Karl Jansen
National Managing Partner
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"He provides a fantastic service. He has a real strength in corporate transactions, and is very responsive and client-focused."
(Chambers & Partners, 2021)
As National Managing Partner, Karl is responsible for the leadership and management of the Firm and driving the Firm’s strategy, working in conjunction with our Chair Julian Middleton, Senior Partner Philippa Dempster, and the Management Board.
Prior to taking up his current role, Karl was a corporate lawyer for more than 25 years, latterly as National Head of the Firm’s Corporate Department, and achieved recognition by The Legal 500 (2024 edition) as a Leading Individual in their Hall of Fame which highlights individuals who have received constant praise by their clients for continued excellence.
His longstanding client relationships include Travis Perkins and Tarmac.
Over his 30+ years at Freeths, Karl has helped take the Firm from a £2m turnover single-office practice into the leading national firm that it is today.
Legal Services
Corporate
Recent Work
- Led a team of more than 60 lawyers which supported the in-house legal team at Lafarge Tarmac on the sale to CRH plc, one of the world’s largest building materials suppliers. This was as part of a €6.5 billion worldwide acquisition of assets being sold by Lafarge SA and Holcim Limited to facilitate their global merger.
- Advised LNT Group on the sale of 24 care homes previously run by LNT Group subsidiary Ideal Carehomes. This was to Anchor Trust, one of the country’s largest providers of housing and care to the elderly, in a deal worth more than £100 million. The LNT Group comprises five core businesses across industry sectors including healthcare, construction, automotive, chemicals and software.
- Advised Lafarge on the £272 million sale of a portfolio of their UK assets to Mittal Investments, the private investment vehicle of Lakshmi Mittal. This was a major step towards finalisation of the joint venture, under which Lafarge and Anglo American combined Tarmac’s and Lafarge’s UK businesses to create Lafarge Tarmac.
- Advised Experian, the world’s leading global information services company and a member of the FTSE 100, on numerous acquisitions and disposals including the acquisitions of HD Decisions Limited (the UK’s leading provider of pre-qualification solutions) and data management software company X88 Software Limited.
- Advised Travis Perkins plc, one of the largest suppliers to the UK’s building and construction industry with over 2,000 outlets and 28,000+ employees. This has involved numerous corporate transactions, including an investment in Staircraft (the market leading supplier of timber staircases to the UK’s major house builders) and the acquisition of TF Solutions (one of the UK’s leading air conditioning and refrigeration distributors).
- Advised Tarmac (the UK’s leading sustainable building materials and construction solutions business) on the acquisition of civil engineering contractor J.B. Riney & Co. Limited.
- Advised the shareholders of Omar Group Limited, Britain’s premier manufacturer of park homes and luxury lodges, on the significant investment by London-based private equity firm, Rutland Partners. This was to fund further expansion in the growing park home and lodge sector.
Latest
- Freeths reveals record 15% growth in 12 months
- Freeths launches in Scotland with strategic senior hires
- Freeths continues strategic expansion in 2023 with senior hire
- Freeths appoints Chief Financial Officer as rapid growth continues
- Freeths announces record financial results in 2022
- Freeths statement on Russian sanctions
- New management team reflects growth and success of firm
- Freeths advises Omar Group on acquisition of UK Sundecks
- Freeths add a bit of Zen to OfficeTeam acquisition
- Freeths advise on £100m+ care home deal
- Freeths fly high with deal award accolades and a triple win!
- Freeths advise on acquisition by Travis Perkins of air conditioning distributor
To contact Karl or for more information…
Call: 0345 634 9780
Mobile: 0777 864 2368
Or email: Send an email
“We are extremely grateful for the consistently outstanding support given by Freeths to Tarmac. The team’s dedication and professionalism has enabled Tarmac to deliver numerous complex projects. Their fantastic enthusiasm, technical strength and team spirit create a highly effective working relationship with Tarmac, and Karl’s positive commitment and attitude make him the ideal client partner.”
(Katie Smart, UK Head of Legal, Tarmac)
“Head of corporate Karl Jansen ‘is one of the best lawyers that you will find anywhere’ according to one source.”
“I have worked with Freeths for over 20 years, and when we decided to run a competitive process to attract new investment I had no hesitation in approaching Karl Jansen. Leanne Fryer and Mallory Green supported Karl on the transaction. They proved to be an outstanding team, always working in a timely and efficient manner. We benefitted from the full time and attention of Karl as Lead Partner and consequently, when it came to key negotiations, we won out on the critical points, going head to head with a high end City firm. The Freeths team even managed to make an exacting and detailed process fun!”
(Dean Westmoreland of Omar Group Limited)
“Much of the praise must go to head of department Karl Jansen, who received his fair share of individual plaudits. He is described as ‘an extraordinarily intelligent guy – truly top-drawer’.”
National department head Karl Jansen regularly advises significant clients on the full range of corporate transactions. Clients praise his “very straightforward, commercial” approach.
(Chambers & Partners, 2019)
“The ‘fantastic’ Karl Jansen is noted for his experience handling high-value transactions.”
(Chambers & Partners, 2018)
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