LAW firm DLA Piper’s Liverpool-based corporate team has broken through the £1bn-worth of deals barrier for the first time during 2007.
The firm, based in India Buildings, Water Street, has pulled off a string of high-profile regional, national and international transactions during the year.
They included leading the management buy-out of the Virgin Megastore Group by Zavvi Entertainment and advising Montagu Private Equity in the £500m acquisition of Good Hair Days (GHD), the global hair care products brand.
International activity featured deals in Hong Kong, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Local deals included acting for Bank of Scotland on the funding of the reverse takeover of Cains Brewery and advising Liverpool Football Club on its takeover by Tom Hicks and George Gillette.
David Cadwallader, North West head of corporate, said: “The team has worked tremendously hard on deals right across the spectrum, from investments by Merseyside-based funders such as MSIF in local owner-managed businesses to some of the highest profile and value transactions undertaken in the North West.
“We remain the only Liverpool team rated in the top tier by the independent Legal 500 guide and are looking forward to another year of progress and growth.�
Earlier this month, the firm announced it was taking an additional 12,000 sq ft at India Buildings, taking its presence to 40,000 sq ft.
The deal with landlord Branchtown runs until 2020 and will continue a relationship that began 75 years ago – the law firm was one of the original tenants when India Buildings opened in 1931.
However, in November, there was a blow for DLA when the Daily Post revealed that one of its leading lawyers – Michael Prince – was resigning his partnership.
Mr Prince, 52, who was the managing partner of DLA Piper’s Liverpool office until four years ago, will cease to be a partner in the firm’s corporate law department at the end of the year. He joined the firm in 1986.
Mr Prince is taking up the posts of non-executive chairman of Flintshire-based housebuilder David McLean and non-executive director of Downing, the property development company owned by George Downing, which owns the Port of Liverpool Building at the Pier Head.