Equity Capital Markets

Our team of specialist Equity Capital Market lawyers excel in guiding companies across all sectors through all aspects of ECM transactions, as well as providing on-going advice, whether it is admission to trading on a UK public market, a secondary fundraising or a bespoke piece of advice on the UK Market Abuse Regulation.

Overview

We have a wealth of experience advising issuers, nominated advisers, corporate advisers, brokers, financial advisers and other market participants across a wide variety of Equity Capital Market (ECM) transactions, and understand the market sensitivity that such work entails.

Our ECM offering includes initial public offerings (IPOs), reverse takeovers, secondary fundraisings (including placings and open offers), demergers, takeover code transactions (including schemes of arrangement, contractual takeover offers and Rule 9 waivers), pre-IPO reorganisations, de-listings and debt capital transactions. Our focus is on all public markets within the UK, with a particular emphasis on AIM. Additionally, we have a proven track record in bringing overseas companies to market.

We also advise listed and quoted companies on all day-to-day issues including general meetings, capital and structural reorganisations, court approved reductions of capital, share buy-backs, share incentive schemes, acquisitions and disposals and ongoing regulatory compliance.

What sets us apart is our specialist corporate governance unit, a dedicated team which provides advice on all corporate governance issues relevant to companies whose shares are listed or quoted on any UK public market. Our services extend beyond the transaction itself, ensuring that companies maintain strong governance practices and compliance after they have listed.

Our ECM practice is long-established and experienced. We work domestically and internationally with businesses in diverse sectors, with a particular focus on companies in the technology, resources, leisure, healthcare, financial services and insurance sectors.

We showcase our commitment to knowledge-sharing by hosting highly respected seminars for nominated advisers, corporate advisers, financial advisers and brokers as well as providing complementary bespoke training sessions. Our recent seminar topics have covered key subjects such as changes to the UK listing regime and prospectus regime, changes to the share capital management guidelines, wall-crossing, retail bonds, cash shells, and reverse takeovers. All have been attended by leading industry professionals.

We understand that each company's journey to achieving a public market listing or quotation is unique and that, thereafter, a company needs to navigate the on-going regulatory environment. We are dedicated to providing tailored solutions that empower our clients, enabling them to thrive and reach their full potential, delivered in a way that ensures minimum disruption to the day-to-day running of the business.

Featured experience

  • Advising Glantus Holdings plc on its £17.8 million sale to Genesis Bidco Limited (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Basware Oy, backed by Accel-KKR) by way of a court approved scheme of arrangement under the Irish Takeover Code.
  • Advising Lords Group Trading plc on its admission to AIM and associated £52 million placing and sale of shares.
  • Advising Viaro Energy Limited on its £248 million acquisition of RockRose Energy plc by way of a court approved scheme of arrangement.
  • Acting for hVIVO plc on its demerger of various development IP assets to Poolbeg Pharma plc by way of a distribution in specie and the subsequent admission of Poolbeg Pharma plc to trading on AIM with a £25 million placing.
  • Advising Diaceutics plc on its admission to AIM and associated £20.75 million placing and sale of shares.
  • Acting for Shore Capital on the £16.9 million secondary fundraising undertaken by H&T Group plc.
  • Acting for Clear Capital Markets in respect of Genflow Biosciences Plc’s IPO on the Standard List of the main market of the London Stock Exchange with a market cap of £23.4 million and associated £3.76 million placing.
  • Acting for Shore Capital and Peel Hunt in connection with Inspired Energy plc's £30 million placing and up to £5 million open offer.
  • Advising Castleton Technology plc on its £83 million sale to MRI Software Limited by way of a court approved scheme of arrangement and previously on its £20 million court approved reduction of capital.
  • Advising Hawkwing plc on its move from AIM to the Standard List of the main market of the London Stock Exchange and associated placing.

What our clients say

  • The team excel at providing exceptional, thorough advice that is delivered quickly and well communicated. They have been our partners through mergers and acquisitions, AIM IPOs and on shareholder agreements and we have found that they always deliver in a personable and friendly way. They certainly feel more like business partners than just our lawyers. They are well resourced and punch above their weight on our dealings with them.

    Legal 500, 2023 UK London Edition

  • Their strength is their responsiveness. Have the breadth of specialities to offer a ‘one-stop-shop’ service. Can be competitive on price.

    Legal 500, 2023 UK London Edition

  • Jonathan Deverill is one of the most responsive partners I have ever dealt with.

    Legal 500, 2023 UK London Edition

Equity Capital Markets key contacts

Who we are

Why choose DAC Beachcroft?

We’re a broad-based commercial firm serving a wide range of sectors with a strong heritage in insurance,
health and real estate. We combine excellent legal skills and cutting-edge delivery expertise to design
solutions that fit the needs of our clients – often involving clever uses of technology.