Browne Jacobson deals win top honours as firm receives record number of shortlists for Dealmakers

Two of the deals advised by Browne Jacobson’s Birmingham corporate finance team picked up major honours at the Midlands Dealmakers Awards 2019.

The sale of Bridge Farm Group to Canadian cannabis firm Sundial Growers won International Deal of the Year whilst LDCs investment in Littlefish was named SME Deal of the Year.

The Browne Jacobson team was also shortlisted in the Corporate Law Firm of the Year category whilst two other deals it acted on - the secondary buyouts of CET and Orbis Protect – also made the Deal of the Year shortlist.

It has been a successful year for the firm after it received a record number of shortlists for Insider’s regional Dealmakers Awards this year.

Earlier this year the firm’s Nottingham team enjoyed success at the East Midlands Dealmakers Awards where it was shortlisted in three categories with one of its deals - Palatine Private Equity backed secondary buyout of Derbyshire based CET UK – winning Deal of the Year.

The team was also highly commended in the Corporate Law Firm of the Year category after it acted on some of the region’s most high profile deals, some of which were also shortlisted including the secondary buyout of Neilson Active Holidays, the sale of Gill Marine by YFM Equity Partners and the £52m sale of Manthorpe Group to Polypipe. The team was also shortlisted in the SME Deal of the Year category for its role in BGF’s investment in Blue Light Card and the BGF and BSI backed investment in the BioCity Group.

In the North West Dealmakers Awards, which will be held in October, two of the Manchester team’s deals have also been shortlisted across three categories including Arlington Industries Group’s acquisition of Wahler Thermostat from BorgWarner (Asset Based Lending Deal of the Year and International Deal of the Year) and BGF’s £7.5m investment in Joloda International Group (Deal of the Year – sub £10m).

This regional success mirrors the firm’s growing national reputation as one of the leading go-to law firms for major mid-market transactional work. Its 30 plus strong national corporate finance team were recently named one of the top 10 most active UK dealmakers by Experian MarketIQ.

Richard Cox, head of corporate finance at Browne Jacobson, said :

“We are delighted that two of the deals we acted on picked up major awards at the Midlands Dealmakers Awards this month.

“The Insider Dealmakers Awards are highly respected and sought after and it is always a tremendous achievement even to be shortlisted.

“The number of shortlists we have received this year is a record for the firm.

“It is testament to the hard work of all our teams and demonstrates just how highly regarded they are within the dealmaking community, both regionally and on the national stage as a leading mid-market corporate finance team.”