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  • Home
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  • Paul Thorpe
Paul Thorpe
Paul Thorpe

Paul Thorpe

Partner

  • London UK
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+44 20 7300 4111
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Paul is a partner in the Corporate team and advises strategic corporates, VC and PE funds, investors and founders on M&A processes in the technology and life sciences sectors. 

Paul is dual-qualified in England and Wales and California, and has extensive experience across a broad range of transactions, providing commercial advice informed by over 10 years of M&A advisory experience.  Recent work includes advising Zound Industries on its acquisition of Marshall Amplification, Eurofins Scientific on the sale of its sale of its Digital Testing business, and Cognism on its acquisition of the sales prospecting provider, Kaspr.  Paul has also advised a large number of FTSE 350, NYSE and NASDAQ clients on transformational M&A activity, including Ultra Electronics in relation to its acquisition by Cobham, OneSavings Bank in relation to its acquisition of Charter Court, and Shire Pharmaceuticals in relation to its acquisition by Takeda.

Paul's practice covers transactions in the fintech, gaming, pharma, retail and industrial sectors, as well as in relation to cross-sectoral disruptive technologies (including AI and blockchain).

Recent transactions include advising:

  • Zound Industries on its acquisition of Marshall Amplification to form Marshall Group.
  • Behaviour Interactive on its acquisition of SockMonkey Studios.
  • TodayTix Group on its acquisition of Secret Cinema.
  • Eurofins in relation to the sale of its Digital Testing business (€220 million).
  • Cognism on its acquisition of sales prospecting provider Kaspr.
  • Walmart in relation to its sale of ASDA to a consortium comprising the Issa brothers and TDR Capital (£6.8bn).*
  • NewLight in relation to its sale of Hyperoptic to funds managed by KKR (£500m).*
  • Shire in relation to its takeover by Takeda (£46bn).*
  • Pollen Street Capital in relation to the sale of Target Group to Tech Mahindra (£112m).*
  • CRH in relation to its sale of its European distribution business to funds managed by Blackstone (€1.64bn).*
  • Countrywide in relation to its takeover by Connells (£134m).*
  • OneSavings Bank in relation to its acquisition of Charter Court (£800m).*
  • GKN in relation to its hostile takeover by Melrose Industries (£8.1bn).*
  • Unilever in relation a partial tender offer in Unilever Nigeria (€192m).*
  • Platform Speciality Products in relation to its acquisition of Alent ($2.1bn).*
  • Rolls-Royce on an international joint venture with Safran.*

*Matter handled prior to joining Taylor Wessing.


Paul Thorpe really stood out. The absolute best, most competent, intelligent, solution oriented, cool-headed and hardworking lawyer we’ve ever worked with.”

Legal 500 UK, M&A, 2025

Expertise

Services and Groups

Corporate/M&A & capital markets
Venture capital
Private equity
Artificial intelligence
Environmental, social & governance (ESG)
Joint ventures
General corporate
Start-up advice
M&A

Sectors

Technology, media & communications
Life sciences & healthcare
Aerospace & defence
Machine learning
Our USA offering

Over the past 10 years, we've built a trusted legal team in San Francisco, focused on technology, media and communciation, life sciences and healthcare, real estate, private wealth, and private equity. Supported by colleagues in the UK and Europe, we also offer deep expertise in M&A, international growth, commercial deals, and data privacy.

Find out more

A guide to transatlantic M&A for US buyers

A guide to transatlantic M&A for US buyers

A comprehensive guide to acquiring a business based in the UK or Europe. 

Access the guide

Founders Exit Guide

Selling your business: a guide for founders and management teams

A comprehensive guide to preparing your business for sale.

Find out more

CV

Since 2023 Partner, Taylor Wessing
2022 - 2023 Senior Counsel, Taylor Wessing
2014 - 2022 Associate, Slaughter and May
2013 - 2014 Seconded Trainee Solicitor, Hengeler Mueller, Munich
2012 - 2014 Trainee Solicitor, Slaughter and May
2025 Admitted to the State Bar, California
2014 Admitted as a Solicitor, England and Wales
2012 Legal Practice Course (Distinction), BPP London
2010 Graduate Diploma in Law (Distinction), College of Law, Chester
2009 History (BA Hons), St. John's College, Durham University

Career

Since 2023 Partner, Taylor Wessing
2022 - 2023 Senior Counsel, Taylor Wessing
2014 - 2022 Associate, Slaughter and May
2013 - 2014 Seconded Trainee Solicitor, Hengeler Mueller, Munich
2012 - 2014 Trainee Solicitor, Slaughter and May

Education

2025 Admitted to the State Bar, California
2014 Admitted as a Solicitor, England and Wales
2012 Legal Practice Course (Distinction), BPP London
2010 Graduate Diploma in Law (Distinction), College of Law, Chester
2009 History (BA Hons), St. John's College, Durham University

Experience

Advising Behaviour Interactive on its acquisition of SockMonkey Studios

We have advised Behaviourâ„¢ Interactive, the largest Canadian video game studio, on its acquisition of SockMonkey Studios, an award-winning developer based in the United Kingdom.

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Philip Shepherd
Paul Thorpe
Richard Price

Paul's news & insights

View Paul's insights
Click here to find out more
Artificial intelligence

Advising Rezolve AI on formation of US$1 billion Bitcoin treasury

3 March 2025

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Corporate/M&A & capital markets

Advising Marshall Group on its transaction with new majority shareholder HongShan Capital

24 February 2025

by multiple authors

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Artificial intelligence

Advising Rezolve AI in its strategic acquisition of GroupBy Inc.

21 February 2025

by multiple authors

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