Shoosmiths corporate partner, Martin Fleetwood, has been elected to join the board of UK Tram.

The UK Tram Board was established to enable key stakeholders in the UK Tramway industry to present a single voice in dealing with government and statutory bodies in developing a co-ordinated and structured approach to regulation, procurement and standardisation within the industry. It also provides advice and support to towns and cities looking to establish tram systems in the UK.

Martin has provided specialist legal advice to the transport sector for over 15 years, advising on a number of high profile tram projects including the recently extended Nottingham Tram and on Midland Metro expansion.

His role on the board will be as an Independent Member, holding the board to account as well as being able to provide specialist advice on regulation and to support the board in developing its strategy to expand tram systems within the UK.

Martin is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Logistics and Transport, the secretary of UNIDROIT's Rail Working Group and as a regular speaker at industry conferences and author of legal transport articles has gained a solid reputation within the industry.

Commenting on his appointment to the board, Martin said: 'It's an exciting time for the Tram industry with the expansion of existing systems and other towns and cities seeking to benefit from the environmental and regenerative effects of trams. I'm looking forward to joining the board and sharing best practice as well as identifying initiatives for the light rail sector.'

Shoosmiths' transport and infrastructure team acts for a wide range of transport clients including Hitachi Rail, Stagecoach (including South West Trains and East Midlands Trains), Porterbrook Leasing, The Car Finance Company, West Midlands Combined Authority (formerly Centro) and Swiss International Airlines. The team has expertise in all forms of transport including automotive, aviation, freight, light and heavy rail. They were crowned regional Transport Law Firm of the Year 2014 by the Legal 500.

The corporate team at Shoosmiths Leeds is set for a strong first year after advising clients on transactions with an aggregate value of more than £600m during its first eight months in operation.

Headed by partner Philip Goldsborough, Shoosmiths' Leeds corporate team was launched in June 2017 and from a standing start is now firmly established in the Yorkshire market, having transacted a broad variety of deals including significant domestic and cross border M&A and private equity transactions.

Central to Shoosmiths' ambition of creating a Northern hub of legal expertise for clients, the Leeds corporate team is advising clients on a regional, national and international basis, across a broad range of sectors including notable transactions in oil and gas, construction, healthcare, real estate, manufacturing and textiles.

Shoosmiths has attracted some of the region's leading legal talent to its corporate team in Leeds. Philip and fellow partner James Foster, having worked together at Pinsent Masons and Irwin Mitchell, have forged a dynamic partnership and excellent relationships across the key decision makers of the business and corporate finance advisory communities of Leeds, Yorkshire and beyond.

The strength in depth of the Shoosmiths Leeds corporate team was further strengthened in November 2017 with the recruitment of highly regarded senior associate Simon Procter, from Eversheds.

Philip said: "Our team has worked exceptionally hard since entering the market last year and we have already succeeded in our strategy to disrupt the long established "Big Six" Leeds corporate firms. We have established a strong pipeline of work and are set to make a big impact in 2018.

"We are focused on continuing to build our client base across the board, and continuing to deliver the outstanding client experience that Shoosmiths and our team is known for."

Shoosmiths Leeds marked its 12 month anniversary on 1 December 2017, with a full complement of disciplines in place, having grown its team from seven to more than 60 in its first year of business. Leading partners and teams have been recruited across a broad range of legal specialisms, including corporate, commercial, real estate, banking and regulatory.

In February 2018 Shoosmiths Leeds will move into new offices at Bruntwood's landmark Platform redevelopment.

National law firm Shoosmiths has advised Octopus Ventures on its £2 million investment into a social network that helps new mothers form friendships.

The cash injection provided by the London and New York based venture capital firm will fund the expansion of the 22-strong team currently working on the app, named Mush, as well as increasing the spending on its development and the addition of new features.

Mush was launched in 2016 by former Citi derivatives broker Katie Massie-Taylor and Sarah Hesz, a marketing consultant, after they met at a London playground with their children.

It helps users to find other mothers living nearby, and details how old their children are. More than 300,000 mothers have downloaded the free app to date.

Alastair Peet, corporate partner at Shoosmiths who led on the deal, said: "Octopus Ventures is a long-standing client of ours, achieved through our commitment to providing an excellent client experience and building strong relationships. We are delighted to have been a part of this deal, with the project sure to enrich the lives of many people."

Alastair was assisted by Tom Wilde, corporate tax partner, and solicitor Helen Burnell.

