About
I am a corporate partner based in our Oxford office. Our team supports clients on the whole life cycle from start-up, growth funding through to exit. We have a commercial approach and focus on what is important to our clients. We build strong, long-lasting relationships and combine legal expertise with emotional intelligence. Our clients range from start-ups and high growth companies to larger listed companies as well as successful entrepreneurs. I particularly enjoy helping entrepreneurs achieve a successful exit to a larger buyer. I am a father to Henry and Charlie (teenagers!) and enjoy cycling, skiing, nature, technology and travel.Organisation
Content
PENNINGTONS MANCHES COOPER ADVISES THE SHAREHOLDERS OF OXLID ON ITS ACQUISITION...
The corporate team at Penningtons Manches Cooper has advised the shareholders of UK-based OXLiD on its acquisition by AIM listed Anglo-Australian battery innovator, Gelion.
PENNINGTONS MANCHES COOPER APPOINTED AS LEGAL ADVISOR TO ADVANCED RESEARCH +...
Penningtons Manches Cooper’s Birmingham and Oxford offices have been appointed as legal advisors to the Advanced Research + Invention Agency (ARIA), a new R&D agency built to unlock scientific and technological breakthroughs to benefit everyone.
PENNINGTONS MANCHES COOPER ADVISES THE SHAREHOLDERS OF MACHINE VISION TECHNOLOGY SPECIALISTS...
The corporate team at Penningtons Manches Cooper has advised the shareholders of machine vision technology specialists Industrial Vision Systems on its acquisition by Oxford Metrics PLC (LSE: OMG).
PENNINGTONS MANCHES COOPER ADVISES HUTANO DIAGNOSTICS LIMITED ON ITS SALE TO...
The corporate team at Penningtons Manches Cooper has advised Oxford-based Hutano Diagnostics Limited, an innovative, quantitative, multiplex point of care testing platform, on its sale to EDX Medical Group PLC.
PENNINGTONS MANCHES COOPER ADVISES ADVANCED SATELLITE TECHNOLOGY COMPANY OPEN COSMOS ON...
The corporate team at Penningtons Manches Cooper has advised Open Cosmos on securing its $50 million Series B funding round led by Trill Impact, A&G and ETF Partners.
Seminar invitation – Data strategy: latest updates and horizon scanning on...
Oxford | Date: Tuesday 19th September | Time: 9:30am -12:30pm | Venue: Worcester College, Walton Street, Oxford, OX1 2HB
PENNINGTONS MANCHES COOPER ADVISES WORLD-LEADING MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY COMPANY ORGANOX ON £25...
The corporate team at Penningtons Manches Cooper has advised OrganOx on a £25 million growth round led by Lauxera Capital Partners, with support from existing investors.
PENNINGTONS MANCHES COOPER ADVISES CIBUS FUND II ON ITS ACQUISITION OF...
The corporate team at Penningtons Manches Cooper has advised Cibus Fund II (Cibus), the specialist sustainable food and agriculture fund, on the successful acquisition of Alba Trees Limited.
PENNINGTONS MANCHES COOPER ADVISES LEADING PROVIDER OF TESTING, CONSULTING, INFORMATION, AND...
The corporate team at Penningtons Manches Cooper has advised Smithers, a leading provider of testing, consulting, information, and compliance services, on its acquisition of ResChem Analytical Limited.
PENNINGTONS MANCHES COOPER ADVISES SOURCE HEALTH ECONOMICS ON ITS SALE TO...
The corporate team at Penningtons Manches Cooper has advised Source Health Economics, an agency specialising in health economics and outcomes research, on its sale to SCIRIS.
PENNINGTONS MANCHES COOPER ADVISES CELLERON THERAPEUTICS ON THE COMPLETION OF ITS...
The corporate team at Penningtons Manches Cooper has advised University of Oxford spinout Celleron Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company advancing a pipeline of precision medicine drugs for advanced cancer indications, on the completion of its merger with Argonaut Therapeutics to form IngenOx Therapeutics.
PENNINGTONS MANCHES COOPER ADVISES SIMPLY SUSTAINABLE ON ITS MAJORITY INVESTMENT FROM...
The corporate team at Penningtons Manches Cooper has advised the shareholders of Simply Sustainable, a London-headquartered ESG and sustainability consultancy known for its deep sustainability expertise, on the majority investment from Agathos Management LLP, a lower mid-market private equity firm.
PENNINGTONS MANCHES COOPER ADVISES SIXWORKS ON THEIR INVESTMENT FROM CHILTERN CAPITAL
The corporate team at Penningtons Manches Cooper has advised SixWorks, a rapidly growing designer and implementer of specialist and complex IT solutions for highly secure critical risk environments within the public sector, on their investment from Chiltern Capital.
