Expertise

Why JLL?

The firm is owned and led by Jim Lavery who has nearly 30 years transactional experience as a corporate lawyer concentrating on general M & A work and private equity transactions.

Involved in all types of corporate finance transactions, Jim is well versed in acting for vendors, purchasers, financial institutions and management teams. His principal areas of practice include mergers & acquisitions, MBOs, MBIs, IBOs, private equity transactions and joint ventures. As a consequence he brings an experienced, balanced and rounded approach to negotiations.

He is listed in Chambers in the top tier of corporate finance lawyers in the Midlands and has been nominated “Midlands Corporate Lawyer of the Year” by Insider magazine on five separate occasions.

Recent expertise:

• Acting for the Management of GenDenon a (circa) £30m creation of a dental platform supported by August Private Equity

• Acting for the selling management of a group of vet practices backed by Foundation Investment Partners on final negotiations prior to sale of the group to IVC for £20+m

• Acting for Meadow Foods on two acquisitions of milk and dairy product companies (value undisclosed)

• Acting for two transport consultancy companies in relation to their sale by the funding shareholder to the companies management

• Acting for the management shareholders on a sale of a group of vet practices on a secondary buyout backed by Ares Capital. The outgoing investor was August and the value was £300+m

• Acting for management of an aerospace  manufacturing company on the negotiation of investment terms with Core Capital.

• Advising Goodrich Corporation on the £30m acquisition of Crompton Technology Group, and on the €330m acquisition of Microtecnica.
• Advising Scripps Network Interactive on the £340m, acquisition of Virgin Media’s stake in UKTV and on the acquisition of Travel Channel International for £65m.
• Advising E.ON on the acquisition of Green Sky Energy for an undisclosed consideration.
• Advising Specialist Computer Holdings on the disposal of its distribution business to Tech Data for £220m.
• Advising Metal & Waste Recycling since 2006 on numerous acquisitions and re-financings.
• Advising the shareholders of Epyx on the sale to Fleetcor for a consideration of £190m.
• Advising RJD Partners and management in respect of the disposal of IPES, one of the UK’s largest private equity fund administrators, for £50m to Silverfleet.
• Advising Lotus Bakeries on their acquisitions of Natural Balance Foods and Urban Fresh Foods
• Advising GE Power & Water on the acquisitions of Monsal and IMT Filters
• Advising the institutional shareholders of Stadco on its disposal to Magna for £90m
• Advising the shareholders of GVA Holdings on the sale of GVA to Bilfinger

A ‘key individual’ in the UK edition of Chambers  described as “experienced and very capable”, Jim is “renowned for his work in the private equity space. Interviewees commend him for his ability to spot the big issues in a deal, while at the same time not missing the details.”

In the last three years Jim has acted for private equity Houses such as Equistone, Livingbridge, Sovereign Capital, August PE and RJD Partners as well as numerous management teams on a variety of acquisitions, disposals and new investment business. In addition Jim has also led DLA Piper teams acting on acquisitions and disposals for major corporates including Alstom Transport, Cameron International, E.ON, Specialist Computer Holdings, Lotus Bakeries, Watts Industries, GE Power & Water and Scripps Networks Interactive.