Emma Danks

Emma is Head of our UK Private Equity team and Co-Head of our global Corporate/M&A group. She's recognised as one of the UK's leading private equity lawyers. Clients describe Emma as bright, commercial, and always willing to go the extra mile. As well as acting for private equity sponsors, she's well known for advising management teams on buyout transactions.

Over her career, Emma has worked with many of the leading European and international private equity houses and their investee companies on a wide range of leveraged buy-outs and related transactions. Emma also has specific life sciences and healthcare sector experience, having acted for several generic pharmaceutical companies on both buy-side and sell-side transactions.

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

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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

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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

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.
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.

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Awards

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.