Eyal Rabinovich, of Octopus Ventures, said: "Mush has the potential to really take off and be a valuable tool for women across the country, and even further afield. This was a good opportunity for us to expand our presence in this field, and yet again we have been provided with a first rate service from Shoosmiths in securing the deal."

The UK government has announced changes to legislation to reduce the risk of fraud, violence or intimidation faced by company directors as a result of having their residential addresses on the public record.

For a number of years, directors have been able to keep their residential address details private by making use of a separate service address, often the company's registered office. While directors are still required to provide Companies House with their residential address, it is only the service address which will be entered on the public record.

However, this general level of protection does not extend to historical records at Companies House. Residential address details on old forms filed with Companies House remain on the company's record and open to public inspection unless the director is able to prove that he or she (or someone who lives with him or her) is at serious risk of violence or intimidation as a result of the activities of the company. There is no protection if the risks are not related to the activities of the company and, even if such risk could be shown, it is not possible to remove private address details which were placed on the record before 2003 at all.

With access to these records at Companies House being available free of charge, there is a clear risk that personal information of directors could easily be misused. In its announcement, the government highlighted that directors were twice as likely to be a victim of identity fraud, and research by fraud prevention organisation Cifas identifies that one in five victims of recorded cases of such fraud are company directors.

Under the proposed legislation, directors will be able to apply to have their residential addresses removed from the public record at Companies House without having to prove any risk of violence or intimidation. Addresses which pre-date 2003 can also be removed.

The proposals also extend to other persons whose residential address details might appear at Companies House in historical records or who do not use a service address. This includes:

• company secretaries,
• shareholders; and
• persons with significant control.

Similar changes are to be made in respect of limited liability partnerships.

Personal addresses will remain available to public authorities, such as the police, the insolvency service and the pensions regulator. They will also continue to be made available to credit reference agencies unless the director applies for separate protection - this continues to be subject to proof of risk of violence or intimidation as a result of the company's activities.

It is expected that the changes for the protection of residential addresses will come into force by the end of summer 2018.

National law firm Shoosmiths has boosted its Midlands corporate team with the appointment of experienced deal-maker Maurice Dwyer.

Maurice's appointment follows hard on the heels of Paul Batchelor who moved from PwC Legal in 2017, and provides further evidence of the firm's desire to grow its corporate footprint and reputation in the West Midlands market.

Maurice has considerable experience in the region dealing with cross border and UK mergers and acquisitions for public and private companies. He brings with him a wealth of experience in advising private equity houses, their portfolio companies and management teams on buyouts, venture capital investments, acquisitions and disposals, and wider financings and is widely recognised as a leading PE specialist. He has also authored leading private equity manual Private Equity Transactions published by Sweet & Maxwell.

He is joining Shoosmiths' Birmingham office from Reynolds Porter Chamberlain (RPC), where he was head of its private equity team. Prior to that, he was with Gowling WLG for more than 25 years, where he led the firm's private equity team, established its London corporate team and spent time as the national head of corporate across the Birmingham and London offices.

Ben Turner, head of Shoosmiths' corporate teams in Birmingham and Nottingham, said Maurice's appointment complements the thriving team.

"There's no doubt that Maurice has an enviable reputation in the corporate market here in the Midlands and his arrival undoubtedly enhances our growing reputation for advising on high profile, complex corporate transactions. When we heard that Maurice was available, we were quick to act - his experience and credibility within the private equity market is exceptional and is sure to be a massive boost to our ambitious growth plans."

Maurice said: "This is a particularly exciting time to be returning to the Midlands corporate and private equity community where I have previously spent many very happy and rewarding years. Now, with billions being invested in transforming the economy and infrastructure of Birmingham and the wider area, with start-ups and growth levels at an all time high, and with record foreign investment, I can't wait to get stuck in with my colleagues at Shoosmiths and play my part."

Shoosmiths' corporate team advises public and private companies, management teams, investors and debt providers through the business life cycle. Shoosmiths work with businesses from start-up and first round finance through to mergers and acquisitions, MBO and MBI transactions, development funding and on exits, by way of sale, listing or private equity investment.

National law firm Shoosmiths has advised Mexican venture capital fund Dalus Capital on its investment into the largest Google Cloud partner in Latin America.

The $6.5 million investment into Xertica, which Dalus Capital led alongside Endeavour Catalyst and EMTV, will allow it to expand its digital capabilities and take advantage of the growing public cloud storage and processing market, both in Latin America and across the globe.

It will also see Xertica double its investment into developing new analytical, data and machine learning services which will be available to more than 3,000 businesses.