PENNINGTONS MANCHES COOPER ADVISES SELOXIUM ON ITS SPIN-OUT FROM OXFORD UNIVERSITY
The corporate team at Penningtons Manches Cooper has advised Seloxium on the completion of its spin-out from Oxford University and initial seed funding led by Oxford Science Enterprises in cooperation with Oxford University Innovation, the university’s technology transfer office.
PENNINGTONS MANCHES COOPER ADVISES SEEDRS ON $100 MILLION ACQUISITION BY REPUBLIC
The corporate team at Penningtons Manches Cooper has advised Seedrs, Europe’s leading online private investment platform, on its completed acquisition by Republic for $100 million. This is a landmark transaction which creates a business working globally to transform the world of private investment. Seedrs recently celebrated its ten year anniversary having facilitated over 1,700 campaigns […]
Protecting your business – spot the warning signs and take early...
This article looks at some of the issues to consider when dealing with companies that are either insolvent or on the brink of insolvency and how to protect your business.
Penningtons Manches Cooper teams recognised in IAM Patent 1000
It’s great to see our IP, IT and commercial team recognised in the latest IAM Patent 1000. The firm is recommended in the transactions category, while four individual lawyers – Rachel Bradley, Lisa Page, Chris Shelley and Dr Duncan Curley – are also recognised. Rachel, Lisa and Chris are recommended for transactions, and Duncan for […]
Penningtons Manches Cooper advises Titian Software on majority investment from Battery...
The corporate team at Penningtons Manches Cooper has advised shareholders of Titian Software, a leading sample management software solution provider to the life sciences sector, on the significant, majority investment from Battery Ventures, a US technology-focused investment firm.
Penningtons Manches Cooper seek Cyber Security Firm of the Year
We’re delighted to sponsor the Cyber Security Firm of the Year category at The Business Magazine’s Thames Valley Tech Awards.
Introducing Chris Shelley, Head of Life Sciences at Penningtons Manches Cooper
Chris Shelley is an IP, commercial and competition partner and Head of Life Sciences at Penningtons Manches Cooper LLP (PMC).
First Light achieves world first fusion result, proving unique new target...
First Light Fusion (First Light), the University of Oxford fusion spin-out, today confirms it has achieved fusion. The UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) has independently validated the result.
Gender bias in the workplace
8th March marks International Women’s Day. This year’s campaign theme is #BreakTheBias, and its focus is on ‘creating a world free of bias, stereotypes and discrimination, and creating gender equality in workplaces, communities, schools and more’.
£2.6 million pre-seed funding for next generation virus diagnostic company OxDX
The corporate team at Penningtons Manches Cooper has advised OxDX on the completion of its spin-out from Oxford University and its £2.6 million pre-seed funding. The funding will be used to develop its AI-powered diagnostic technology, which will be used to improve the speed, cost and accuracy of diagnostics worldwide.
Bramble Energy’s £35 million Series B financing round
The corporate team at Penningtons Manches Cooper has advised Bramble Energy on the completion of their £35 million Series B financing round.
First Light Fusion’s $45 million Series C financing round
The corporate team at Penningtons Manches Cooper has advised First Light Fusion on the completion of their $45 million Series C financing round.
Penningtons Manches Cooper advises medtech business Orthox on $12.5 million Series...
The corporate team at Penningtons Manches Cooper has advised Oxford University spin-out Orthox Limited on the completion of a further $4.3 million (£3.2 million) to close its $12.5 million (£9.2 million) Series A financing round.
Corporate team advises on sale of AI spinout to Meltwater
The corporate team at Penningtons Manches Cooper has advised the selling shareholders of Oxford spin-out DeepReason.ai on its acquisition by leading media intelligence SaaS provider Meltwater BV for $7.3 million in a combination of cash and Meltwater equity including earn-outs. The DeepReason.ai team will join Meltwater.
More than just a storm in a Yorkshire teacup – Why...
Yorkshire County Cricket Club (Yorkshire) has been in the headlines recently following serious allegations of institutional racism. These allegations come in the wake of the findings that former Yorkshire player, Azeem Rafiq, was subjected to racial harassment and bullying during his time at the club which allegedly led him to consider taking his own life.
PENNINGTONS MANCHES COOPERS CORPORATE TEAM ADVISES ON MAJOR CROSS-BORDER LIFE SCIENCES...
