The team has been involved in over 60 private equity investment transactions in the last two years acting for both management teams and private equity houses. For further information contact nicola.frost@cobbetts.com

Advice to Management Teams

• Advising the management team on the £174.5m acquisition of Ultralase (a leading UK eye laser company) by 3i plc.
• Advising the sellers/management team of Homebuy Group plc in respect of the acquisition and investment by Endless LLP
  Advising the sellers/management team of Verna Group plc in respect of its £60 million secondary buyout by Bank of Scotland Integrated Finance.
• Advising the management team of Lanes Assistance Services Limited in relation to the £12.3 million buy-out from Lanes Group plc backed by Gresham Private Equity.
• Advising the management team of Ansa Holdings Limited and Independent Inspections Limited in relation to the £19 million buy-out from Mavinwood plc backed by LDC.
• Advising the management team of Viking Moorings in respect of its £170 million secondary buy-out by HSBC Private Equity.
• Advising the management team of Intempo Digital Design (Supply to Retail – digital radios and consumer electronics) in respect of a £3 million investment by Hotbed and YFM Private Equity Limited.
• Advising the management team of Promotion Space Group Limited on the acquisition of Fitting Exposure Limited and investment by Octopus Asset Management.
• Advising the management team of clinical research specialists Synexus in respect of an £18 million public to private investment by Lyceum Capital.
• Advising Flowers Direct’s management team in relation to an investment by Zeus Private Equity.
• Advising Harrogate based oil and environmental service providers Adler and Allan Limited in respect of the £8.85 million investment by Aberdeen Asset Management (now Spirit Capital) in return for a significant minority stake in the business. The team also advised the management team in respect of enhanced banking facilities provided by HSBC.
• Advising the management team of 21Net Limited, who specialize in the development of Broadband internet solutions to trains, in respect of an investment by BIP Investment Partners & various angels.
• L3 Technology Limited management team advised in respect of an investment by Advantage Enterprise and Innovation Fund, North West Equity Fund, Jon Moulton and others.
• Advising MMIC Solutions Limited’s management team advised in respect of an investment by YFM Venture Finance Scottish Enterprise, Jon Moulton and others.
• Advising the management team of Novel Polymer Solutions Limited in respect of an investment by Environmental Technologies Fund LP, Advantage Growth Fund & Others.
• Advising the management team of Tyrrells Potato Chips in respect of the acquisition and investment by Langhom Capital.
• Advising the management teams of Fish Insurance brokers, Choicequote Group and Perspective Group in respect of investments by Modus Private Equity.
• Advising the management team of Driver Hire in connection with a refinancing by Aberdeen Asset Management (now Spirit Capital).
• Advising the management team of JBM International Group in relation to an investment by Barclays Ventures.

Advice to Private Equity Houses

• Advising Barclays Ventures on its investment in Four Seasons Control Group.
• Advising Growth Capital Partners (then Close Brothers Growth Capital) in respect of its investment in Wrap Film Systems.
• Advising Gresham Private Equity in respect of its £21 million investment in Hotter Shoes.
• Advising YFM, Chandos Fund, NWBIS and British Smaller Companies VCT plc in respect of its investment in Able Care and a subsequent bolt-on acquisition.
• Advising Key Capital Partners in respect of the acquisitions of and investments in Neville Johnson Group Limited, Templine Limited, Sabotage Limited and TSC Foods Limited.
• Advising Isis Equity Partners in respect of its investment in Software Solutions specialists CSC World.
• Advising Isis Equity Partners in respect of its acquisition and investment in Reed & MacKay Travel.
• Advising Inflexion in respect of its investment in One Advice Group plc.
• Advising The Northwest Business Investment Scheme in relation to a number of investments including Manchester Metronet Limited, Datascape Online Limited, Community Energy Trading Limited and KDC Contractors Limited (where Barclays Ventures co-invested).
• Advising Enterprise Ventures in relation to its investment in Fletcher O’Brien.
• Advising Gresham Private Equity on the £20.75 million management buyout of five businesses from Formation Group PLC including James Grant, the talent management specialists.
• Advising British Smaller Companies VCT plc in relation to its investment on the management buyout of Lightmain Company Limited.
• Advising the NWDA’s North West Interim Venture Capital Fund in relation to its investment in Fresh T Limited.

Acquisitions/Bolt-ons

• Advising Promotion Space Group in respect of its acquisition of Fitting Exposure Limited.
• Acquisition of HM Air Cooling Limited by Four Seasons Control Group (backed by Barclays Ventures).
• Acquisition of JWA Limited by Four Seasons Control Group (backed by Barclays Ventures).
• Acquisition of Berkeley Controls by Four Seasons Control Group (backed by Barclays Ventures).
• Acquisition of Brandspace Limited by Promotion Space Group.
• Advising Ellfin Home Care Limited in respect of its acquisition of Elmwood Home Care.
• Advising Esteem Systems on its acquisition of Midas IT Solutions (backed by Primary Capital)

For further information contact nicola.frost@cobbetts.com