The IT storage and processing industry is shifting toward Cloud, as opposed to on-site storage. The Cloud market in Latin America is growing rapidly, at more than 27% annually, and is expected to be worth more than $35 billion by 2021.

Alastair Peet, corporate partner at Shoosmiths who led on the deal, said: "This was a great deal for us to be a part of, allowing us to demonstrate our capabilities to the Latin American venture capital market.

"We are very pleased to be working with Dalus Capital, in what is sure to be the start of a strong relationship."

Alastair was assisted on the deal by corporate associate Georgina Rennie.

Diego Serebrisky of Dalus Capital, said: "This is a hugely exciting time to invest in Xertica. It is already well established in this region and looks set to rapidly grow as the market does too, transforming the way thousands of businesses handle their data with the introduction of its new services.

"We were extremely happy with the service Shoosmiths provided in securing the deal."

Dalus Capital's investment forms part of its second fund portfolio.

Xertica currently has a presence in five countries within the region, including Peru and Argentina. It has implemented the most advanced technologies in software and infrastructure, and was named Google Cloud Partner of the Year in 2016.

National law firm Shoosmiths has advised the UK's development finance institution CDC Group on its $15 million investment into RFL Electronics Ltd, which will grow the Bangladeshi company's manufacturing capacity.

The funding will be used to acquire specialist equipment for RFL Electronics' state-of-the-art facility, in Narsingdi, which produces consumer electronic goods for the local market.

CDC is investing alongside Standard Chartered Bangladesh, which is providing a further $3 million.

Over the course of CDC's seven-year lending period it is expected the funding will create more than 2,500 manufacturing jobs.

Rebecca Mauleverer, partner at Shoosmiths who led on the deal, said: "We were very pleased to be working with CDC in relation to this loan. The work CDC does is extremely important and beneficial to many people, giving them employment and security."

Banking partner Linda Williams and solicitor Sophie King assisted Rebecca Mauleverer.

CDC says its investment will meet the growing demand for electronics in Bangladesh, and help the company grow. Its funding allows the company to import equipment to modernise its manufacturing base while access to long-term debt capital, in both local and foreign currency, remains limited in the country.

RFL Electronics produces television sets, refrigerators, air conditioners, rice cookers and many other electronic goods which are sold under the Vision brand. It is part of the Pran-RFL Group of companies which is a diversified conglomerate specialising in food products, beverages, plastic goods and furniture.

CDC is wholly owned by the government and aims to support the building of businesses throughout Africa and South Asia, create jobs and make a lasting difference to people's lives in some of the world's poorest countries.

National law firm Shoosmiths has advised on mid-market investor Tenzing's multi-million pound investment into the leading global provider of software solutions for the automotive industry, CitNOW.

Representing CitNOW's CEO Alistair Horsburgh and its management team, the deal was led by Shoosmiths corporate partner Alastair Peet and supported by corporate senior associate Sarah Thawley. The investment will help CitNOW to accelerate its sales growth and to develop new products.

CitNOW is renowned for its use of video in the automotive world, allowing potential customers to view products without visiting a showroom, all with a personalised element. It now employs more than 100 people, at sites across the UK and Europe. It has 42 manufacturer clients, including the likes of BMW and Volkswagen.

Shoosmiths' Alastair Peet said: "It's been a pleasure working with Alistair and the team on this deal, and it represents an exciting time for the company as it looks to expand both its innovative software and its customer base."

CitNOW CEO Alistair Horsburgh said: "Our global revenues soared by 50% last year and we've tripled our presence throughout Europe. This new investment will help us to grow even more, and keep at the cutting edge of our industry. The service and professionalism provided by Shoosmiths, by Alastair and Sarah, has been second-to-none and we look forward to working with them again in the future."

CitNOW has been ranked in The Sunday Times Hiscox tech Track 100 for the past two years.

The corporate team at national law firm Shoosmiths has advised Matillion, a fast-growing provider of disruptive cloud-based integration software, in a Series B fundraise of $20m.

The company, based in Altrincham, south Manchester and New York City, has brought on board two major Silicon Valley institutional investors, Sapphire Venture and Scale Venture Partners, to further accelerate its international expansion.

Existing UK investor YFM Equity Partners has also increased its stake in the company, which in 2017 saw annual recurring revenue soar 260%.

The proceeds of the fundraise will allow Matillion to grow its sales and marketing teams in the US and also to invest in new product development and strengthen its senior team.

Co-founded by chief executive Matthew Scullion in 2011 alongside chief technology officer Ed Thompson and commercial director Peter McCord, Matillion has developed leading-edge software focused on allowing its customers to analyse huge amounts of data stored in the cloud.

