Ranking tables
Private Equity: Buyouts: Up to £500 million | UK
UK-wide
Rankings overview for Departments
Band 2
Band 3
Eminent Practitioners
Band 1
Band 2
Band 3
Alex Edmondson Macfarlanes LLP1 Years Ranked- Alex Lewis Baker McKenzie2 Years Ranked
David C Carter O'Melveny & Myers LLP17 Years Ranked
Jonathan Pittal Stephenson Harwood LLP6 Years Ranked- Lucie Cawood Travers Smith LLP4 Years Ranked
Malcolm MacDougall Stephenson Harwood LLP10 Years Ranked- Michael Hinchliffe Addleshaw Goddard LLP10 Years Ranked
- Perry Yam Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP17 Years Ranked
Tim Hewens Simmons & Simmons LLP11 Years Ranked
Tim Wright DLA Piper LLP6 Years Ranked
Tom Whelan Reed Smith LLP13 Years Ranked
Band 4
Edward Stead Pinsent Masons LLP10 Years Ranked
James Cross Hogan Lovells1 Years Ranked
James Renahan Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP2 Years Ranked
James West Mayer Brown International LLP1 Years Ranked- Jason Zemmel McDermott Will & Emery UK LLP14 Years Ranked
- Jonny Bethell Taylor Wessing LLP1 Years Ranked
Matthew Stoate Foot Anstey LLP11 Years Ranked- Nicholas Plant Dentons9 Years Ranked
Richard Bull Proskauer Rose LLP1 Years Ranked
Simon Burrows A&O Shearman9 Years Ranked- James TrevisEversheds Sutherland
All Departments profiles
Band 1
1 DLA Piper LLPPrivate Equity: Buyouts: Up to £500 million2025 | Band 1 | 2 Years RankedDLA Piper is proficient in mid-market transactions in the healthcare, real estate and retail sectors, among others. It is regularly instructed on cross-border deals, supported by its wider network of regional and international offices. The group exhibits strength in portfolio company acquisitions, LBOs and growth investments. It is also frequently engaged to advise management teams on high-value transactions.
1 Macfarlanes LLPPrivate Equity: Buyouts: Up to £500 million2025 | Band 1 | 2 Years RankedMacfarlanes is active on transactions in both the hundreds of millions and billions, with excellent credentials throughout the private equity field. It is noted for its multidisciplinary approach, which includes substantial regulatory and tax structuring expertise. The department frequently acts for management teams on high-value transactions, alongside a wider client base that includes lenders, sponsors and limited partners. It is also active in the secondaries market.
Band 2
2 Baker McKenziePrivate Equity: Buyouts: Up to £500 million2025 | Band 2 | 2 Years RankedBaker McKenzie is a strong choice for cross-border transactions, leveraging the firm's impressive global strengths to offer expertise in complex, multijurisdictional matters. It is particularly focused on upper mid-market deals, with strength in TMT, healthcare, natural resources and infrastructure. The department is complemented by expertise in ancillary practice areas, including pensions and tax.
2 GoodwinPrivate Equity: Buyouts: Up to £500 million2025 | Band 2 | 2 Years RankedGoodwin draws from a pool of established venture capital specialists to advise private equity sponsors, investment funds and emerging companies operating in the technology and life sciences arenas. It ably assists with initial fundraisings and all series financings. The firm's buyouts practice demonstrates proficiency in mid-market investments and exit transactions. Goodwin benefits from an extensive network of offices across the USA, which augments its cross-border strength.
2 Proskauer Rose LLPPrivate Equity: Buyouts: Up to £500 million2025 | Band 2 | 2 Years RankedProskauer Rose houses a strong group with capabilities across a broad range of transactional matters. It routinely handles sophisticated private equity deals across a range of areas, with particular emphasis on the financial services sector. The department is sought after by prominent private equity houses for advice on cross-border deals.
2 Travers Smith LLPPrivate Equity: Buyouts: Up to £500 million2025 | Band 2 | 2 Years RankedTravers Smith is renowned for its capabilities in the mid-market, often undertaking work for well-known funds on complex and international deals. It also has a strong reputation on the management side. It offers a wide range of complementary strengths, most notably calling upon specialist sub-practice groups dedicated to portfolio companies and MBOs.
Band 3
3 Addleshaw Goddard LLPPrivate Equity: Buyouts: Up to £500 million2025 | Band 3 | 2 Years RankedAddleshaw Goddard focuses on mid-market transactions, acting on buyouts, restructurings and refinancings. It advises both private equity firms and management teams. The department benefits from its offices throughout the UK and also has significant expertise in transactions involving sub-Saharan Africa.
