Emerging growth

A&O Shearman is a leading law firm for entrepreneurs and companies across the lifecycle, from emerging through growth and scale to exit, as well as the investors that back them.

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Our team understands the key risks and opportunities on both sides of the table, thanks to our deep experience helping businesses achieve scale, nurture talent, and protect valuable IP. 

Working with growth companies   

We provide strategic advice at every stage, from “back of the envelope” to the opening bell.  

For a promising idea to grow into a successful company, entrepreneurs need insightful, business-minded counsel that can keep up with the pace of innovation.  

Collaborating side-by-side, we know our clients’ businesses. Our lawyers provide tailored, creative solutions to emerging growth challenges, working with organizations as their needs change over time.  

Working with investors  

We help the world’s most influential and successful investors, including venture capital and private equity funds, seize the opportunities and manage the risks associated with these dynamic companies, as well as supporting on compliance and portfolio management.  

The breadth and diversity of our client base means we have an almost unrivaled understanding of the needs of different categories of investor, from angel to pre-IPO.  

We provide sophisticated advice that gives our clients confidence at all stages of their target’s growth and creates opportunities to build portfolios packed with future success stories.  

Advice that makes a difference 

A one-size-fits-all approach cannot cater for the diversity and dynamism of emerging businesses and their investors’ high growth expectations.  

Simply following a market standard rarely maximizes value; relying on rinse and repeat will often result in missed opportunity.  

We recognize this, bringing the resources of a truly global practice to help secure successful outcomes for founders, businesses and stakeholders and setting them up to disrupt, thrive and scale.  

Our holistic approach does not end at legal advice – as an active member of the emerging growth ecosystem we seek to connect investors and founders, and share the benefits of our network.  

Representative matters

Company counsel 

  • Caris Life Sciences, a biotechnology company, in its growth equity capital financing and Series D financing led by Sixth Street, and as borrower on a senior secured term loan facility provided by OrbiMed and Braidwell. 
  • Checkout.com, the global leader in online payment solutions, on securing USD1 billion in a Series D funding round valuing the company at USD40bn.   
  • HiddenLayer, a cybersecurity company, in its Series Seed financing and its Series A financing co-led by M12 and Moore Strategic Ventures with participation from Booz Allen Ventures, IBM Ventures, Capital One Ventures and TenEleven Ventures. 
  • Next Insurance, an insurtech company, in its Series C financing led by Capital G, Series D and Series E financings led by Munich Re and in its Series G financing led by affiliates of Allstate Insurance and Allianz X. 
  • Zopa, an online bank, on achieving milestones including getting its U.K. banking license; successive funding rounds; gaining unicorn status; product launches; and multiple strategic transactions.   

 

Strategic investment and minority investor counsel  

  • Chevron Technology Ventures in its investments in Aurora Hydrogen, enmacc, Epicore Biosystems, Flyability, Gr3n, Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies, Mobilus Labs, TAE Technologies and Zededa. 
  • Khosla Ventures on a range of investments across Europe. 
  • PayPal Ventures in respect of a number of investments and exits including its follow-on investment in Oyster's Series C funding round, Series B investment in Paymob and its participation in Tabby AI’s Series C fundraise. 
  • USAA in its investments in Automatic Labs, BillGo, ClickSWITCH, Coinbase Global, Enveil, Gridspace, Grow Credit, Hosta A.I., ID.me, Lumotive, MX Technologies, ObserveIT, Saffron Technology, Snapsheet, TrueCar and Trust & Will. 


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