Matillion's software is used by more than 250 customers, including a significant number of global corporates, including GE, Accenture and Siemens.

Matillion was advised by Manchester-based corporate partner Karen Procter and venture capital specialist partner Steve Barnett in London. Both were assisted by senior associate, Ben Dredge. Arma Partners, an independent corporate finance adviser, also acted for the company.

Mr Scullion said: "Shoosmiths have been first class throughout this process and I commend Karen and her team for the excellent advice they have provided."

Corporate partner Karen Procter added: "Matillion is a best-in-class software business and we are delighted to have advised the company in this successful fundraising, which I am sure will be a catalyst for further fast growth in the global data analytics market."

Shoosmiths, which has an established Northern hub of legal expertise for clients, has a corporate team of eight in Manchester including three partners, Karen Procter, Tim Jackson-Smith and Andrew Millar.

National law firm Shoosmiths has advised on the sale of Chevron Traffic Management (Holdings) Limited (Chevron Traffic Management) to European private equity firm, Triton.

Chevron Traffic Management is the largest traffic management company in England and Wales and specialises in the provision of temporary traffic management in accordance with NHSS (National Highway Sector Schemes), providing support on a range of schemes. It was previously owned by long term investor Portchester Equity Ltd.

Triton specialises in investments into medium sized businesses across a number of European countries, focusing on companies which have the potential to create long-term value.

The deal was completed for the shareholders of Chevron Traffic Management, including the management team of Tim Cockayne, Mark Fleckner and Portchester Equity Limited. It required collaboration across Shoosmiths' practice groups.

Corporate partner Sean Wright led the deal, and was assisted by corporate senior associate Nina Smith and corporate paralegal, Molly Cullen. Real estate partner, Matthew Walker, advised on property due diligence and partner Paula Rome provided employment expertise. Advice on tax warranties and tax due diligence was provided by partner Dan Kennedy while senior associate Fleur Turrington provided expertise on litigation due diligence and disclosure.

Shoosmiths' Sean Wright, said: "It has been a pleasure to have worked on this deal for Portchester Equity and to have had the opportunity to utilise our broad and deep experience across the firm on such a transaction.

"Shoosmiths is in a fortunate position that it has great strength and depth of teams across its practice groups, so where large deals require specialist expertise, we have the relevant advisers within the firm."

David Harbord, of Portchester Equity, said: "We always have confidence that Shoosmiths can deliver on transactions because of their strength, depth and knowledgeable lawyers, particularly in M&A. They provided exemplary advice for Portchester Equity, and the shareholders, on the sale of Chevron Traffic Management."

Founded in 1997 and headquartered in Thame, Chevron employs more than 400 people at ten regional depots across the UK. The company has annual sales in excess of GBP65m.

National law firm Shoosmiths has advised long standing clients Octopus Investments on its multi-million pound funding into office catering company City Pantry.

Octopus Investments, part of the Octopus Group, has led a £4 million Series A funding round into the London-based company to fund its expansion into other cities in the UK over the next 18 months, as well as continuing the its triple digit growth in London. Existing investors, and investment firm Newable Private Investing, also participated in the funding round.

City Pantry is an online platform championing independent small food companies by providing a service allowing corporates to order from street vendors, and have it delivered to their offices. It was launched four years ago and caters for businesses including Spotify, Google and BuzzFeed, and has tapped into a growing demand from employees for greater workplace wellbeing.

Alastair Peet, corporate partner at Shoosmiths who led on the deal, said: "This is a really exciting and unique service, which is of huge benefit to independent traders. Octopus Investments is a long-standing client of ours and we were thrilled to act for them once again, further developing our already strong relationship.

"This deal demonstrates the strength and depth of our corporate team and how effectively we work collaboratively, supporting each other as well as the client throughout a transaction. We have a vastly experienced team, having acted on more than 100 venture capital, and growth, deals for a number of high-profile clients, and our insights into this sector ensure we continue to deliver results for our clients."

Alastair was assisted on the deal by corporate senior associate Alistair Hammerton, corporate partner Tom Wilde, corporate solicitor Helen Burnell and employment associate Nick Vernon.

Shoosmiths LLP is one of the most active UK law firms in the area of advanced manufacturing and tech start-ups, acting for founders, investors, funders, and research organisations, which look to the firm for VCT, EIS and SEIS tax advice, IP and commercialisation. Shoosmiths was 'Highly Commended' in the EIS Awards 2017. Nationally, the corporate team is ranked in the top four firms for deal volume for the past four years, in the Experian MarketIQ's M&A Review.

