacobs Solutions Inc
- Grid Dynamics
- Univar Solutions LLC
- Sigma Capital Group plc
- PRS REIT plc
- Harrison Street Real Estate Capital LLC
- Aprirose Limited
- St James Holdings Ltd
- Trevipay
- Premier Foods plc
- BGL
- Dye & Durham
Work highlights
Advised Jacobs Solutions Inc. on the spin-off of its Critical Mission Solutions and Cyber & Intelligence government services businesses, and the merger of those businesses with Amentum Parent Holdings LLC to form an independent, publicly traded company called Amentum Holdings, Inc.
Advised Capita plc on the sale of its standalone software business Capita One to Orchard Information Systems Limited.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Joseph Collingwood
Practice head
Darren Acres; Jayne Schnider
Other key lawyers
Neil Nicholson; Joseph Collingwood