Emma Danks

Emma Danks is head of our private equity team and co-head of our global corporate/M&A group. She is recognised as one of the UK’s leading private equity lawyers and is described by clients as bright, commercial, and solutions focused. Emma is well known for her work with private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies, having acted on a wide range of leveraged buyouts and related transactions. She also frequently advises private equity backed management teams on buyout transactions and equity plans.

Emma also has specific life sciences and healthcare experience, having acted for several generic pharmaceutical companies on both buy-side and sell-side M&A transactions.

Emma was listed in The Lawyer's Hot 100 for 2018, and in the Legal Business feature on the City's female deal stars. Her team’s buyout expertise was recently recognised when they were named Private Equity Team of the Year at the British Legal Awards.

Show full CV Hide full CV

Career

Since 2017	Head of the Private Equity group, co-head of the International Corporate group, Taylor Wessing
2010	Partner, Taylor Wessing
2006 - 2010	Senior Associate, Clifford Chance

2001 - 2006	Associate, Clifford Chance
1999 - 2001	Trainee, Clifford Chance

More Less

Education

2001	Admitted as a lawyer, England & Wales
1998	CPE and LPC, College of Law, Guildford
1996	MA Hons Newnham College, University of Cambridge

Publications

Private Equity Exits “A Practical Analysis", October 2011
PLC Cross Border Private Equity Handbook, 2010

Expertise

Sectors Technology, media & communications Consumer & retail Real estate Life sciences & healthcare

Experience

Glenmark Pharma on the sale of its portfolio of CNS products in Poland to Neuraxpharm	Glenmark Pharma on its divestment of its CNS business in Poland including its portfolio of generics and branded generics products and the transfer of its commercial team in Poland to private equity backed Neuraxpharm, a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the treatment of CNS disorders.
Affirma Capital on its MBO of Standard Chartered Bank's private equity investment business	Affirma Capital, a newly formed, independent private equity firm owned and managed by the former senior leadership of Standard Chartered Private Equity (SCPE), on its MBO of Standard Chartered Bank's (SCB) private equity investment business. The deal was complex, involving the acquisition by Affirma Capital of the general partners and investment managers of various third party funds being spun out from within SCB, as well as the establishment of a new fund backed by ICG and incorporation of investment adviser entities in Affirma Capital's key jurisdictions.
Apotex's EUR74m sale of subsidiaries to Aurobindo	Apotex on the sale of six European subsidiaries in Belgium, Poland, the Netherlands, Czech Republic and Spain, to Aurobindo for EUR74 million. This highly complex transaction involved the share transfer of subsidiaries in multiple jurisdictions being co-ordinated and managed by our UK team. We simultaneously advised on a multitude of business separation, ongoing product supply agreements and IP licences for the European business to continue operating after being removed from the Apotex group.

Longstanding client Rutland Partners on the sale of Pizza Hut Restaurants	Rutland Partners on the sale of Pizza Hut Restaurants UK to its existing management team led by Jens Hofma (CEO). The disposal concludes an extremely successful investment for Rutland Fund II. Rutland first acquired Pizza Hut Restaurants UK (excluding the Delivery Business) in November 2012 from the global franchisor, Yum! Brands.
Pharmaceutical portfolio divestments across 24 EU jurisdictions	Teva Pharmaceuticals Europe BV on its divestments of portfolios of generic pharmaceutical products (approximately 260 medicinal products) in 24 EU jurisdictions to multiple purchasers, in addition to advising Teva on the divestment of certain parts of its business. The divestments were a condition enforced by the European Commission to approve Teva's USD40.5 billion acquisition of Allergan plc’s global generics and have been run as a competitive auction process, resulting in five asset sales.
Notemachine on a GBP205 million refinancing and recapitalisation	Notemachine Limited on its refinancing and recapitalisation with GBP205m unitranche and revolving credit facilities provided by Ares and Barclays Bank plc.

More Less

Awards

The Lawyer Awards 2020	Corporate team of the year - work with Affirma Capital, coordinating a multi-faceted cross-border private equity transaction
IFLR 1000 2020	Notable practitioner: Private equity, M&A (UK)
Legal Week British Legal Awards 2019	Private Equity Team of the Year (Transactional) - Affirma Capital on the acquisition of Standard Chartered's private equity business for GPB790m
Chambers UK 2020	Leading individual - Private Equity: Venture Capital Investment (Band 3)
Chambers UK 2020	Leading individual - Private Equity: Buyouts: Mid-Market (Band 3): Emma Danks heads the firm's private equity team and is sought after by domestic and international houses, and their portfolio companies, to assist in a range of transactions. A client says: "Emma is good at thinking through what protections you need, how to approach things and thinking through to solutions."
Legal 500 UK 2020	Leading individual - Corporate and commercial: M&A: mid-market deals, £50m-£500m
Legal 500 UK 2020	Leading individual - Corporate and commercial: Private equity: transactions
The Lawyer’s ‘Hot 100 Listing’ UK 2018	Named as one of the top 100 lawyers in the UK
Chambers UK 2018	Leading individual - Private Equity (Buyouts) (Band 4): Emma Danks "goes the extra mile" for her clients, which include both corporates and leading private equity houses. Her practice encompasses M&A work, LBOs, MBOs and work for investee companies.