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Kirsty Underhill

She/herSenior Associate
Kirsty is competent and confident in running a transaction. Her responsiveness towards clients is excellent, and her personable nature ensures smooth interactions between deal teams.
Corporate counsel, Stantec
About

Kirsty Underhill has a broad range of experience in acquisitions and disposals, private equity transactions including MBOs, secondary buyouts and exits, equity capital markets transactions, corporate reorganisations and general company law and compliance matters.

Kirsty works across a number of sectors including life sciences, technology and media, sports and entertainment, with a particular focus on transactions in the consumer goods, food and retail sector.

Kirsty is an avid supporter of DLA Piper’s pro bono practice, championing DLA Piper’s partnership with Kids in Need of Defense UK, which helps children and young adults to obtain British citizenship. She is also a mentor for DLA Piper’s Head Start programme, which supports young people who have the talent and ambition to join the legal profession and who are from groups currently under represented in this sector.

Professional QualificationsSolicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales

EXPERIENCE

  • Advising UK food company 2 Sisters Food Group on its disposal of part of its Fox’s Biscuits business to a Ferrero-related Company for GBP246 million.
  • Advising Noble Foods, supplier of fresh food brands to retailers and consumers, on the disposal of its premium chilled dessert brand Gü Puds to Exponent Private Equity.
  • Advising MKS Instruments, Inc., a global provider of technologies that enable advanced processes and improve productivity, on its USD6.5 billion acquisition of Atotech Limited, a leading process chemicals technology company and a market leader in advanced electroplating solutions, backed by buyout firm Carlyle Group Inc.
  • Advising international engineering, design and project management business Stantec on its acquisition of planning and design consultancy Barton Willmore.
  • Advising the shareholders of Pangaea Laboratories, a global beauty business and owner of the fast-growing Medik8 skincare brand, in connection with the investment from private equity firm Inflexion.
  • Advising the shareholders of Darwin Group, the modular construction specialist working with the healthcare and education sectors, in connection with the investment from European investment company Kartesia.
  • Advising Medica Group plc, the UK and Ireland market leader in the provision of teleradiology services, on the acquisition of RadMD LLC and associated placing and subscription of new ordinary shares raising approximately GBP16 million.
  • Advising Dechra Pharmaceuticals PLC, the FTSE 250 veterinary pharmaceuticals business, on the accelerated bookbuild placing of 5.1 million new ordinary shares raising GBP133.4 million.
  • Advising Singer Capital Markets as Nomad and broker in relation to the listing of Strip Tinning Holdings plc, supplier of specialist connectors to the automotive sector, onto the Alternative Investment Market.
  • Advising Singer Capital Markets as Nomad and sole bookrunner on the placing and reverse takeover by DP Poland PLC, an operator of pizza stores and restaurants across Poland, of Dominium S.A., a Polish pizza restaurant group.
Education
  • University of Law, Legal Practice Course, 2015
  • Cardiff University, LLB Law, 2013

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