Corporate and commercial
Providing strategic counsel to European and US private equity sponsors on all aspects of cross-border M&A and disposals, McDermott Will & Schulte has extensive expertise in the manufacturing, aviation, and software spheres. Operating out of London, Aymen Mahmoud heads the practice, while Fatema Orjela brings vast knowledge on leveraged buyouts, divestitures, and joint ventures to the outfit. Eleanor West is an expert in growth capital investments and restructurings, Jason Zemmel predominantly concentrates on leveraged buyouts, and Zoe Woodhouse is well versed in handling management equity plans. Daniel Weston and Jamie Burgess joined from CMS in May 2025.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Mentions
Profile
Work Department
Corporate Advisory
Position
Fatema is an award-winning private equity partner whose practice focuses on providing strategic counsel to European and US private equity sponsors. She has pan-European cross sector experience on the full range of corporate matters, including leveraged buyouts, strategic mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, structured and minority equity investments, equity and debt restructurings, and management equity plans, as well as related advisory work.
Fatema has received acknowledgement from numerous industry ranking guides:
- Chambers UK 2024 – Ranked for Private Equity: Buyouts: £500 million and above. Sources note, “Fatema is deeply knowledgeable and infinitely approachable.” “Fatema has very high capability and the ability to be creative and think outside of the box.” “Fatema’s ability is wide-ranging and she prioritises client relationships.”
- The Legal 500 UK 2024 – Fatema has been ranked as a “Leading Individual” for Private Equity: Transactions – Mid-Market Deals. Sources note, “Fatema is an outstanding PE lawyer. We particularly value Fatema’s ability to find creative solutions in complex situations, working with clients to find viable paths forward where one is not obvious —– this really sets her apart from others in the industry. We also appreciate how dedicated she is to her clients. Fatema is always on top of both the details and the bigger picture, even at short notice. Fatema is our go-to PE lawyer.”
Fatema is distinguished by her work in promoting diversity in the legal profession. She has been included in the Class of 2021 at Law.com’s Women, Influence & Power in Law UK Awards as “Mentor of the Year” for which Fatema was the top “Outstanding Winner”.
Fatema has also been actively involved in initiatives across the City, including her roles as co-founder of “Women in Law, London” (WILL) a network with over 2,000 members across London aiming to promote and engage the next generation of women leaders in law, an Events Committee member of the “City Women’s Network” (CWN), and advisory panel member of “Oxford Women in Law” (OWL).
Read full biography here: https://www.mwe.com/people/fatema-orjela/
Content supplied by McDermott Will & Schulte
Key clients
- H.I.G. Europe Capital Partners
- Main Capital Partners
- Oaktree Capital Management
- Ampersand Capital Partners
- Bayside Capital
- H.I.G. Infrastructure
- H.I.G. Europe Middle Market Holdings
- H.I.G. Advantage
- Aldebaran Capital Partners
- Nautic Partners, LLC
- Armira Beteiligungen GmbH & Co. KG
- Verlinvest
Work highlights
Advised H.I.G. Europe on the acquisition of Rainham Industrial Services Limited.
Advised Main Capital Partners and its portfolio company Bizzdesign on the acquisition of the software business Alfabet from Software GmbH (formerly Software AG).
Advised new client Aldebaran Capital Partners, a French PE sponsor focused on complex situations, on the acquisition of Saint-Gobain’s building drainage business, PAM Building.