Valerie specialises in private equity and has over 15 years experience advising institutional investors, management teams and corporate clients on management buy outs, investments, acquisitions, and disposals, with a particular focus on VCT and EIS qualifying investments.
Valerie acts for both fund managers, companies, and management teams on investments across a range of sectors including leisure/hospital, technology, and oil & gas, as well as being VCT status monitor for a solar & infrastructure VCT.
Prior to joining RW Blears, Valerie spent 5 years in the Corporate Finance Team at Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP.
Frank has been advising fund managers and entrepreneurs for the past 12 years.
He has acted on around 50 prospectus fundraisings including the largest crowd funding offer ever for a well known craft brewery, VCT flotations, EIS and GP/LP fund launches, private equity investments, listed bond transactions, dividend reinvestment schemes and tender offers as well as the largest ever VCT merger.
Frank has also carried out sizeable M&A transactions in the renewables sector, provided on-going regulatory advice to a leading crowdfunding platform and acted pro bono for a heritage charity.
Adam is a corporate lawyer who advises fund managers, media and technology companies and entrepreneurs on a broad range of corporate transactions and advisory matters.
Adam has a particular focus on the EIS and VCT scheme, helping clients with complex issues relating to qualification and providing comfort letters. Adam also acts on the launch of new fund management businesses, assisting with fundraising and FCA regulatory advice, as well as advising on LLP and shareholder agreements for founders.
Adam started his career with Osborne Clarke and joined RW Blears in 2012.
Ollie's practice focuses primarily on advising emerging and professional fund managers on their venture capital fund formation and early stage and growth equity investments. He also regularly advises clients on FCA regulatory considerations regarding their fundraising and promotional activities.
Ollie started his career at Allen & Overy and then in-house at Bridgepoint before joining RW Blears in 2019. He holds the Investment Management Certificate from CFA UK.
Chris is a corporate and funds lawyer who is experienced in advising clients on debt and equity based structures. He advises fund managers, bond arrangers, investors and companies on fund establishments (including various forms of partnerships and unit trusts), bond issues, funding rounds, reorganisations and M&A.
He also has experience of dealing with regulatory applications under the Prospectus Regulations and various listing rules and advises clients on compliance with the requirements of the FCA Handbook.
Prior to joining RW Blears in 2019, Chris worked at Appleby in Jersey, where he moved after starting his career at Berwin Leighton Paisner in London (now Bryan cave Leighton Paisner).
Charlotte is the Practice Manager for the firm, PA to the Members and Company Secretary. Charlotte joined the firm in 2013, and is responsible for the Finances, HR, and the day-to-day running of the office.
Charlotte is also Company secretary for Velandia. Velanidia is a charitable trust, and its primary objective is to support the education and training of young people in the UK and overseas. It does this by making grant awards to small operating charities concerned with the education and training of young people or by making direct grant awards to young people.
Hannah is a corporate lawyer who has experience working on investments, acquisitions and disposals and providing other general corporate law advice, acting for management teams, entrepreneurs, early-stage companies and institutional investors.
Prior to joining RW Blears in 2023, Hannah worked at a boutique technology-focused law firm, Kemp Little LLP (which was acquired by Deloitte in 2021), having started her career at Clifford Chance.
Bethany is an associate in the team having completed her training contract with the firm in March 2024.
Bethany advises on a wide range of corporate matters including growth capital investments, mergers and acquisitions and general corporate advice relating to the SEIS, EIS and VCT schemes. She also has experience in advising the firm's emerging fund manager clients.
Bethany is currently working towards achieving the CISI’s Certificate in Corporate Finance, having passed the first exam last year.
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Lannie joined RW Blears in 2024 as an associate and is experienced in advising clients on both private credit and corporate matters.
Prior to joining the firm, Lannie worked in the Banking & Finance team at Simmons & Simmons and in-house with the legal teams at HSBC and YouLend.
Christine is a senior corporate tax lawyer. She has wide experience of advising on the UK tax issues arising in the corporate context, including mergers and acquisitions, financings, corporate reorganisations, employee share schemes and similar incentive arrangements.
Christine is also experienced in tax structuring issues relevant to non-retail investment funds.
Patrick started his career in the banking industry and has specialised in the financing of infrastructure projects.
He was a partner with Pinsent Masons for twenty years and headed that firm’s major projects group, personally advising procuring authorities, project financiers and joint venturers across a range of infrastructure sectors.
He has been chairman of the Law Society’s Banking Law Committee and currently chairs the Greater Birmingham Business Transport Group.
Henry is an associate in the team having completed his training contract with the firm in July 2024.
Henry assists the team on a wide range of corporate matters, with a specific emphasis on venture capital. This includes mergers and acquisitions, funding rounds and EIS, SEIS and VCT analysis.
George joined RW Blears as a Trainee Solicitor in March 2024.
Prior to joining, George graduated from the University of Birmingham with a degree in History and then went on to attend the University of Law where he completed the Graduate Diploma in Law and the Legal Practice Course, obtaining a distinction in both.
George assists the team on various corporate matters including funding rounds, mergers and acquisitions and general advice surrounding the EIS, SEIS and VCT rules.
George is a Trainee Solicitor, due to qualify in September 2026.
Prior to joining RW Blears, George completed his Graduate Diploma in Law and the Legal Practice Course at BPP University, having previously graduated from the University of Exeter with a first-class degree in English.
George assists the team on a mix of fundraising rounds, mergers and acquisitions which regularly involve structuring to meet the requirements under the VCT or S/EIS regimes for tax-efficient investing.
Olivia is the Deputy Practice Manager at the firm, having joined in May 2023. Olivia is responsible for assisting with Finances, HR, diary management and the day-to-day running of the office.
In addition to these duties, Olivia plays a key role in organising events and assisting with the firm’s newsletter, whilst being involved in the Finance and Business Development committees.
Shauna is a Legal PA and Office Assistant at the firm.
Shauna joined the Firm in early 2024, and her primary responsibilities involve providing personal assistance to the fee earners by diligently handling diary management to ensure meetings run smoothly and efficiently, managing client files, and providing general administrative support.
Beyond these core duties, Shauna also actively participates in both the Information Technology and Business Development committees.
Hannah is an Administrative Assistant for the firm and joined in November 2022.
Her main responsibilities are providing support to the team, mainly managing files, being personal PA to members and diary management.
Hannah also works closely alongside the team with regards to Anti Money Laundering and makes sure all the relevant steps are undertaken with Client on boarding. Hannah is also an active member of Committees such as Compliance and Know-How.
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