3 CMSPrivate Equity: Buyouts: Up to £500 million2025 | Band 3 | 2 Years RankedCMS is particularly strong on transactions involving clients from the energy, healthcare and TMT sectors. It maintains a strong international footprint and is considered the first port of call for many on Central and Eastern European deals. The group is regularly engaged for its strength in venture capital and growth investment work, where it acts for a number of specialist investors and start-ups operating in IP-intensive industries, including life sciences and technology.
3 Jones DayPrivate Equity: Buyouts: Up to £500 million2025 | Band 3 | 2 Years RankedJones Day regularly takes on significant cross-border work, drawing upon its extensive global practice to advise on deals across Europe and the USA. It is known for its strong work on prominent real estate private equity deals, alongside wider strengths in infrastructure matters and portfolio transactions. Jones Day's clients include private equity houses, investment funds and management teams.
3 Taylor Wessing LLPPrivate Equity: Buyouts: Up to £500 million2025 | Band 3 | 2 Years RankedTaylor Wessing maintains a commanding position at the forefront of the venture capital market, calling upon a deep talent pool with a wealth of experience in the area. It advises the full spectrum of clients including start-ups, well-known technology companies and institutional investors on early-stage investments, financing rounds and exits. The department routinely engages in private equity transactions that are often cross-border and complex in nature. Its domestic offering is complemented by a network of offices across Europe and Silicon Valley to assist with international deals.
Band 4
4 Dechert LLPPrivate Equity: Buyouts: Up to £500 million2025 | Band 4 | 1 Years RankedDechert demonstrates proficiency acting for financial sponsors and investor clients on complex transactions. The group possesses the ability to advise on US legal matters out of the London office, making it an excellent choice for transatlantic deals. The group is particularly adept at advising on acquisitions, disposals, investments and take-privates.
4 Hogan LovellsPrivate Equity: Buyouts: Up to £500 million2025 | Band 4 | 2 Years RankedHogan Lovells is admired for its wide-ranging expertise, servicing numerous sectors including healthcare, energy, infrastructure, financial services and TMT. It acts for a broad spectrum of private equity houses and alternative asset managers, especially those active in the secondaries market. The group is noted for its strength in cross-border transactions, with experience in the US, EMEA and Asian markets.
4 Mayer Brown International LLPPrivate Equity: Buyouts: Up to £500 million2025 | Band 4 | 1 Years RankedMayer Brown houses a high-quality private equity team that has significant expertise on domestic and international deals. It routinely advises on sophisticated private equity matters, with particular strength on acquisitions, disposals and portfolio company transactions. Mayer Brown's clients include private equity firms, investor clients and companies in the technology space.
4 Osborne Clarke LLPPrivate Equity: Buyouts: Up to £500 million2025 | Band 4 | 2 Years RankedOsborne Clarke is prominent in mid-market transactions, often advising on deals in the financial services, real estate, digital business and energy sectors. It is also highly adept in venture capital matters, acting for investee companies and investors on financing work and equity matters. The firm's offices in London and Bristol are complemented by others in Europe and the US.
4 Pinsent MasonsPrivate Equity: Buyouts: Up to £500 million2025 | Band 4 | 2 Years RankedPinsent Masons specialises in mid-market transactions, advising private equity firms and management teams on domestic and international deals. It is noted for its extensive regional coverage, spanning London, the Midlands, the North West and Scotland. The firm offers exceptional capabilities in the energy, travel, retail and consumer sectors.
4 Squire Patton BoggsPrivate Equity: Buyouts: Up to £500 million2025 | Band 4 | 2 Years RankedWith offices in Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham and London, Squire Patton Boggs is able to draw upon a network of offices throughout the UK to advise on all aspects of private equity M&A. The team routinely handles sales, buyouts, strategic investments and portfolio bolt-on transactions. Besides its representation of financial sponsors, the group is also frequently called upon to act for management teams and shareholders.
4 Stephenson Harwood LLPPrivate Equity: Buyouts: Up to £500 million2025 | Band 4 | 2 Years RankedStephenson Harwood is a popular choice for mid-market private equity houses. The team is experienced in handling a variety of transactions including buyouts, disposals and portfolio bolt-on acquisitions. Market sectors in which the firm is particularly active include financial services, technology and education.