City Pantry currently delivers to more than 500 businesses, equating to more than 20,000 people a week across the whole of London.

Grant Paul-Florence, head of intermediate capital at Octopus Investments, City Pantry's lead investor, said: "City Pantry is one of the hottest start-ups in this space, and the team has ambitious plans to revolutionise the way people eat at work. It's uniquely placed to satisfy the growing appetite for high quality, hassle-free workplace meals, which organisations are increasingly demanding as they work to build an attractive company culture.

"We believe it has the potential to achieve its target of expansion and we look forward to achieving that ambition thanks to the excellent service provided by the Shoosmiths team once again."

Octopus Investments is a venture capital and investment firm specialising in early stage, emerging growth, growth capital and buyouts.

National law firm Shoosmiths has advised Leeds entrepreneur Simon Pollard on the multi-million pound acquisition of boutique Leeds hotel, 42 The Calls.

The hotel entered administration in February 2018. Simon's vision is to reignite the brand, rebuild and develop a five-star luxury experience to surpass the expectations synonymous with 42 The Calls when it opened 27 years ago. Simon's multimillion pound investment will blend high-end contemporary suites into the footprint of the 18th century corn mill while ensuring the building's heritage is protected.

Simon said: "I am extremely excited about the future and huge potential of this hotel and look forward to creating something special in support of our long-standing customers. I am of firm belief that I have the ability to reset the vision while reigniting the fundamental, core values of 42 The Calls Hotel. This comes from having the right capability and balance of ambition to help rescue what has been a diminishing local brand in desperate need of significant investment for some years. I have the vision, foresight and renewed ambition to invest in what will be a very exciting venture.

"I plan to transform and redevelop 42 The Calls into breath-taking accommodation that will take the hotel back to its roots of being in the Premier League. Embracing the 18th century converted corn mill's unique setting, provenance and potential, I will promote 42 The Calls hotel into a luxury experience for the people of Leeds to enjoy. I believe my track record, drive and continuous enthusiasm will put it firmly back on the map as the best luxury hotel in Leeds."

The Shoosmiths team was led by corporate partner Philip Goldsborough, together with corporate colleagues Simon Procter and Sophie Davies and real estate partner Richard Bellamy.

Philip said: "We are delighted to have worked with Simon and his team on this transaction. Simon has an exciting vision for 42 The Calls and we wish him every success with the redevelopment and in delivering a top class luxury destination to Leeds."

The hotel's new website is www.42thecallshotel.com.

National law firm Shoosmiths has advised Amber Infrastructure Group, manager of the National Digital Infrastructure Fund (NDIF), on the fund leading a £25 million investment into full-fibre internet service provider, Community Fibre.

Community Fibre will use the investment to roll out full-fibre connectivity to a further 100,000 homes by 2019, covering social and private housing estates across London. The NDIF has invested £18 million, while long term investor Railpen has provided £7 million.

Currently, only 3% of UK homes are connected to full-fibre broadband and Community Fibre is targeting social housing as a priority, where enhanced internet connectivity can create new economic opportunities. The funding more than doubles the investment in Community Fibre to date, and marks a significant milestone in supporting the company's target of connecting 500,000 homes in London with full-fibre by 2022.

Khalid Naqib, senior investment director at Amber Infrastructure Group, said: "We were extremely pleased with Shoosmiths' service and to have completed this deal, the first we have worked with the firm on. Community Fibre is a hugely attractive company with a valuable mission it is trying to complete. We are sure of a very strong, and long-lasting working relationship with Shoosmiths."

The NDIF is a commercial fund established in 2017 by Amber Infrastructure Group to invest in the next generation of digital infrastructure in the UK. It is supported by cornerstone investments from the UK Government through its Digital Infrastructure Investment Fund (DIIF) and International Public Partnerships (INPP), a leading listed infrastructure investment company.

Alastair Peet, corporate partner at Shoosmiths, said: "This is an exciting project which will benefit many people, and demonstrates the strength and depth of our national venture capital offering, as well as our telecoms expertise.

"We are thrilled to have completed the first deal with Amber Infrastructure Group - it has been an absolute pleasure working with Khalid and his team."

Alastair was assisted on the deal by corporate senior associate Sarah Thawley, corporate solicitor Helen Burnell and employment associate Nick Vernon, as well as tax partner Kate Featherstone and tax solicitor James Arnold.

