Department profile
Private Equity: Buyouts: Up to £500 million
UK Guide 2026 : UK-wide
Rankings
Ranked Individuals
Ranked Individuals
About
Provided by Travers Smith LLP
Please visit the Travers Smith website for more information on our work in this category: https://www.traverssmith.com/services/transactional/corporate-and-ma/private-equity-financial-sponsors/
Chambers Review
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Work Highlights
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Travers Smith advised Ascential on the sale of its product design business, WGSN, to funds advised by Apax.
Strengths
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Travers Smith provides detailed technical and industry knowledge, knowledge of the business and user-friendliness.
Private Equity: Buyouts: Up to £500 million respondentUKThe Travers Smith private equity team continues to be extremely strong and continues to be supported by an excellent range of specialist lawyers.
Private Equity: Buyouts: Up to £500 million respondentUKTravers Smith has a high-calibre team, from the senior partner to the junior lawyer. The team are incredibly adept at providing pragmatic and commercial advice.
Private Equity: Buyouts: Up to £500 million respondentUK
Notable Practitioners
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Eminent Practitioners 
Eminent Practitioners Edmund Reed
Edmund Reed is highly capable on M&A on behalf of a client base of private equity funds and serves as the firm's managing partner. He is active on buyouts and exit transactions across a broad range of sectors.
His bedside manner with clients, colleagues and others is nothing short of gentlemanly, but that doesn't stop him from being a tough negotiator and an astute observer of motivations and needs.
Private Equity: Buyouts: Up to £500 million respondentUKEdmund's deep understanding of clients' businesses and extensive deal experience make him one of the best practitioners I know.
Private Equity: Buyouts: Up to £500 million respondentUK
Band 4 
Band 4 Tom Hartwright
Tom Hartwright is an established private equity partner who impresses through his assistance on large-scale transactions for high-profile clients. He is also proficient in tech M&A.
Tom is all-round fantastic.
Private Equity: Buyouts: Up to £500 million respondentUKTom puts clients and adverse parties at ease so everyone can focus on getting transactions completed and achieving their mutual objectives.
Private Equity: Buyouts: Up to £500 million respondentUKTom is very much a key trusted adviser. He is always on hand to support and guide when needed, and his advice is highly commercial.
Private Equity: Buyouts: Up to £500 million respondentUKTom is quick-witted and charming, but don't let that distract you from his keen understanding of deal negotiations and the finer points of M&A.
Private Equity: Buyouts: Up to £500 million respondentUK
Band 4 
Band 4 Will Yates
Will Yates sits as head of the firm's private equity and financial sponsors group. He displays strength advising on complex private equity and M&A transactions. He is able to assist on a range of matters, including buyouts, consortium deals and carve-outs.
Will is an excellent client-oriented lawyer and leads the team well.
Private Equity: Buyouts: Up to £500 million respondentUKWill is very commercial and pragmatic.
Private Equity: Buyouts: Up to £500 million respondentUKWill Yates is a superb and highly commercial operator.
Private Equity: Buyouts: Up to £500 million respondentUK
Ranked Individuals at Travers Smith LLP (3)
UK-wide
Edmund Reed
Private Equity: Buyouts: Up to £500 million
View profile Tom Hartwright
Private Equity: Buyouts: Up to £500 million
View profile Will Yates
Private Equity: Buyouts: Up to £500 million
View profile
Members
Provided by Travers Smith LLP
Emma Havas
Victoria Bramall
Jaryd Davidson
Jeremy Dennison
Alex Dixon
Laura Kelly
Adam Orr
Tom Hartwright
View profile of Tom HartwrightEdmund Reed
View profile of Edmund Reed
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