Blog
From Seed to Series A and Beyond: 7 Key Insights for Tech Founders
Roberta Draper
Whether you are buying another business as a one-off transformational acquisition or as part of aggregation strategy our lawyers provide timely, pragmatic and commercial advice on all aspects of your deal.
Our team will focus on understanding the risk areas in the transaction and your strategy, and help you manage the deal to achieve your objectives quickly and efficiently. We have considerable experience in working closely with a buyer’s in-house teams throughout the process, providing critical legal insights that help shape the deal.
We have considerable experience in advising on and managing complex and multi-jurisdictional transactions across a variety of sectors including technology and media, professional services, healthcare, real estate, construction, sport, hospitality, financial services, fashion, travel, publishing, manufacturing, transport and engineering.
Our deals typically range from £10 million to £100 million and our corporate lawyers work closely with our specialist teams across the firm in relation to tax, regulatory, real estate, commercial, IP, data protection, banking, employment and other issues when required.
We advise on:
- Aggregation strategies
- Buy and build transactions
- Private equity and institutional investments
- Management buy-outs and buy-ins
- Purchases by family offices
- Purchases by Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs)
- Strategic purchases
- Trade purchases
In addition, our capital markets team advises on acquisitions and disposals by public companies.
Recent Work
- Acting for a buyer on the purchase of funeral services businesses
- Acting for the buyer on the acquisition of a financial services business
- Acting on a purchase of business and assets out of a company in administration
- Acting for the buyer on the purchase of an accounting and tax advisory firm
- Acting for the buyer on the buyout of a media company
- Acted for the buyer on the purchase of a media business
- Advised on acquisitions of professional services firms and the reorganisation of various UK entities
- Acting on the corporate acquisition of a super-prime property in Kensington
- Advising Feralco AB on its acquisition of Venator Wasserchemie GmbH, the German water treatment chemicals business, from Venator Materials plc
- Advising on the acquisition of an insurance company based in the US
- Advising a family office on its £45m purchase of an Isle of Man-incorporated SPV, holding a commercial property in Central London
Further information
If you would like more information or require legal advice in relation to an acquisition, please contact John Young or Glafkos Tombolis.
Anthony Macpherson
Partner and Head of Department
Roberta Draper
Partner
James Fulforth
Senior Partner
Christina Kelly
Partner
Christopher Perrin
Partner
Emer Hughes
Legal Director
Patrick Alexander
Senior Associate
Numaira Choudhary
Associate
Mei Chung
Associate
Alok Gangola
Consultant
Luke Gregory
Associate
Emerald Hockley
Associate
Caroline Sheldon
Associate
Krystina Tang
Associate
Bethany Hall
Trainee Solicitor
What a joy to work with such a competent team."
A client
The team was well led, practical and proactive."
A client
I want a practical and secure solution, normally within a tight timetable, and your team met these requirements perfectly."
A client
Latest blogs & news
When can organisations rely on “consent” under data protection laws? The Court of Appeal clarifies in RTM v Sky Betting and Gaming
The Court of Appeal's recent decision in RTM v Bonne Terre Limited & Hestview Limited [2026] EWCA Civ 488 is an important one for any business/controller that relies on consent as a lawful basis for processing personal data or sending direct marketing communications. In short, the legal test for consent under data protection legislation is an objective one, not a subjective inquiry into the data subject’s internal state of mind.
Employment law changes tech businesses need to know about
A significant number of employment law reforms are coming into effect in 2026 and 2027 following the introduction of the Employment Rights Act 2025 at the end of last year.
Court of Appeal confirms scope of data controllers’ security obligations
In a recent decision, the Court of Appeal allowed the UK Information Commissioner's appeal against the decision of the Upper Tribunal in proceedings involving DSG Retail Limited ("DSG"). The case arose from a nine-month cyber-attack in 2017-2018 on DSG’s systems, during which the attackers scraped transaction data from point-of-sale terminals from over 5.6 million payment cards. The compromised data included card numbers and expiry dates but not cardholders' names, meaning the attackers could not directly identify individuals from the data alone.