Shoosmiths LLP is one of the most active UK law firms in the area of advanced manufacturing and tech start-ups, acting for founders, investors, funders, and research organisations, which look to the firm for VCT, EIS and SEIS tax advice, IP and commercialisation. Shoosmiths was 'Highly Commended' in the EIS Awards 2017. Nationally, the corporate team is ranked in the top four firms for deal volume for the past four years, in the Experian MarketIQ's M&A Review.

Amber Infrastructure Group, also known as Amber, is a leading international infrastructure specialist, providing asset management and investment advisory services in respect of over £8 billion of assets in the UK, Europe, Australia and North America.

Shoosmiths has advised private equity investor LDC on its £13 million minority investment into Paladone, one of the UK's market leading designers and suppliers of giftware products, to assist in the acceleration of its international growth.

Headquartered in Brighton, Paladone specialises in the design, development and wholesale supply of licensed and own brand gifting products. Paladone has established strategic license partnerships with leading global brands including Walt Disney, Warner Brothers, Star Wars and Nintendo. In addition Paladone has its own label brands such as Purple Donkey and Scott & Lawson.

LDC's funding will be used to facilitate Paladone's expansion into the US market following demand for its products from retail giants including Kohl's and Target. However, growth is not just US driven. It is also targeting growth in Australia, Asia and Europe, as well as investing in its online ecosystem to help increase revenues generated from its website.

With a catalogue of more than 800 products, and offices in Los Angeles and Hong Kong, Paladone generated revenues of more than £30million in its latest financial year, with 60% of its sales being international.

LDC continues to back ambitious management teams from UK-based companies seeking between £2m and £100m of equity for management buy-outs, institutional buy-outs or development capital transactions.

Aylesh Patel, investment manager at LDC, said: "Paladone has gone from strength-to-strength, and partnering with us will provide additional support and funding to continue its growth on the international stage. We were extremely pleased to have completed this deal."

Sean Wright, corporate partner at Shoosmiths, led on the deal and was assisted by corporate partner Amit Nayyar and senior associates Jason Hill and Nina Smith, as well as corporate solicitors Aleksandr Bosch and Tori Swann. In addition, assistance on the banking aspects of the transaction was provided by banking partners Rebecca Mauleverer and Linda Williams, with support from banking associate Charlotte Thomas and solicitor Sophie King.

He said: "With this investment from LDC, Paladone is set for further growth overseas, marking an exciting time for the company.

"We are a highly collaborative corporate team, with broad and deep private equity experience. LDC are a long-term client and it is a pleasure working with them, again, on growing their portfolio of investments".

Shoosmiths LLP is one of the most active UK law firms in the area of private equity and corporate M&A acting for sellers, investors and institutional funders. Nationally, the corporate team is ranked in the top four firms for deal volume for the past four years, and is also ranked top for deal volume in the South East, in the Experian MarketIQ's M&A Review.

Shoosmiths has advised private equity investor LDC on its £13 million minority investment into Paladone, one of the UK's market leading designers and suppliers of giftware products, to assist in the acceleration of its international growth.

Headquartered in Brighton, Paladone specialises in the design, development and wholesale supply of licensed and own brand gifting products. Paladone has established strategic license partnerships with leading global brands including Walt Disney, Warner Brothers, Star Wars and Nintendo. In addition Paladone has its own label brands such as Purple Donkey and Scott & Lawson.

LDC's funding will be used to facilitate Paladone's expansion into the US market following demand for its products from retail giants including Kohl's and Target. However, growth is not just US driven. It is also targeting growth in Australia, Asia and Europe, as well as investing in its online ecosystem to help increase revenues generated from its website.

With a catalogue of more than 800 products, and offices in Los Angeles and Hong Kong, Paladone generated revenues of more than £30million in its latest financial year, with 60% of its sales being international.

LDC continues to back ambitious management teams from UK-based companies seeking between £2m and £100m of equity for management buy-outs, institutional buy-outs or development capital transactions.

Aylesh Patel, investment manager at LDC, said: "Paladone has gone from strength-to-strength, and partnering with us will provide additional support and funding to continue its growth on the international stage. We were extremely pleased to have completed this deal."

Sean Wright, corporate partner at Shoosmiths, led on the deal and was assisted by corporate partner Amit Nayyar and senior associates Jason Hill and Nina Smith, as well as corporate solicitors Aleksandr Bosch and Tori Swann. In addition, assistance on the banking aspects of the transaction was provided by banking partners Rebecca Mauleverer and Linda Williams, with support from banking associate Charlotte Thomas and solicitor Sophie King.

He said: "With this investment from LDC, Paladone is set for further growth overseas, marking an exciting time for the company.

