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Karin Kirschner

Legal Director
Karin Kirschner in particular is an absolute star. She understands our business and it felt as if she was an extension to us during the transaction, engaging with various stakeholders whilst emitting the softer skills to us as a client.
Legal 500 2021/2022
About

Karin Kirschner is a corporate finance lawyer with specific experience in equity capital market transactions on the London Stock Exchange (both AIM and main market) and public takeovers subject to the UK Code on Takeovers and Mergers. She has acted for banks and corporates on IPOs, rights issues, placings, block trades and demergers, and also assists on Listing Rule transactions such as Class 1 and Related Party transactions and has recent experience acting for both targets and bidders on public takeovers. In addition, Karin is a member of DLA Piper's Boardroom Advisory Service, providing guidance to Boards and Company Secretaries of listed companies in respect of disclosure and other continuing obligations and duties, and wider corporate governance issues.

Karin was seconded with the ECM EMEA legal team at Citigroup for nine months in 2009. In 2014, she was recognised as a Rising Star at Euromoney Legal Media Group's Europe Women in Business Law Awards 2014 for her work on a number of high profile equity capital market transactions. The awards recognise women who are seen as leading the field in the legal sector across Europe. She has also been ranked by Legal 500 2022/2023 as a rising star in Equity Capital Markets in respect of Small-Mid Cap categories.

Professional QualificationsSolicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales

EXPERIENCE

  • Advising main market listed consultancy group RPS Group in relation to its takeover by Tetra Tech UK Holdings Limited, a wholly-owned subisidiary of Tetra Tech, Inc. by way of a GBP636 million cash offer implemented by way of a sheme of arrangement
  • Advising main market listed consultancy group RPS Group in relation to its takeover by Canadian-based engineering Company WSP Global by way of a GBP591.1 million cash offer which was then superceded by the offer made by Tetra Tech and did not proceed
  • Advising aviation services provider John Menzies plc on its recommended takeover by GIL International Holdings V Limited, a wholly-owned subisidary of Agility Public Warehouding Co K.S.C.P. by way of a GBP571 million cash offer impemented by way of a scheme of arrangement
  • Advising Science Group plc in respect of the acquisition of the entire issued share capital of TP Group plc not already owned by Science Group plc by way of a GBP17.53 million cash offer implemented by way of scheme of arrangement
  • Advising Canaccord Genuity Limited in its role as nominated adviser and broker in respect of the acquisition of Vertigrow Technology Ltd (reverse takeover), placing, subscription and Rule 9 waiver (market capitalisation on IPO GBP101.8 million)
  • Advising Canaccord Genuity Limited, finnCap, Goldman Sachs and Numis as joint bookrunners to the cashbox placing for Ideagen plc raising GBP103.5 million for future acquisitions
  • Advising AIM company Learning Technologies Group plc on:
    • Its placing to raise GBP85 million to part-fund the acquisition of PeopleFluent Holdings Corp
    • Its placing to raise GBP81.8 million to accelerate future growth and gain further market share of the corproate learning market; and
    • Its placing to raise GBP85 million to part-fund the acquisition of GP Strategies
  • Advising Scapa Group plc, an AIM company in the healthcare sector, on its takeover by Schweitzer-Mauduit International, Inc by way of a GPB420 million cash offer implemented by scheme of arrangement
  • Advising main market listed Manx Telecom plc on its takeover by the infrastructure fund Basalt Infrastructure Partners by way of a GBP225 million cash offer implemented by a scheme of arrangement
  • Advising AIM company Brickability Group plc on its GBP55 million placing to part-fund the acquisition of Taylor Maxwell Group (2017) Limited
  • Advising the AIM listed Lighthouse Group plc on its takeover by Intrinsic Financial Services Limited by way of a GBP46.2 million cash offer implemented by a scheme of arrangement
  • Advising Numis Securities Limited as broker to two block trades for the Shoby Investments Partnership in respect of the main market listed Motorpoint plc
  • Advising Begbies Traynor Group plc, the AIM listed business recovery, financial advisory and property services consultancy on its GBP8.3 million placing to fund its pipeline opportunities.
  • Advising the main market listed Allied Minds plc on the disposal of its entire shareholding in HawkEye, Inc. and an associated court approved reduction of capital.
  • Advising Mothercare plc, baby and maternity retailer, on
    • its GBP32.5 million placing and open offer on the main market of the London Stock Exchange, as part of its restructuring programme; and
    • its disposal of its Early Learning Business to The Entertainer
  • Advising Harworth Group plc on the placing on the main market of the London Stock Exchange raising proceeds to accelerate expansion of its strategic land bank, and the subsequent step-up from the standard to the premium segment
  • Advising Canaccord Genuity, Stifel Nicolaus and Peel Hunt who acted as joint bookrunners in relation to the Placing of up to 68 million shares in IQE PLC to raise circa GBP100 million. IQE is a leading global supplier of advanced wafer products and wafer services to the semiconductor industry
  • Acting for Zeus Capital as nomad and underwriter in the AIM IPO of On The Market.com, a residential property search portal supported by more than 4,000 estate agents across the UK. The transaction required a complex pre-IPO reorganization to convert from a company limited by guarantee, implemented by way of two court-approved schemes of arrangement
  • Advising John Menzies plc on:
    • its placing, subscription and retail offer raising GBP22 million of equity funds;
    • the acquisition of ASIG Holdings, Inc from BBA plc and its associated GBP75.2 million fundraising; 
    • the disposal of its print media distribution business, Menzies Distribution Limited, to funds managed by Endless LLP; and
    • the proposed removal of preference shares from its share capital by way of a court approved reduction of capital
  • Advising Liberum Capital plc on the placing and open offer on the main market by Sepura plc
Languages
  • English
  • German
Education
  • University of Nottingham, BSc (Genetics)
  • Nottingham Law School, PgDL (Commendation) and LPC (First)

Awards

  • Rated by Legal 500 2022/2023 as Rising Star for Equity Capital Markets: small-mid cap
  • Rated by Legal 500 2021/2022 as Rising Star for Equity Capital Markets: small-mid cap
  • Rated by Legal 500 2019/2020 as Rising Star for Equity Capital Markets: small-mid cap and large-mid-cap
  • Recommended by Legal 500 2018/2019 for Equity Capital Markets
  • Recognised by Legal 500 2018/2019 as a Notable practitioner for Flotations: small and mid-cap
  • Awarded "Rising Star: Finance" by Europe Women in Business Law Awards, 2014

Prior Experience

  • 2021 – present: Legal Director, DLA Piper
  • 2015 - 2021: Senior Associate, DLA Piper
  • 2007 - 2015: Senior Associate, London office of a multinational law firm
  • 2004 - 2007: Associate, London office of a multinational law firm

Memberships And Affiliations

  • Member and volunteer for Reprieve, the human rights organisation

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