Thomas Colmer

I advise on legal aspects of deals: preparation, organisation, strategy, drafting, tactics, negotiating, reviewing, execution & completion of transactions.  My clients range from entrepreneurial founders, owner-managed or family businesses through to international corporate groups and financial investors.   I have particular experience in helping businesses internationalising (especially involving the US) or growing at pace, particularly where innovation or technology are involved, always with a focus on maximising value & managing risk.  I pride myself on providing timely, cost-effective, concise, pragmatic & robust legal advice in a commercial context that is of direct practical value delivered in a personable and dependable manner.  With +23 years of experience, I focus on:
 
* M&A - buy & sell side mergers, acquisitions & disposals of shares, assets & businesses - involving strategic/trade, financial/PE & other buyers/sellers - both domestic & international (transatlantic & cross-border)
 
* Emerging Companies & Venture Capital - fundraises, investments & strategic partnerships - especially Venture Capital, Growth Equity & Private Equity - from late seed, EIS/VCT, Series A, B, C & beyond to exit, including convertible loan notes, options, warrants & secondary sell downs
 
* Legal Due Diligence, including vendor DD & vendor assistance, coordinating specialists across disciplines & territories
 
* Joint Ventures & Shareholders' Governance, including in a fundraising, family, disputes, real estate, market entry or succession context
 
* Management Advisory & incentivisation plans, including growth shares

* Equity Capital Markets transactions particularly on AIM, including initial public offerings (IPOs), private placements, rights issues and other secondary offerings
 
* Carve Outs, Structuring & Reorganisations, including returns of capital, share exchanges, business transfers, demergers & corporate simplification
 
I have worked:
* in large and mid market international law firms;
* in-house as GC & Head of M&A leading a multi-disciplinary team for a PE-backed global FinTech software vendor; and
* at a “Big 4” practice leading the UK Legal Deals and Private Business team.
 
I regularly project manage complex deals as transaction counsel even when there is no nexus to the UK & I've worked around the globe with an appreciation of local sensitivities.