Emma Danks

Emma Danks is head of our UK Corporate group, co-head of our international Corporate group and a member of the UK Executive Board. 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 expertise, having acted for several companies active in these sectors on buy-side and sell-side M&A transactions (both share sale transactions and product divestments), as well as PE sponsors investing in these sectors.

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.

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CV

Since 2023 Member of the UK Executive Board, Taylor Wessing

Since 2019 Head of UK Corporate Group and Co-head of the International Corporate group, Taylor Wessing

2017 - 2023 Head of the Private Equity group, Taylor Wessing

Career

Since 2023 Member of the UK Executive Board, Taylor Wessing

Since 2019 Head of UK Corporate Group and Co-head of the International Corporate group, Taylor Wessing

2017 - 2023 Head of the Private Equity group, Taylor Wessing

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 and re-issued in 2021
PLC Cross Border Private Equity Handbook, 2010

Memberships & Associations

Fellow of the Royal Geographic Society

Awards

Legal 500 UK 2025

Featured

Legal 500 UK 2025

Chambers and Partners UK 2024

Chambers and Partners UK 2023

Experience

Advising Chambers in £400 million sale to Abry Partners

We have advised the management team of Chambers and Partners on the sale of Inflexion's investment in the firm to Abry Partners, a leading middle market private equity firm headquartered in North America.

Press release

Emma Danks

Suzy Davis

Ryan Brown

Alexandra Poland

Kayla Sinclair

Graham Samuel-Gibbon

Claire Matthews

Sally Robertson

Elliot Michaelson Taylor

Siân Skelton

Bridgepoint Growth

Advised Bridgepoint Growth on various transactions including the investment in De Havilland (and subsequent bolt-on of Forefront Advisers) and the investment and subsequent exit from one.network.

Emma Danks

Numerous Management Teams

Advised many management teams on their respective buyouts including Chambers Global (backed by Abry), United Living (backed by Apollo), Theramex (backed by Carlyle and PAI) and RoadChef (backed by Macquarie).

Emma Danks

Inflexion

Advised Inflexion on their investment into Upperton Pharma Solutions.

Press release

Emma Danks

Sarah Wallace

ATL Technology

Advised ATL Technology (backed by US PE fund Endeavour) on its acquisition of the manufacturing operations of Gyrus Medical Limited.

Emma Danks

Glenmark Pharma on the sale of its portfolio of CNS products in Poland to Neuraxpharm

Advised 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.

Press release

Colin McCall

Emma Danks

Simon Jupp

Jason Rawkins

Graham Samuel-Gibbon