"We are a highly collaborative corporate team, with broad and deep private equity experience. LDC are a long-term client and it is a pleasure working with them, again, on growing their portfolio of investments".

Shoosmiths LLP is one of the most active UK law firms in the area of private equity and corporate M&A acting for sellers, investors and institutional funders. Nationally, the corporate team is ranked in the top four firms for deal volume for the past four years, and is also ranked top for deal volume in the South East, in the Experian MarketIQ's M&A Review.

National law firm Shoosmiths has advised on the first merger of two BGF-backed businesses, in a deal which also saw the company invest £5.5 million.

The merger of Nationwide Window Cleaning (NWC) and High Access Maintenance - with a combined revenue of £30 million - has created one of the largest independent facilities management services companies in the UK.

Shoosmiths represented BGF and the team was led by corporate partner James Foster, with support from solicitors Natalie Hager and Sophie Davies. It also involved colleagues from across the firm, including banking partner Linda Williams and associate Anna Richardson, tax partner Kate Featherstone and employment senior associate Michael Hardiman.

James said: "This represented a major first for BGF, and we are pleased Shoosmiths has been able to advise on so many aspects of the merger, which will create one of the biggest firms of its kind in the UK."

BGF has invested £1.45bn into 225 businesses in the UK and Ireland and is the only investor to be honoured for innovation in the Queen's Award for Enterprise.

The merger of Leeds-based NWC and High Access Maintenance, based in Manchester, was initiated by the founders of both companies and BGF. The new company, which will be called NSS Group, will share customers across major retailers, hospitals, universities and blue chip property development firms.

Bringing the two companies together will provide enhanced coverage, and a broader service offering, from high-level property maintenance to access machinery hire.

National law firm Shoosmiths has advised online estate agent Emoov on its merger with Tepilo, fellow online estate agent founded by TV presenter, Sarah Beeny - creating the UK's second-largest digital estate agency in the process.

The merger, which also includes recently acquired online letting agency, urban.co.uk, involved securing £15 million funding from existing and new shareholders, plus additional investment from Channel 4 and Northern & Shell, via Sky.

The Shoosmiths team was led by corporate partner Amit Nayyar, senior associates Claire Checketts and Simon Procter and solicitor Sarah Maddock.

Amit said: "We are very pleased to have helped our client to become one of the biggest players in this highly competitive market and this will no doubt lead to an exciting future for the newly merged company."

Emoov CFO Frank McGlade, who will be part of the new company's management team, said: "Shoosmiths' legal advice on what represented a major, strategic push for Emoov has been second-to-none and this is a really exciting time for all those involved."

The new group will be headed by Emoov's chief executive Russell Quirk, and the management team will also include CFO, Frank McGlade (formerly Just Eat) chief marketing officer Lucy Milne (formerly Just Eat and EE), chief operating officer Guy Halfhead (formerly Bookatable.com), chief technology officer Ivan Ramirez (formerly Groupon), and director of lettings Adam Male, from Urban.

National law firm Shoosmiths has advised UK-wide apprenticeship and training provider Progress to Excellence Group Limited on a £6m investment from Praesidian Capital Management Europe LLC.

The firm also advised Progress to Excellence Group Limited on a subsequent bolt-on acquisition of Complete Training Solutions Limited (CTS).

Progress to Excellence Group Limited delivers flexible apprenticeship training and assessments in organisations of all sizes across numerous sectors ranging from health and social care to warehousing and dentistry to retail. The business has been operating for more than 20 years and has 140 employees throughout the UK with its head office located in Birkenhead, Wirral. The £6m investment will allow the company to grow and acquire more training businesses, such as CTS, to its portfolio.

CTS is one of the country's leading health and safety training companies, serving the renewable energy, construction, maritime and oil and gas industries. CTS is based in the heart of Liverpool and runs onsite, and offsite training courses at its state-of-the-art facility.

Milton Keynes-based corporate partner Amit Nayyar led the deal. Senior associate Claire Checketts, solicitor Aleks Bosch and solicitor Emily McQueen worked on the corporate elements of the transaction. Partner David Adams, associate Charlotte Thomas and paralegal Stephanie Pye provided banking expertise, while associate Jen Paton simultaneously ran the bolt on acquisition CTS by Progress to Excellence.

Sandra Kirkham, CEO at Progress to Excellence, said: "The multi-faceted advice given by Shoosmiths on both the investment into Progress To Excellence and our bolt-on acquisition of CTS was seamless. There were many elements that had to be dealt with from a legal perspective and Shoosmiths has the capability to deal with this all under one roof.

We're very passionate about what we do, and we're very much looking forward to growing our business."

