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England - London • Corporate and commercial
2

M&A: Smaller Deals, £10m-£100m

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Withers LLP

More information
Withers LLP‘s corporate practice spans an array of industries including hotels and hospitality, financial services, and technology, as well as sports and entertainment, luxury and fashion, and education. With such a broad sector focus, the team is capable of assisting a wide variety of clients with high-profile and high-value transactions- both domestically and internationally. The group is particularly adept at advising on M&A, investments, and share purchases and sales, although it also has strengths in acquisition finance, refinancing, and joint ventures. Sharon Whitehouse is a key member of the department and stands out for her ’highly responsive, well-informed, and wholly dedicated’ approach to M&A, restructuring, and investments. On the divestment front, Graham Webster is the name to note, while Paul McGrath is an expert in demergers.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Accolades

Client satisfaction

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Withers are the consummate professionals. Excellence on every level - from expertise to commitment. At the corporate level, they have been outstanding and been far more efficient and effective than the counterparties' significantly larger corporate law firm. The corporate work has been delivered seamlessly from M&A to tax. I cannot recommend more strongly.’

  • ‘Phil Robinson has an outstanding commitment to excellence and drive to get the deal done.’

  • ‘Sharon Whitehouse leads a strong team - she and her team are highly responsive, well-informed, and wholly dedicated to the task in hand. Advice given is clearly expressed and succinct.’

  • ‘Sharon Whitehouse leads with discipline from a very strong professional knowledge base. The project on which Sharon worked was complex, lengthy, frustrating, and at times required very deft footwork. Sharon has been a superb partner during this process and, as one of those fronting the negotiations, I came to value Sharon’s work highly. She was a great sounding board any time of day and I trust her advice completely.’

  • ‘Hugely capable, proactive, and responsive.’

  • ‘Withers provided outstanding support. What stood out immediately was the team’s calm clarity and deep commercial understanding—they made what could have been a complex process feel seamless. Their approach was thorough without ever being overbearing, and they communicated in a way that inspired confidence from the start. What makes the practice unique is their rare combination of technical strength and emotional intelligence. We felt listened to, protected, and well-prepared at every turn. They offered smart structuring advice and always stayed ahead of timelines. Compared to other firms we’ve encountered, Withers felt less transactional and more like a true extension of our team. The collaboration across their team was clearly strong—there was never a moment where things fell between the cracks.’

Key clients

  • Galileo Global Education Group
  • EMLyon Business School

Work highlights

Advised Galileo Global Education Group and EMLyon Business School on their acquisition of Corndel College London.

Other key lawyers

Sharon Whitehouse; Graham Webster; Paul McGrath; Victoria Rodley; Mark Lynch; Phil Robinson; Fiona Giordani