The Penningtons Manches Cooper corporate team has advised the shareholders of ATDBio on its sale to NASDAQ Stockholm listed Biotage AB. The purchase price was approximately £45m on a debt free and cash free basis. ATDBio was founded in 2005 by Professor Tom Brown (Snr), one of the world’s leading nucleic acids chemists, Dr Dorcas […]
Women, Leadership & Money | Hubs Live
In this session of Hubs Live, members had the opportunity to hear from Alison Haill, Heather Carter, Caroline Van Zyl and Helen Wright about their experiences as women in leadership positions.
Landlords take note – Oxford renews its scheme for houses with...
In the last few years, the UK’s growing population, coupled with a housing shortage, has led to more and more renters sharing a property in urban areas. The management of such properties, however, has not always been regulated.
Oxford’s workplace parking levy: Share your views
B4 and leading law firm Penningtons Manches Cooper have today launched a short survey to test the sentiment of the Oxford business community around plans for a workplace parking levy in the city.
“Do I Not Like That”
The late, great Graham Taylor must have been muttering this phrase from above recently as the 12 European ‘Football Giants’ – hereafter forever known as the ‘Giant Greedy Bastards’ – gave birth to the most ill-conceived and short-lived ‘grand plan’ there has ever been – the European Super League (ESL).
“Do I Not Like That”
The late, great Graham Taylor must have been muttering this phrase from above recently as the 12 European ‘Football Giants’ – hereafter forever known as the ‘Giant Greedy Bastards’ – gave birth to the most ill-conceived and short-lived ‘grand plan’ there has ever been.
“Do I Not Like That”
Charlie Shillito, Richard Rosser, Nick Humphreys and Brendon Cross discuss the fallout from the recent European ‘Football Giants’ ill-conceived and short lived ‘grand plan’.
PENNINGTONS MANCHES COOPER ADVISES ON £18 MILLION MANAGEMENT BUYOUT
The corporate team at Penningtons Manches Cooper has acted for the founding shareholders of Pareto FM in the recent £18 million management buy-out of the Oxfordshire-based facilities management business. The management buy-out was backed by private equity firm NVM. Pareto was founded in 2014 with the aim to create the most service focused, customer centric, […]
Coronavirus: Is the roadmap to easing lockdown restrictions a road to...
Directors of companies have been facing, and continue to face, extremely challenging circumstances due to the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The decisions they have taken through the pandemic to date have been made against a backdrop of unknowns: unknown closure durations, unknown projections and uncertain futures.
The 9 Building Blocks For Recovery
We’re definitely not out of the woods yet but we’re certainly in a position to start ‘cautiously’ planning for the future. Representatives from B4’s Professional Services Hub got together to discuss what advice they’re giving their clients to build the foundations for recovery and what they’re doing in their own businesses to get in shape to hit the ground running.
Overcoming Our Biggest Challenges
It’s been almost a year of turbulence, a year like no other, certainly a year none of us will ever forget. But, as days turned into weeks and the weeks turned into months, the realities of a new business world came into view. When would we see our colleagues again? Would we ever be together under the same roof? Can our business survive this? When B4 members from the Professional Services Hub got together recently, the stand out concern for them was the wellbeing of their colleagues.
Unconscious bias
In December 2020, the Cabinet Office announced that unconscious bias training is being phased out of the civil service on the grounds that there is no proof that it changes behaviour and that it may in fact cause a negative response. This comes after a group of MPs previously refused to undergo training on the grounds that it was ‘pandering to the woke agenda’ and it shows the depth of resistance within government to this type of training. But are they right?
Professional Services – Here to Support You
Representatives from B4’s Professional Services Hub talk about the support available for businesses at what continues to be a very challenging time for everyone.
A Focus on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace
I was delighted to co-host the B4 Equality, Diversity and Inclusion live broadcast at the Ashmolean Museum. The purpose of the initiative was to help organisations and its people to thrive through putting a spotlight on this increasingly important topic.
Professional Services: Here to support you
Representatives from B4’s Professional Services Hub talk about the support available for businesses at what continues to be a very challenging time for everyone.
B4 Professional Services Day
It’s Professional Services Day at B4 so we’re highlighting some recent and not so recent articles and press releases posted by B4 members over the past year or so.