Shoosmiths' Amit Nayyar, said: "It was a pleasure to have been instructed by Progress to Excellence to advise on this complex transaction. These deals really do make a difference in their sectors. We are very pleased to have played a role in this one and wish Progress to Excellence all the best for the future."

Over the last few years, news that some of the nation's most iconic retail stores have closed has become more frequent.

Yesterday, Poundworld entered administration. Last week, House of Fraser announced it would be closing 31 stores, many of which are in some the UK's largest cities.

It is no secret that many retailers have been adversely affected by the shopping habits of consumers, ever since the advent of a new pastime - buying online. This has forced, particularly those who have large property portfolios, to adapt quickly to accommodate ever-changing consumer habits. Other factors have also been at play.

Two of Shoosmiths' retail experts give their view on the retail landscape and what retailers could do to mitigate their risk.

Gary Assim, head of retail at Shoosmiths, comments:

"There's no doubt that the retail sector has been hit hard by a number of factors, aside from the advent of online shopping.

"Retailers have had to swallow increased costs due to the apprenticeship levy and business rates. That is before we even mention Brexit - on that front raw materials are usually paid for in US dollars and Brexit has devalued the sterling and it is not clear how long this will last or even if this will improve in the short to long term.

"Retailers with a large proportion of bricks and mortar should undertake a review of their property portfolio. Given Brexit, they should also seek specialist advice on hedging foreign currencies.

"In this climate, retailers should also consider reviewing their manufacture, shipping and distribution channels for ethical savings and consider whether the domestic market is a competitive-enough marketplace for them - it might be worth looking for low hanging fruit abroad, especially by way of internet sales."

Lastly, Gary says that to stay ahead, retailers should think seriously about investing in technology:

"Investing in technology - particularly for web-based platforms - can in the long-term ensure a more efficient business and therefore a more competitive environment. Companies that take investment in technology seriously generally stand a better chance of surviving. Although it can be a considerable outlay, in the long-run it can pay dividends."

So what are the next steps when a retailer receives an indication that it is not performing well?

Sarah Teal, insolvency partner at Shoosmiths, says:

"CVA's are an important tool to enable directors to create a business that is viable again. They allow businesses to identify underperforming stores, and create a new structure to give it the best chance of survival."

Sarah comments that this is "preferable to the loss of brands on the high street", where underperforming stores can mean the end of the existence of the brand.

"We have seen this with many stores - Woolworths, Maplin and MFI. This is why CVAs should be considered. Although landlords may find CVA's harsh - if they do not like the terms being offered they can take their store back.

Sarah concludes: "Retail is going through a difficult time and a CVA presents a way for a company to restructure its business in a harsh trading environment. Under a CVA, the directors/shareholders can remain in intact and a business that is more viable comes out the other side. This is almost always a business that is better equipped to deal with the retail market."

Although the future might be unpredictable for retailers, options exist to change the business model - and for those that have already suffered, there are possibilities to keep businesses viable.

National law firm Shoosmiths has advised SIG plc, a leading European supplier of specialist building products, on the sale of VJ Technology (VJT).

VJT, a distributor of technical fixings, fasteners and consumables to the infrastructure, commercial and wider construction industry, was sold for £29.7 million to Primary Capital, a UK private equity investment firm. The sale is in line with SIG's medium-term divestment strategy of disposing of smaller, non-core businesses in order to refocus the group's portfolio and strengthen its balance sheet.

The sale to Primary Capital, a UK private equity investment firm, is in line with SIG's medium-term divestment strategy of disposing of smaller, non-core businesses in order to refocus the group's portfolio and strengthen its balance sheet.

The sale of VJT is the second strategic SIG divestment that Shoosmiths' Leeds corporate team has advised on in the space of three months, having also advised the Sheffield-based FTSE 250 company on the sale of IBSL, a UK fabricator working in the petrochemicals sector, in March 2018.

Philip Goldsborough, head of corporate at Shoosmiths' Leeds office, led the team advising SIG on both transactions, assisted by senior associate Simon Procter and solicitor Sophie Davies (corporate), Richard Bellamy (real estate), Antonia Blackwell (employment), Jennifer Clarke (commercial) and Dan Kennedy (tax).

Philip said: "We are delighted to have advised SIG on the successful divestment of VJT. The Shoosmiths team has worked incredibly hard together with SIG and the wider advisory teams to deliver a complex transaction in a challenging timetable - it has been a fantastic team effort."

SIG plc was also advised by Rothschild (Leeds) and PwC (Leeds). Primary Capital was advised by Cooley (London).