Management Representation Expertise

ACTING FOR INDIVIDUALS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PRIVATE EQUITY

Services

Management
Representation Expertise

Restructuring of Management Incentive Plans

We founded PriestleySoundy to become the go-to law firm for individuals when, and in whatever way, they are partnering with Private Equity. We have particular expertise advising Senior Management Teams when their businesses are being bought, sold or restructured by Private Equity Houses. There are only a few lawyers in a handful of law firms who genuinely specialise in this type of Management Representation work. We also specialise in advising Founders, Senior Manager Individuals and Non-Executive Directors in Private Equity contexts. What sets PriestleySoundy apart from all other law firms is a world-class service offering which uniquely combines each of the following key elements:

Genuine independence and objectivity

Other law firms undertaking Management Representation and similar work typically do so as a subsidiary part of their wider Private Equity practices and, as a result, they also act for a number of Private Equity Houses which can give rise to actual or potential conflicts of interest or taste issues. And the imperative in law firms to cross-sell their other practices or offices does not always result in best advice being given.

Unmatched expertise and experience

Between us, we have over 55 years’ experience of working in Private Equity and especially for Senior Management Teams: no other combination of lawyers in the City (or anywhere else in the world) can match that. See our track record.

Partner care and attention throughout

The Big Law full-service law firm business model relies heavily on leveraging partners with teams of more junior lawyers: for most individuals when partnering with Private Equity, their deal could just be the greatest opportunity (and risk) of their lives need the experience and judgment of Senior Partners, always by their side every step of the way.

A client-facing, nimble, creative, super-responsive approach

Service levels vary wildly between law firms and lawyers. At PriestleySoundy this doesn’t happen, because we focus only on what we do best, we roll our sleeves up and actually do the work ourselves, and we’re very picky and fussy about how much work and what we take on at any one time.

A reputation for being unfailingly user-friendly and getting deals done

Private Equity is famously full of big egos: not just among principals but also among their advisers. We never let our egos get in the way of doing a deal, and we always do as we would be done by. We are known and trusted for always giving best advice, for fighting our client’s corner fairly and squarely, for only taking points that really matters and for always being pragmatic and looking for solutions.

An international network of clients, contacts and connections

Having worked in Private Equity for so long and in a number of the world’s leading law firms, our network is second to none. Not only do we know almost all the players, crucially we also know their markets (often better than they themselves do).

Always, always adding value

Unlike some Private Equity work, it is almost always possible for a highly-experienced lawyer to add real value when representing individuals who are partnering with Private Equity. Doing that deal after deal has helped to build our reputation, to generate repeat business and to win new mandates by word of mouth recommendations.