Lawson Iley

Lawson advises on complex cross-border mergers and acquisitions, including private equity, restructurings, and joint ventures, with experience spanning telecoms, media, financial services, biosciences, agribusiness, and regulated sectors.

• Acted for a Swiss private equity company on its acquisition of a UK plc holding an electronic money licence.
• Advised a UK/US-based media company on a £375m reduction of capital and restructuring, and subsequent acquisition of a cycling events company.
• Advised a NYSE-listed Russian mobile telecommunications company on a series of major acquisitions of mobile and broadband assets, IP acquisitions and operating licences.
• Advised a Russian investment fund on the acquisition of a majority stake in a German insurer.
• Advised a Russian farming group on its $50m acquisition of a Russian refined sugar producer and the $60m issuance of preference shares to a Russian institution.
• Advised two US bioscience funds on a $100m joint venture with a Russian state-owned tech fund for the development of nano-vaccines.

Lawson advises on company disposals, share sales, share buybacks, and equity fundraising, acting for shareholders, private equity funds, and corporates across sectors including pharmaceuticals, logistics, media, recruitment, consultancy, and financial services.

• Advised the shareholders of a digital logistics company on their partial disposal to a mid-market UK private equity fund.
• Advised a Russian private equity fund on a $220m disposal of a pharmaceutical company to a Finnish listed healthcare company.
• Advised the shareholders of a UK management consultancy on their disposal of shares to a US corporate buyer.
• Advised shareholders on the disposal of their shares in a UK television production company and the introduction of a growth share scheme.
• Advised a major Russian tour agency on its disposal to and joint venture with Europe’s second-largest tour operator.
• Advised shareholders on their disposal of a London-based recruitment company to a high-net-worth individual.
• Advised a NYSE-listed juice/dairy company on a $470m buyback of publicly listed shares and ADRs.
• Advised a UK plc online investor platform on equity fundraising by way of open offer to existing shareholders.

Lawson advises on corporate restructurings, reorganisations, and debt and equity refinancings, with experience spanning healthcare, digital consultancy, shareholder arrangements, and complex governance issues in both domestic and cross-border contexts.

• Advised a private healthcare company on its equity and debt refinancing, and subsequent reorganisation.
• Advised a UK digital consultancy on its restructuring, shareholders agreement and new consultancy arrangements.
• Advised a UK/US-based media company on a £375m reduction of capital and restructuring, and subsequent acquisition of a cycling events company.

Lawson advises private equity funds and portfolio companies on growth investments, buyouts, and cross-border transactions.

• Advised an international software security company on its $49m growth equity investment from a US private equity fund.
• Acted for a Swiss private equity company on its acquisition of a UK plc holding an electronic money licence.
• Advised the shareholders of a digital logistics company on their partial disposal to a mid-market UK private equity fund.
• Advised a Russian private equity fund on a $220m disposal of a pharmaceutical company to a Finnish listed healthcare company.

Lawson advises on energy and natural resources transactions, including acquisitions, disposals, supply agreements, and due diligence, acting for international investors, public companies, and state-owned entities across power generation and utilities sectors.

• Advised a Russian investment holding company on a $90m transfer of power generation assets.
• Advised a UK publicly listed healthcare group on its US$90m supply agreement with a Russian state energy company.
• Advised Baiterek Venture Fund in carrying out due diligence investigations on a UK energy company.
• Advised Kazakhstan Utility Systems LLP on the acquisition of two Kazakh heat and power generation companies, Ust-Kamenogorsk CHP and CHP Sogrinskaya, from NYSE-listed AES Corporation.

Lawson advises international and regional investors, exploration companies, and industrial groups on acquisitions, project structuring, and capital raising in oil and gas transactions, investments, and fundraising.

• Advised a Russian petrochemical firm in its acquisition of an Austrian liquid gas wholesaler.
• Advising Devonian Petroleum Ltd, a Kazakh oil exploration group on structuring, initial investment and US$30m fundraising.
• Advised Devonian Petroleum Ltd, a Kazakh oil exploration group on structuring, initial investment and US$30m fundraising.
• Advised Kazakh fund, DBK, on a proposed US$3m investment into Kazakh oil industry equipment group.