Emily Settle
Partner | Head of International | Bristol | London
"Emily Settle is excellent at breaking down complex matters in a way that is clear and understandable. Emily is also patient and always takes the time to ensure we fully understand the key legal and commercial points that are most pertinent to us."
The Legal 500, 2025
Mobile: +44 797 150 2345
About Emily
Emily is Head of International at Freeths – responsible for international strategy and coordinating global counsel for our clients’ cross-border client mandates.
Emily is a Corporate Partner with over 20 years’ experience of acting for large international corporates, financial sponsor portfolios and management teams across all M&A and shareholding arrangements. Much of Emily’s work is for our international clients.
Emily has delivered deals across all types of private M&A transactions (sell-side, buy-side, auction, bilateral, share and business deals) and has a wealth of experience across capital structures, shareholder arrangements and strategic investments, joint ventures, restructurings and equity raises.
- Through our International Private Equity Portfolio Team, Emily supports financial sponsors and their portfolios in their capital structures, M&A activity and governance.
- For our large corporate clients, Emily takes time to understand ways of working with general counsel teams and their stakeholders to deliver strategic M&A mandates and long- term advisory roles.
- For our management and founder clients, Emily builds close relationships to understand our clients’ businesses and growth agenda to deliver pragmatic, commercial advice throughout a relationship from investment to exit.
Emily Settle ranked as a Leading Individual in Chambers & Partners (2025 edition) and is listed as a Recommended Lawyer in The Legal 500 (2025 edition).
Contact Emily
Mobile: +44 797 150 2345
Notable work & expertise
Recent Work
- Advising a US financial sponsor across multiple UK mid-market acquisitions
- Long term advisory role for a PE-backed global healthcare group across its European governance structures, M&A and Management Equity (400+ managers) (including multiple issuances and leaver rounds)
- Long term advisory role for a Spanish-listed consumer brand on its UK-governance requirements and corporate matters
- Advised Lloyd’s List Intelligence, backed by Montagu, on acquiring Infospectrum. The deal enhanced LLI’s risk and compliance capabilities and highlighted our expertise in data-driven, regulated-sector transactions
- Advised Substantial Group, backed by financial sponsor Digital Bridge, on the implementation and management if it’s Management Incentive Plan
- Advised on the all-stock merger of Bioceres with Moolec Science. The deal combined extensive biotech portfolios and required careful structuring of new shares and warrants across multiple jurisdictions
- Advising a FTSE 100 on the £100m+ acquisition of a supplier in distributed energy solutions
- Advising an international chemicals company (private equity portfolio) on the £25m+ share acquisition of a UK contract chemicals manufacturer
- Advising an international plastics manufacturer (a private equity portfolio company) on multiple management incentive rounds, equity raises, leaver rounds, asset and share acquisitions (bilateral and auction)
- Advising a FTSE 100 on convertible debt investments into growth companies in the tech sector
- Advising a UK insurance group (a private equity portfolio company) on multiple transactions and cross-business projects including a strategic stake in a new venture and a share acquisition of a new tech platform
- Advising a Brussels sponsor on £50m+ acquisition of UK care home group
- Advising a founder and creative director of a fashion brand on the potential sale of a 25% stake to Asia investors
- Advising a founder on the sale of a biomass supplier to an AIM-listed acquiror
Testimonials
LC
"I must single out Emily Settle, who was exceptional throughout. She inspired total confidence from day one and consistently delivered to a remarka...
Legal Counsel
FTSE 100
"Emily's ability to quickly gain the confidence of her clients, constructive outlook and solutions-oriented approach have been extremely valuable t...
Chambers & Partners, 2025
"Emily was a voice of calm throughout a stressful process. Her expertise and commercial knowledge were exceptional."
Chambers & Partners, 2025
"Emily is sharp, commercial, responsive and effective."
Chambers & Partners, 2025
"She is pragmatic and excellent at communicating and navigating complex matters. She delivers real value to clients through legal negotiations."
Chambers & Partners, 2025
"Emily Settle consistently goes above and beyond to ensure she is delivering the service we need within the timeframes and budgets we’ve agreed. Sh...
The Legal 500, 2024
"Emily Settle is a very driven individual, who is strong in managing the process, taking a very commercial approach."
The Legal 500, 2024
“Emily is an exceptional lawyer who we depend on for the majority of our transactional matters.”
Chambers & Partners, 2024
“Emily is very strong in managing a transaction and takes a very commercial view.”
Chambers & Partners, 2024
“Emily is an excellent individual to oversee and progress the work required.”
Chambers & Partners, 2024
"Working with Emily Settle was a pleasure. Very well structured, very responsive and had an excellent knowledge of the mandate."
The Legal 500, 2023
“Emily is fantastic and has been a joy to work with since the first day we met. She’s also happy to offer an opinion, which is something I greatly...
Chambers & Partners, 2023
"I have worked mainly with Emily Settle, who has led the corporate advice given to us by Freeths. Whilst not directly involved in individual transa...
The Legal 500, 2023
“Emily has a very hands-on approach and she's easy to work with.”
Chambers & Partners, 2023
Related news & articles
Contact us today
Whatever your legal needs, our wide ranging expertise is here to support you and your business, so let’s start your legal journey today and get you in touch with the right lawyer to get you started.
Get in touch
For general enquiries, please complete this form and we will direct your message to the most appropriate person.