Travers Smith LLP has announced today the promotion of four lawyers to its partnership, with effect from 1 July 2017. The new partners and their principal areas of practice are:
Heather Gagen – Dispute Resolution
Heather is a commercial litigator, advising a broad spectrum of clients, including corporates, banks and private equity houses across a wide range of disputes. She has extensive litigation experience, specialising in high-value and complex commercial disputes and claims with international and foreign law elements. Her practice covers a variety of contractual disputes, including shareholder claims and fraud cases. She is also highly experienced in high-value tortious, environmental, group action and product liability claims. In addition, Heather acts for clients in contentious regulatory investigations, including for corporates and financial institutions.
Emma Havas – Private Equity
Emma has a wide range of M&A experience, in particular on private equity transactions, having acted for institutional investors, management teams and investee companies on a variety of investments and disposals. Emma’s practice focuses on advising corporates and private equity-backed investee companies on day-to-day matters, such as group simplifications, allocations of equity and compliance, as well as equity reorganisations, management incentive plans and bolt-ons. Some of her regular clients include Treehouse Group, Camden Ventures, Vubiquity, Graze, Busaba and Gaucho.
Hannah Manning – Tax
Hannah specialises in tax on private equity transactions, including MBOs, sales, debt and equity restructurings and management equity incentive arrangements, acting for private equity houses, management teams and portfolio companies. Hannah's recent experience includes advising the management team of Source Holdings Limited on its sale to Invesco UK Limited, advising 3i Plc on the sale of Environmental Services Group to Socotec, advising the management team of Tyrrells Crisps on the sale of the company to Amplify Snack Brands Inc. and advising the management team of VGroup on the acquisition of the group by Advent International.
Emma Pereira – Real Estate
Emma advises real estate funds and real estate private equity funds on high-value and complex investments, lettings and developments. Emma is highly experienced in the retail, student accommodation and logistics sectors and regular clients include Clearbell Capital LLP and Lothbury Investment Management. Recently, she advised Lothbury on the acquisition and subsequent letting of a prime logistics facility near Heathrow and is currently actively involved in Clearbell's ongoing comprehensive redevelopment of The Riverwalk in Durham. Emma was also the lead real estate lawyer on the recent £320m sale of the Pinewood Group to Aermont.
Travers Smith's Managing Partner David Patient commented:
“I am delighted to welcome four outstanding female lawyers to Travers Smith's partnership this year. Our new partners have already proven themselves to be valuable contributors to the success of their respective practice areas, and I look forward to working with them in the next phase of their careers."
Senior Partner Chris Hale added:
“We are excited not just to be able to promote these talented lawyers to the partnership, but to have our first ever female cohort of new partners. Each individual has demonstrated a strong track record of delivering an outstanding service to clients and we are confident they will each play an important part in the future success of both the teams in which they work and the firm as a whole."