Reading: Boyes Turner appoints head of corporate group

The new head of the corporate team at Boyes Turner says the next 12 months will see the specialist tech law firm build on a successful year which saw its lawyers advise on 35 transactions in the UK and internationally, with an aggregate deal value of more than £250 million.

Kate Eavis, the newly-appointed head of the corporate group at the leading Thames Valley-based business, said 2020 promised to be another busy year as the firm’s reputation continued to grow in the UK and internationally, with new business already secured in the first four weeks of the year as domestic and overseas investment in the UK continues.

Deals the corporate team advised on in 2019 included work in its specialist tech field, as well as M&A and investment deals in other sectors including online retail, commercial water, automotive and professional services.

Eavis said interest from international and domestic investors in the Thames Valley and the UK as a whole remained high, pointing to the Boyes Turner’s team’s conclusion of its latest international tech deal after successfully advising US-based electronics giant Sonos Inc on its most recent acquisition.

“It’s been great to see the team remain so busy throughout 2019. The Thames Valley is in a great position to benefit from international investment and confidence in the region seems to be strong,” Eavis said.

“This deal activity is certainly continuing into the New Year and we’ve already received a number of new instructions for substantial pieces of work across multiple sectors.”

She added: “I’m particularly pleased to see that our corporate practice is advising a diverse portfolio of clients.

“We have a number of longstanding relationships in place with individuals and organisations with whom we’ve worked successfully over many years and we’re now receiving mandates from major new clients who have been referred to us by this international network.”

The Boyes Turner corporate team was recommended again by the prestigious Legal 500 in September, with Kate Eavis and senior associate Chris Dobson both being commended as leading corporate lawyers within the Thames Valley region.

Alongside Eavis and Dobson in the team, partner Mark Blunden was again listed as a distinguished ‘Leading Lawyer’ for his work in intellectual property and IT while senior associate Sophie Payne’s expertise in private equity has received industry accolades.

Along with banking, finance and regulatory specialist Natalie Murray, solicitors Grace Hudson and Rachael Brenchley have also joined the team within the past 18 months as the firm’s presence in the region’s corporate market continues to grow.