Colette Withey
Partner
Manchester
colette.withey@brownejacobson.com
+44 (0)330 045 1489
Colette helps businesses in complex sectors turn legal challenges into commercial advantage. Advising on everything from product development, through regulatory change to transformational projects, she’s known for pragmatic advice that gets results. Clients trust her to cut through noise, solve problems fast, and deliver commercial outcomes that support long-term growth.
With over two decades of experience, Colette advises on complex, high-value commercial arrangements across sectors including advanced manufacturing, industrials, real estate, consumer and retail. Her work spans collaborations, product development, distribution, outsourcing, and supply chain transformation — often across multiple jurisdictions and regulatory frameworks. She has served as interim General Counsel for a fast-scaling infrastructure business, giving her deep insight into how legal teams can best support operational and strategic goals.
Colette is known for leading large-scale legal projects with clarity, pace, and a strong commercial lens. Previously a partner at Addleshaw Goddard and EY, she has led teams recognised in Legal 500 UK and been described as “extremely pragmatic and commercial in her approach” and praised for her “strong industry knowledge” (Legal 500 UK, 2017). Clients value her as a trusted advisor who delivers legal advice that’s strategic, grounded, and aligned with business outcomes.
Featured experience
Global biotech patent licensing agreement
Following an initial development phase, Colette led the negotiation of a global patent and know-how licence for a novel active in personal care. Her strategic legal input secured exclusive rights, royalty structures, and IP protections, while balancing regulatory risk. The deal included a bespoke patent purchase option for future flexibility.
Interim GC for growth-stage
Colette served as interim General Counsel for a fast-scaling EV infrastructure company, leading legal strategy across tech, infrastructure and real estate. She advised on legal frameworks for charge point deployment, including end-user interfaces and digital operations. Her work supported the company’s growth, investment readiness, and regulatory navigation in clean mobility.
Global mobility techco platform terms
Leading a multi-jurisdictional review of platform terms for a global mobility tech company. Coordinating legal input across countries, Colette advised on regulatory compliance, platform liability, and commercial model structuring with a view to enhancing contractual transparency, mitigating financial risk, and future-proofing operations in a fast-evolving digital and transport landscape.
Operating model transformation for consumer multinational
Advising a multinational consumer goods company on the legal implementation of a new global operating model, dealing with intercompany distribution, services, and IP licensing agreements across multiple jurisdictions, aligning legal documentation with tax and operational design. Colette’s work enabled consistent implementation, mitigated risk, and supported collaboration with relevant stakeholders.