About

Gillian White is an experienced corporate solicitor who is committed to her clients and their commercial success. She is Head of the M&A team and takes the lead on corporate governance services at Howard Kennedy.

Gillian acts for entrepreneurial clients, larger companies and institutions looking to acquire or invest in entrepreneurial businesses. She approaches investments, mergers, joint ventures, company sales and purchases with common sense, risk awareness and creativity. 

Gillian provides clients with more than just corporate advice as she also understands intellectual property (IP) and commercial law. She works closely with Howard Kennedy's IP and Commercial team to offer innovative solutions and opportunities to clients.

She additionally collaborates with Howard Kennedy's Private Wealth team on helping clients with succession planning and family investment companies and dealing with valuable corporate assets that form part of marital assets or an estate.

Gillian provides corporate governance advice for large companies and significant family businesses. 

Her transactional experience means that she is adept at managing complex projects and drawing advice from multiple professional advisers and clients' commercial teams. Her corporate governance experience means that she is adept at uncovering and understanding competing stakeholder needs and providing pragmatic advice.

Recent work
  • Leading on the strategic acquisition by US manufacturing company of a UK software company.
  • Acting on the strategic disposal and acquisition of franchise brands (and businesses).
  • Leading on a substantial debt funded MBO.
  • Acting on private company, LLP and contractual profit share structures, including taking the lead on a €120m international merger of two leading leisure businesses.
  • Advising high net worth investors and investee companies (especially those in the leisure space) on significant strategic investment rounds.
  • Advising high net worth individuals on their Family Investment Company Structures.
  • Advising substantial family businesses on changes to their governance structures and succession planning.
  • Advising shareholders and stakeholders in circumstances of poor governance.
Accolades

  • Listed as Key Lawyer, Corporate and Commercial: M&A, Smaller Deals, £10-£100M, Legal 500 2023
  • Listed as Key Lawyer, Corporate and Commercial: M&A, Smaller Deals Up to £50m, Legal 500 2022

Did you know
Gillian spent several years working in the fine art auction industry.
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