Francis Dalton

Francis has advised on a range of matters across the healthcare sector, from the sale of care homes, through to medical devices and pharmaceuticals. The Health and Care sector has seen significant growth in recent years and collaborations and acquisitions have played an important part of this. Francis has advised on licence agreements, fund raisings and acquisitions.

Recent work

• Advising on the sale of an international generics injectables business to an American buyer for two billion dollars
• Advising a London-based private equity firm on the acquisition of an absence management business
• Advising management on a warranty schedule in a private equity sale of care homes.

Private equity

Francis has a strong practice advising private equity backed portfolio companies on a range of matters including bolt-on acquisitions and disposals, MIPs and cap table management and other day-to-day portfolio matters.

Francis also advises sponsors on platform acquisitions and disposals.

M&A

Francis advises both strategics and sellers/founders on acquisitions and disposals across a wide range of sectors.

Venture capital

Francis has a great deal of experience advising both investors and founders on investment rounds ranging from Series Seed through to Series C and beyond.  Francis is used to advising on a range of different structures to secure venture capital investment.

Corporate

In addition to the above, Francis has extensive experience advising on all matters of corporate law including joint ventures, share buy-backs, capital reductions and related matters.

Recent work

• Advising on the sale of the European sales arm of Actavis pharmaceuticals
• Advising a Big Four firm on a worldwide investment vehicle structure
• Advising Management of a care homes business on their exit and rollover arrangements
• Advising Patron Capital and May Capital on the acquisition of the Laine Pub Group from a blend of institutional and management sellers
• Advising private equity managed portfolio companies on their acquisitions and the ultimate exits
• Advising on acquisition of the Zen Stationery group by the OfficeTeam group
• Advising V.Group on strategic partnership with, and sale of, English language testing business to Ocean Technologies Group.

Francis has advised on the acquisition and disposal of a number of well-known assets and groups in the Drinks, Hospitality and Leisure sector. In an increasingly regulated market, Francis specialises in navigating clients through this matrix to find commercial and practical solutions.

Recent work

• Advising Patron Capital and May Capital on the acquisition of the Laine Pub Group from a blend of institutional and management sellers
• Advising on the disposal of the Smiths of Smithfield chain of restaurants to Youngs Brewery.

Technology

Francis has advised a number of well-known firms on their acquisitions in the technology software sector. Combining corporate experience with a proven track record in the sector, Francis has advised on acquisitions and disposals, joint ventures and collaborations in the software, gaming, hardware and licensing regimes.

Communications media

Francis has built up a strong practice, advising household names and smaller companies in the communications and media sectors. On the media front, Francis has experience of buying and selling production houses to TV companies and everything in between. On the communications side, Francis has advised on the acquisition of broadband infrastructure and a broadband client base.

Recent work

• Advising BAE Systems on the acquisition of a cloud based security firm
• Advising on the acquisition of a data erasure company for a public company
• Advising on the disposal of mobile hardware business
• Advising Sky on acquisition of Sky Italia and Sky Deutschland for $9 billion
• Advising on the acquisition of a TV production house
• Advising on the acquisition by Sky of O2’s fixed line broadband business.