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My experience

I have over 30 years of experience in acting for buyers, sellers and investors in management buy outs, merger and acquisition work and private equity and angel investment work. This has included acting for companies (often private equity backed) on a buy and build strategy with their pipeline of target acquisitions, managing due diligence projects, as well as working with family companies, particularly those on a growth projective, including:

  • incentivising key management with share incentive plans such as EMI Options;
  • dealing with external funding and investment;
  • grooming companies for sale;
  • managing succession;
  • advising on exit scenarios for shareholders.

Other areas of expertise:

  • shareholders agreements and articles of association;
  • investment agreements;
  • employee ownership trusts; and
  • share buy backs.

Whilst I have a wealth of legal experience, my skills of problem solving, trouble shooting and project management are also key to facilitating  clients’ objectives when it comes to M&A work. Having also built up a portfolio of roles as a trustee and non exec director on a number of boards,  I understand what boards need to know, what commercial risks they need to see as being addressed, and how important it is to express that in a clear and concise way – with no jargon. I am very clear that lawyers are not just there to process – we also need to add value to what our clients are doing.

I have been consistently recognised by Legal 500  for more than 8 years as a Leading Individual and am now a member of the Hall of Fame for the region for corporate finance work.

I also received the Deal Maker of the Year Award for 2022 in the Finance Monthly Deal Maker Awards 2022.

I hold the following posts:

  • Chair of Governors  – Peter Symonds VI form college, Winchester – an OFSTED rated Outstanding college with nearly 4,500 students aged 16-18 as well as an adult education division
  • Trustee  -Royal Artillery Centre for Personal Development, a Forces charity which provides functional skills, apprenticeship and professional and personal development training and assessment to soldiers.

 

Insights from Amanda Brockwell

National Security and Investment Act 2021 Review: What You Need to Know

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Understanding the advantages of growth shares for employers and employees

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Goodwill and the Investment Firms Prudential Regime: Understanding compliance for UK holding companies and how a group reorganisation may help

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Hillier Nurseries acquire Rosebourne Ltd

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How I’ve helped our clients

Amanda and Claudia were recommended to us as highly effective commercial advisers to lead the legal team and process, and we found them to be just that. They added real value to the process and the deal terms and worked seamlessly with us as sellers, as well as our other professional advisers to make the deal happen. I would recommend them and Paris Smith unreservedly.

Graham Carter, MS & Shareholder
AutoLogic Systems Ltd

Working with Paris Smith has been a breath of fresh air. From the moment we made our initial enquiry through the completion of several different projects, we have been kept informed throughout each process and have always felt confident in the information and advice we have been given. We continue to work with Paris Smith on a number of business projects and now consider their team part of our own.

Jacqui Greene, Head of Business
Encompass Surveys Ltd

Amanda is hands down the best corporate lawyer I have ever worked with. She is responsive, commercial, helps guide us in our business development with solid advice and knows exactly what we want from purchasing a business. We hardly need to give any instruction other than “crack on” and she and her team deliver - every time. We are a PE backed, acquisitive, business so we are demanding and demonstrative. She never flinches, takes everything in her stride and is the epitome of professionalism. Arezou Rezai - working with Amanda Brockwell is also absolutely stonking - alongside Amanda she just makes things happen extremely quickly.

Lorna Hayes, MD - Churches Fire

When UKPS needed to find a corporate lawyer for a transaction, they chose Paris Smith from a short list of experienced city and provincial firms. Paris Smith won because of their personal touch, attention to detail and the ability to get the shareholders comfortable with the fact that they would be a valued client. In the transaction process, against a city firm, Paris Smith proved their worth. Their experience in deals of our size, and the dedicated team, ensured that UKPS and its shareholders were able to hold their own in the contract negotiations and got the best possible outcome. From partner level down, everyone at Paris Smith was approachable and supportive at all hours. I would highly recommend them to others.

James Trumper, FD - UK Power Solutions
UK Power Solutions

These were key acquisitions for us and enhance the portfolio of services we can now offer to a wide range of sectors. Amanda and the team at Paris Smith became an integral part of our deal team and provided great commercial, practical and legal advice within tight timeframes. We would recommend the team whole heartedly.

Jim Darragh, Chief Executive - Totalmobile

I worked closely with Amanda Brockwell and Claudia Mihai at Paris Smith who formed part of the team of professionals who guided me through the sale process, something I had no previous experience of. Collaborative team work and a problem solving approach were instrumental to the smooth running of the negotiations and the successful completion. I cannot recommend them highly enough.

John Millett
Orange Chemicals Ltd

A referee said "She offers very strong technical support and attentive client service."

Chambers & Partners 2023 - Referee Comments

Amanda is very approachable, hugely experienced and knowledgeable. She is always able to spot things that others don't and is really insightful.

Chambers and Partners Legal Directory 2022

Amanda Brockwell is knowledgeable across a wide scope of corporate and commercial work. She acts for a broad clientele of corporates, private equity funds and venture capital investors. "She is so incredibly switched-on to our market sector that she adds true value above and beyond her remit."

Chambers & Partners Legal Directory 2021
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