TMT (technology, media and telecoms)
Consistently advising on the entire life cycle of a company’s business, spanning from incorporation through to exit, Shoosmiths LLP is highly regarded for its knowledge in investment rounds and seed fundraisings. The firm’s track record in overseeing IPOs and multi-jurisdictional series financings is especially strong, with the team showcasing a solid focus on the fintech, medtech, and cleantech industries. The practice is headed by Alistair Hammerton and Alastair Peet in Birmingham, alongside London’s Steve Barnett, each specialising in acting for growth capital investors and major corporations. From Birmingham, Helen Burnell is highly knowledgeable in sustainable infrastructure transactions, while Belfast’s Grant Edwards primarily assists private equity houses and management teams. In Birmingham, Charlotte Cannell concentrates on the AI and cyber fields, and London’s Kat Hornsby is also cited as a key port of call.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Profile
Work Department
Corporate
Position
Steve is a partner in the corporate team at Shoosmiths specialising in advising companies and investors on venture and growth capital investments, mergers and acquisitions and other corporate transactions, mainly in the technology sector.
Prior to joining Shoosmiths in March 2017 Steve was a member of the Technology Companies Group in the London office of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, where he regularly completed 20 - 30 investment and other transactions per annum.
Examples include:
- Acting for a money transfer service provider on its series A and series B investment rounds which raised around $140m in aggregate.
- Acting for a machine learning company on its significant series A investment round.
- Acting for a company in the online advertising sector on its series seed and series A investment rounds.
- Acting for a US-headquartered fintech impact investor on various investment rounds.
- Acting for a UK-focussed institutional seed investor on various investment rounds.
- Acting on numerous angel investment rounds.
- Acting for a cloud services provider on its sale to private equity.
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Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘The team has been a leader in the venture capital ecosystem from the outset. It has a deep knowledge of venture capital transactions, markets and the players and law firms within it.'
'Highly responsive, commercially focused support across the full lifecycle of our investments. Their deep understanding of the venture capital landscape—combined with strong technical execution—makes them a trusted partner from term sheet through to completion and beyond.'
'The team brings a calm, solutions-driven approach to deal negotiations, is adept at managing multiple stakeholders, and consistently delivers to tight timelines. They also provide valuable insight on market norms, fund structuring, and regulatory considerations.'
'This team focuses on delivering excellent service in a highly collaborative manner.'
'The team at Shoosmiths for the VC practice is excellent. Strong and timely communications.'
'I’ve been consistently impressed by the quality of their work and their client-focused approach. What really sets them apart is how closely they partner with us to understand our commercial objectives – they’re not just great lawyers; they’re trusted advisors who care about our success.'
'The team’s sector-specific expertise and practical mindset make a real difference in helping us navigate complex legal issues.'
‘Alastair Peet is one of the top VC partners in the city. He is a calm, proactive and practical.’
Key clients
- Amadeus Capital Partners Limited Promethean Particles Limited Argo Natural Resources Limited (t/a DEScycle) Lakestar DTCP Growth Equity III SCSp SICAV-RAIF Supercede Technology Ltd Clean Growth Fund and Eurazeo (Smart City Fund) Clean Growth Fund and UCL Technology Fund Mustard Seed Venture Fund Semble Technology Limited Artal International S.C.A and Invus Twenty7Tec Group Octopus Ventures
Work highlights
Advised Lakestar on its lead investments in Doccla as part of a £35m series B and Vertice as part of a $50m series C.