England - North • Corporate and commercial
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Corporate and commercial: Newcastle

Kirsty Adamson

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Weightmans

With expertise spanning M&A, private equity and venture capital transactions, as well as debt funding, the corporate team at Weightmans regularly acts for up-and-coming tech businesses, financial advisors, and wealth managers based in the region. Duncan Reid leads the team and specialises in providing corporate transactional advice to clients in the tech and financial services sector. He works closely with Paul Wigham, who has particular expertise in advising newly established companies on private equity investments. Reid and Wigham are ably assisted by corporate finance expert Nick Gray, the ‘first-rate’ Rosie Roof, and the ’very impressive‘ Kirsty Adamson, recommended for advice concerning the disposals of private companies. Strengthening the group’s commercial offering, Nathan Bilton joined the team from Ward Hadaway LLP in July 2023.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
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Profile

Position

Kirsty is a technically skilled, highly competent solicitor, offering advice to well-known businesses such as Camerons Brewery Limited, BGF, Northumbrian Water Limited and Crafter's Companion Limited on matters including acquisitions and disposals, private equity investment, general company law matters e.g. corporate governance issues, compliance and shareholder agreements.
Kirsty has experience in acquisitions and disposals of private companies with both local and national presence.
Kirsty also advises on private equity investment, including dealing with early stage investment or subsequent supplementary funding, advising both venture capital funds and companies. Kirsty has further demonstrated her business acumen within the Financial Services sector, advising on a number of mergers and acquisitions.
Kirsty has contributed content for two publications aimed at the Financial Services sector. How are advisers adapting to a changing environment? and, more recently, Fintech -Embracing the future, adapting to innovation.
Demonstrating a mature commercial awareness, Kirsty understands the environmental pressures facing the legal industry and is aware of the changing needs of the client. Delivering above and beyond the level of service the client expects, Kirsty's pride in her work ensures she goes that extra mile to understand the needs of the client and their business and enables her to deliver a service that is truly supportive of the client's objectives and the desired outcome.
It is testimony to Kirsty's legal ability that the sectors she has advised so early in her career make up an enviable list and include banking and financial services, education, utilities and energy, leisure, technology, healthcare and construction.
Kirsty's growing reputation within the market was recognised when she was named the North East's Emerging Dealmaker of the Year for 2019 at the Insider Dealmakers Awards and enhanced further by Legal 500 in which she was cited as "definitely one to watch."

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Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘They listened to our objectives, talked us through their advice and then translated it into clear actions. They were refreshingly clear and didn't over-complicate the process.’

  • ‘Very helpful team with a commercial attitude which helps to get a deal done.’

  • ‘I have worked with this team on multiple acquisitions, disposals, investment rounds, and ongoing corporate legal and HR requirements. They are a trusted business partner, highly regarded due to their knowledge, quality of work, attention to detail, and performance.'

  • 'They have a pragmatic approach to efficiently deal with any project, and the continuity of the team has been an important factor in the successes achieved of which they have played a major part. ’

  • ‘The quality of work, responsiveness, availability and a pragmatic approach to dealing with all aspects of corporate and commercial law are the main reasons we have enjoyed years of success with this team. We regard them as our number one choice on all transactions.'

  • 'Duncan Reid is an exceptional transactional lawyer who I use for all M&A and private equity work. He is excellent in his approach to getting the right result.'
  • 'Kirsty Adamson is a very impressive lawyer who competently manages the whole end-to-end transactional process. Her work is exceptional, faultless, and above all she just gets the job done.'
  • 'Rosie Roof is a first-rate corporate associate who I always request to be part of the transactional team. Very responsive, and a super safe pair of hands throughout the whole transaction process. ’

Key clients

  • Business Growth Fund (BGF)
  • Lloyds Development Capital (LDC)
  • Laurel Expert Surveying Services Limited
  • Maven Capital Partners
  • Perspective Financial Management
  • Camerons Brewery Limited
  • Northstar Ventures
  • Red Rover Limited
  • Boomfi Ltd
  • Daikin Applied Europe S.p.A (Tokyo listed entity)
  • ReciteMe Limited
  • Mercia Fund Management
  • Foresight Group LLP
  • Praesto Group
  • Perficient Inc (NASDAQ listed)
  • PW Whisper II Limited
  • Thomas Stapley-Bunten et al, the shareholders of Grid Finder Limited
  • Mysalescoach Limited

Work highlights

Advised on the £90m disposal of 85% of Correll Group, a major player in electrical engineering applied to the offshore wind energy sector, to SPIE, the independent European leader in multi-technical services in the areas of energy and communications.
Advised Northstar Ventures Limited (together with co-investors) on 21 investments representing over £32m in total investment proceeds. The investments were a mixture of follow-on investments and new investments.
Acted for Daikin Applied Europe S.p.A, part of the Japanese-listed Daikin group on its £10m acquisition of Brooktherm Refrigeration Ltd.