Sophie Payne is a Partner in Boyes Turner’s Corporate team and has more than 13 years’ experience advising on a wide range of corporate matters. She acts for a variety of clients from owner-managed businesses to large groups of companies and has advised on significant and high-profile transactions across a wide range of sectors for many valued clients of the firm.
Sophie specialises in advising on complex corporate matters, including business and share acquisitions and disposals, internal group re-organisations and management buy-outs, joint ventures, angel and private equity investment, shareholders’ agreements, share buy-backs, capital reductions, share option schemes and general corporate governance matters.
She works with businesses, shareholders, investors and management teams to navigate transactions efficiently while ensuring the necessary legal requirements are met. Combining strong technical expertise with a commercial mindset, Sophie helps clients manage risk, address challenges as they arise and achieve their strategic objectives. She is experienced in co-ordinating complex deals involving multiple stakeholders and advisers, providing clear, practical guidance throughout the transaction process and on ongoing corporate governance and compliance matters.
Sophie has particular expertise advising on high value funding rounds from both angel and private equity investors – a growing area of practice for the firm under Sophie’s leadership – and has previously worked on deals with Inflexion Private Equity, BGF, Mobeus and YFM. Sophie also advises companies and individuals on lending and security arrangements – particularly the provision of real estate finance, working closely alongside our Development & Housebuilding team.
Sophie is highly regarded by clients, colleagues and referrers for providing outstanding technical and commercial advice on complex and demanding transactional and non-transactional matters. Her ability to coordinate stakeholders, simplify complex processes and provide strategic guidance makes her a trusted adviser throughout the lifecycle of a business.
Sophie's key cases
A few of Sophie’s key cases:
- Advising Becton Dickinson, one of the world’s largest global medical technology companies, on the disposal of its manufacturing plant based in Swindon, to Quvara Medical Limited (part of the Buckland Group).
- Advising one of Europe’s fastest-growing tech companies, ANDigital Limited, in connection with multiple rounds of funding from private equity investment firm, BGF.
- Advising Irish multinational, Origin Enterprises Plc, on a series of strategic acquisitions and investments across the United Kingdom.
- Acting for individual and corporate lenders providing real estate finance to property developers – advising on facility and security documentation and JV arrangements – most recently, a £4m lender-side development finance transaction.
- Longstanding corporate adviser to specialist collections, recoveries and enforcement business, Equivo Limited, advising on all aspects of corporate law – from its joint venture with law firm Shoosmiths LLP to its latest capital reorganisation project.
Sophie's awards and recognitions
- Band 3, M&A – 5million and above (Thames), group – Chambers
- Band 2, Corporate and Commercial (Thames), group – Legal 500
Sophie Payne's expertise
Corporate governance
Employee ownership trusts (EOTs)
Funding & investment
Growing your business
Joint ventures
LLPs and partnerships
Mergers and acquisitions (M&A)
Restructuring your business
Setting up a business in the UK
Shareholders agreements
Contact Sophie Payne
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