Penningtons Manches Cooper advises AI spin out on Series A investment
The corporate team at Penningtons Manches Cooper has advised Mind Foundry, an Oxford-based artificial intelligence company, on its Series A investment. The funding round, which closed at over £10 million, was led by Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance (ANDI) of the MS&AD Insurance Group and brings Mind Foundry’s total funds raised to date to more than […]
Penningtons Manches Cooper advises Oxford University’s 200th spin-out company
Penningtons Manches Cooper’s corporate team has advised cyber security specialist PhishAR, as it becomes the 200th company created through Oxford University Innovation (OUI), the commercialisation arm of Oxford University. Building on the work of Professor Ivan Martinovic and Dr Ivo Sluganovic from Oxford’s Department of Computer Science, PhishAR employs augmented reality to crack down on […]
Penningtons Manches Cooper hires immigration specialist to support oxford market
The highly ranked immigration practice at top 50 law firm Penningtons Manches Cooper has appointed Kelly Tomkinson as a senior associate to support increasing demand for its services in Oxford and the wider region.
Top tips for start-ups looking to secure investment with Penningtons Manches...
The coronavirus pandemic has had a destabilising effect on many businesses. At a time when growth in most companies has stalled, there are still companies, particularly here in Oxford that are flourishing in spite of, and even due to, the coronavirus pandemic.
Coronavirus – Issues for businesses #4
Businesses across the UK are continuing to adapt to life under lockdown. To help acquire the perspective needed to navigate the economic disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic, our teams are providing regular insight and guidance though a series of Covid-19 updates.
Coronavirus – Issues for businesses #3
As governments around the world continue to adopt new political and economic measures to deal with the threat posed by the coronavirus pandemic, people and businesses are having to adjust on an almost daily basis.
Coronavirus – Issues for businesses #1
During this extraordinary time of global uncertainty political and economic measures are being introduced on a daily basis that will affect how we live and work in the short and medium term.
Landlords and agents must beware financial penalties from new law on...
The Tenant Fee Act 2019 creates stringent new laws that affect all residential landlords including universities, colleges, private and institutional landlords, and their agents. There are significant financial penalties if the terms of tenancy agreements do not comply with the new regulations.
What does ‘Brexit’ mean for the protection of our environment?
As society’s concerns mount over the trends in and consequences of climate change, we explore the potential impact of Brexit on the future of UK environmental policy and legislation. Brexit poses a threat even to those environmental protections that have been acquired over the past 40 years within the EU. While the government has published an Environment Bill and created an independent body to oversee its provisions, is it sufficiently robust and comprehensive or are additional structures needed?
Leadership for Oxford’s housing challenges
Challenges around Oxford’s housing situation are well-reported. A combination of unique and complex historical constraints, resulting planning protections, together with natural limitations of the floodplain area mean residential space is at an absolute premium. Add to this a student population of nearly 34,000, question marks over green belt development and a public perception that local government’s housing strategy is not clear and the picture is both complex and unclear
Highly regarded real estate lawyers join Penningtons Manches in Oxford
The Oxford office of top 50 law firm Penningtons Manches has hired two prominent local lawyers to strengthen its real estate practice.
Championing innovation and growth: Penningtons Manches leads the way in Oxford
The Oxford office of leading law firm Penningtons Manches supports some of the area’s most dynamic businesses and institutions through its specialist teams. With 14 partners and a total staff of nearly 100 at its base in Oxford Business Park, the firm’s multi-disciplinary approach concentrates on a variety of industry sectors relevant to the region including technology, life sciences, education and private wealth.
Track record of success continues for Penningtons Manches
The Oxford office of law firm Penningtons Manches continues to go from strength to strength. The last 12 months have seen its specialist teams complete a string of successful deals, welcome prominent new recruits and launch exciting new initiatives.
Time to return to ‘authentic’ marketing and ‘spank the cowboys’
Data protection rules are changing in favour of privacy for the consumer, as the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) seek to curb the excesses of ‘cowboy’ marketing and provide protection for the privacy rights of individuals.
Attracting and retaining global talent in an uncertain future
While many of Oxford’s tech spinout businesses have thrived thanks to access to investment funds, the vote to leave the European Union presents new challenges in terms of labour mobility and talent acquisition, vital issues for a start-up.
How to score on and off the pitch
Oxford United’s recent success on the pitch leads not only to Wembley but also to potential commercial reward off the pitch. Penningtons Manches takes a look at how “The U’s” can protect – and capitalise on – one of its most valuable assets: the brand.
Penningtons Manches’ highly ranked team offers individuals access to excellence
The Oxford office of Penningtons Manches LLP has considerably strengthened its offering for individuals since Manches joined forces with Penningtons in October 2013.
First Oxford family lawyer is awarded a fellowship of the prestigious...
Jane Mitchell, the head of family law at Penningtons Manches in Oxford, has become the first lawyer in Oxford and the Thames Valley to be awarded a fellowship of the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (IAML).