James is an M&A and Private Equity Partner and Head of the Private Equity group in our London office.
His clients describe him as "inspiring confidence," "proactive and very commercial" and "he gets results..."
James is Client Partner for private equity houses and international corporates and regularly leads cross-border teams on deals and helping to deliver other firm services across the world.
James has been heavily involved in the development of the Eversheds Sutherland international business representing the firm at conferences and regularly working with the international network. He has been featured in articles on private equity, retail deal activity, international transaction management and cross-border M&A in a broad range of publications including Financier Worldwide, The European Lawyer and Real Deals.
James spent nine months on secondment as Head of Legal at Specsavers where he was involved in a wide range of non-corporate legal issues in addition to fundraising and acquisitions.
James's notable transactions include:
- £13.8bn sale of the Gas Distribution business for National Grid
- secondary buyout of NRS by H2 and subsequent sale to Graphite
- acquisition of Office Depot by Aurelius
- acquisition of Forest Holiday by Phoenix Equity Partners
- £550m IPO of Charter Court Financial Services and subsequent merger with OneSavings Bank
- sale of 140 convenience stores for WM Morrison Supermarkets plc
- acquisition of Garrad Hassan for Germanischer Lloyd
- £127m public takeover of Castle Securities for Sulzer AG
- acquisition of Worldmark International for Equistone and $252m sale to CIL
- acquisition of the Gym Group for Phoenix Equity Partners
- £90m acquisition of Whitworths for Equistone
- MBO and subsequent sale of Ramesys E-Business for Lloyds Development Capital
- £1.14bn sale of Trader Media to Guardian Media Group
- a series of strategic acquisitions across Europe for Sims Metal Management and Assa Abloy AB
- financial restructuring of Gardman Group and sale to Rutland Partners
- MBO of Hancocks Cash and Carry backed by H2 and subsequent sale to Innovative Bites
- Ranked in Chambers UK 2019
- Ranked in Chambers UK 2018
- Acritas Stars Independently rated lawyer
Insights
The Impact of Foreign Investment Regimes on Private equity
Insights
Extension of Government Support Loans - British Business Bank announce new ...
Insights
Coronavirus - Private equity and the pandemic: A bitesize article series - ...
Insights
Eversheds Sutherland have advised the management team shareholders on the ...
News
Eversheds Sutherland advises H2 Equity Partners on its investment in Buttre...
News
Eversheds Sutherland advises Platinum Equity on the acquisition of E. & A. ...
News
Eversheds Sutherland advises Gresham House plc on recommended final cash of...
News
Eversheds Sutherland advises IT managed services provider Acora on new fund...