Copyright & artificial intelligence: Progress, pause and persistent uncertainty
The UK Government has now published its March 2026 Report on Copyright and Artificial Intelligence, following its 2024–25 consultation on the use of copyright protected works in AI training. The outcome is significant - not for what it introduces but for what it postpones.
Kingsley Napley Advises on Strategic Acquisition of Music Data Analytics Firms by Secretly Distribution
Kingsley Napley’s Corporate, Commercial and Finance team has successfully advised Erik Gilbert and Greg Delaney, founders of Entertainment Intelligence and Babel Ops, on the sale of their businesses to Secretly Distribution, part of the Secretly Group family of independent music companies based in Bloomington, Indiana.
Government announces tough new late payment laws – what happens next?
The UK Government has confirmed a major package of reforms to tackle late payments, a persistent pressure point for small businesses, costing the economy £11 billion a year and contributing to 38 business closures every day.
Business Development: Playing The Right CARD
The professional services industry faces rapid change
Companies House security issue: What your business should do now
A serious security vulnerability affecting the five million registered companies on Companies House was recently discovered. More on this below, but we would urge all companies to check their records carefully and ensure there is nothing unexpected in their Companies House filings and dashboard.
What tech businesses need to know in 2026
At our recent Tech Briefing, 'What tech businesses need to know in 2026', we explored how the EU’s Digital Omnibus package and the UK’s Employment Rights Act will reshape compliance for UK tech SMEs.
Five common contract weaknesses – and how to fix them
Most commercial disputes don’t come from exotic legal issues - they come from everyday contract weaknesses that could have been avoided with a few smart tweaks
Kingsley Napley advises on £100m merger between UHY Hacker Young and Affinia
Kingsley Napley is pleased to announce that our Regulatory and Corporate & Commercial teams have provided legal advice to UHY Hacker Young London and Nottingham on its landmark combination with Affinia. The transaction creates a £100 million revenue group comprising 1,000 professionals across key UK locations.
2026 marks a turning point for data governance in the UK
2026 is shaping up to be the most consequential year for UK data protection enforcement since the introduction of the EU/UK GDPR regime. With record fines issued in late 2025, a new enforcement playbook on the horizon, and shifting legislative and regulatory expectations, the Information Commissioner’s Office (“ICO”) is signalling a marked transformation in how it supervises, and sanctions, organisations.
Why limitation of liability clauses deserve more attention than they get
Too often, limitation of liability clauses are treated as standard boilerplate - something to tidy up at the end of a negotiation once the “real” commercial points are agreed.
2026 brand threats that could be opportunities: Polarisation, AI, NextGen, and Saturation
What are these megatrends that could pose a threat to brands in 2026?
From Seed to Series A and Beyond: 7 Key Insights for Tech Founders
In this article, we share 7 key considerations to help tech founders navigate the journey from seed funding to Series A and beyond.
Biggest EU Digital Shake-Up Since GDPR? What Businesses Need To Know
In November 2025, the European Commission unveiled its Digital Omnibus package – a set of proposals aimed at simplifying (not deregulating) EU rules on data protection, cybersecurity and AI.
Clearview AI ruling confirms UK GDPR applies beyond borders
In a recent decision on the UK GDPR’s global scope, the Upper Tribunal in The Information Commissioner v Clearview AI Incorporated and Privacy International [2025] UKUT 319 (AAC) confirmed that the UK’s data protection regime can extend well beyond its borders.
Christopher Perrin featured on BBC News discussing AI & copyright challenges raised by OpenAI’s Sora 2
Christopher Perrin was recently featured on BBC News to comment on the legal implications of OpenAI’s new video generation model, Sora 2. The segment aired during both the 6pm and 10pm segments and explored the copyright concerns emerging from this latest AI development.
UK Tech SMEs & the November Budget
Founders and teams across the country are looking for signals that the UK still backs its innovators. Here’s what’s top of the wish-list:
Why does software ownership matter? Six key legal takeaways for tech businesses
For founders, investors and anyone involved in the tech sector, understanding who owns your software and how to prove it is critical. Whether you’re seeking investment, planning an exit or simply aiming to protect your IP, clarity on ownership can make or break a deal
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