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Articles by Dylan Kennett
Private Capital In Focus Venture Capital And Growth
Our Head of Venture Capital and Growth in EMEA Dylan Doran Kennett talks through which sectors are emerging as high-growth areas, how private capital is recasting the sports industry, and how AI is changing deal flow and valuations. Can you walk us through your route into private capital. Was it a deliberate choice or did you find yourself drawn to it over time?
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer deepens commitment to accessibility through expanded partnership with Sociability
Leading global law firm Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer has strengthened its partnership with UK accessibility platform Sociability, building on its pro bono relationship to help make its workplaces more accessible and inclusive. The expanded partnership reflects the firm's broader efforts to reduce barriers and create more accessible experiences for disabled colleagues, clients, and visitors.
Company Law – Companies House Guidance On Fit And Proper Criteria For UK ACSPs
Isobel Hoyle’s articles from Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP are most popular: with Senior Company Executives, HR and Finance and Tax Executives with readers working within the Law Firm industries The guidance clarifies the standards Companies House will apply when assessing whether authorised corporate service providers meet the fitness requirements introduced by the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 Companies House has published guidance on the criteria it will apply to...
Taxation – Draft Legislation Paves The Way For A New UK Securities Transfer Tax
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP are most popular: within Wealth Management, Technology and Employment and HR topic(s) with Inhouse Counsel Under the new regime, stamp duty and Stamp Duty Reserve Tax will be replaced with a single self-assessed levy payable by purchasers The Government has published draft legislation introducing a new Securities Transfer Tax (STT) – a single, mandatory tax on the transfer of securities that will replace both stamp duty and Stamp Duty Reserve Tax.
Listing Regime And Market Abuse – UK FCA Consults On Higher Sanctions For Individuals And Crypto Penalties
KL Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP More Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer is a world-leading global law firm, where our ambition is to help you achieve your goals. Exceptional client service and the pursuit of excellence are at our core. We invest in and care about our client relationships, which is why so many are longstanding. We enjoy breaking new ground, as we have for over 170 years. As a fully integrated transatlantic and transpacific firm, we are where you need us to be.
Put A 'PEP' In Your Step: NSW Introduces Clean Energy Approval Reforms To Speed Up Delivery
KL Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP More Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer is a world-leading global law firm, where our ambition is to help you achieve your goals. Exceptional client service and the pursuit of excellence are at our core. We invest in and care about our client relationships, which is why so many are longstanding. We enjoy breaking new ground, as we have for over 170 years. As a fully integrated transatlantic and transpacific firm, we are where you need us to be.
Capital Markets – Minimum Free Float Requirement Aligned For FTSE UK Index Series Inclusion
Michael Jacobs’s articles from Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP are most popular: in United Kingdom Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP are most popular: within Media, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment, Family and Matrimonial and Wealth Management topic(s) with Senior Company Executives, HR and Inhouse Counsel FTSE Russell has announced a change to the FTSE UK Index Series inclusion criteria to align the minimum free float requirement for all companies within the FTSE UK Index Series.
Pharmaceuticals: M&A Revival
Alan Montgomery’s articles from Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP are most popular: with Senior Company Executives, HR and Finance and Tax Executives with readers working within the Technology and Law Firm industries 2025 was another turbulent year for the pharma industry as heightened uncertainty, particularly in the US, prevailed.
Company Law – Updated Statutory Guidance On The PSC Regime
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP are most popular: within Transport, Media, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment and Family and Matrimonial topic(s) with Inhouse Counsel in United Kingdom The government has published updated statutory guidance on the meaning of "significant influence or control" over companies in the context of the regime for people with significant control (PSCs).
Capital Markets And Private Capital - LSE Publishes Rules To Launch Its Private Securities Market
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP are most popular: within Transport, Media, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment and Employment and HR topic(s) with Inhouse Counsel in United Kingdom The London Stock Exchange (LSE) has launched its Private Securities Market (PSM) – its PISCES platform – and published its Private Securities Market Rules (PSM Rules) and accompanying PSM Handbook via Market Notice N04/26. Both the PSM Rules and the PSM Handbook are effective from 5 February 2026.
Market Abuse - Consultant Fined For Insider Dealing
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP are most popular: within Transport, Employment and HR and Antitrust/Competition Law topic(s) with Inhouse Counsel in United Kingdom The FCA has fined Russel Gerrity, an oil rig consultant, £309,843 for insider dealing in breach of Article 14 of the UK Market Abuse Regulation (UK MAR).
Capital Markets – New UK Prospectus Regime In Force From 19 January | JD Supra
The UK's new prospectus regime comes into force on 19 January 2026 This is the biggest shake-up of the UK prospectus regime since 2005. Prospectuses remain a key feature of an IPO in the UK, but for further issuances by companies that are already listed the threshold for triggering the requirement for a prospectus is now 75% (up from 20%) of issued share capital – in line with the Secondary Capital Raising Review’s recommendations (see our blog post here).
Capital Markets - New UK Prospectus Regime In Force From 19 January
KL Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP More Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer is a world-leading global law firm, where our ambition is to help you achieve your goals. Exceptional client service and the pursuit of excellence are at our core. We invest in and care about our client relationships, which is why so many are longstanding. We enjoy breaking new ground, as we have for over 170 years. As a fully integrated transatlantic and transpacific firm, we are where you need us to be.
Private Equity - PERG Annual Report On Compliance With The Walker Guidelines
KL Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP More Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer is a world-leading global law firm, where our ambition is to help you achieve your goals. Exceptional client service and the pursuit of excellence are at our core. We invest in and care about our client relationships, which is why so many are longstanding. We enjoy breaking new ground, as we have for over 170 years. As a fully integrated transatlantic and transpacific firm, we are where you need us to be.
Venture Investment In Life Sciences - Activity Update & Outlook (US & Europe)
KL Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP More Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer is a world-leading global law firm, where our ambition is to help you achieve your goals. Exceptional client service and the pursuit of excellence are at our core. We invest in and care about our client relationships, which is why so many are longstanding. We enjoy breaking new ground, as we have for over 170 years. As a fully integrated transatlantic and transpacific firm, we are where you need us to be.
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer advises Crux Football on the acquisition of Montpellier HSC Féminines
Leading global law firm Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer has advised Crux Football, a new platform created to develop women’s football on a large scale, on its acquisition of Montpellier HSC Féminines (MHSCF), one of France’s most respected and historical women’s football teams and academies.
Listing Regime - LSE 2026 Dividend Procedure Timetable Published
KL Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP More Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer is a world-leading global law firm, where our ambition is to help you achieve your goals. Exceptional client service and the pursuit of excellence are at our core. We invest in and care about our client relationships, which is why so many are longstanding. We enjoy breaking new ground, as we have for over 170 years. As a fully integrated transatlantic and transpacific firm, we are where you need us to be.
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer advises Tide on its US$120 million Series C follow-on funding round led by TPG and Apax
Leading global law firm Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer has advised Tide, one of the UK's leading fintechs, on its US$120 million Series C follow-on funding round led by TPG and The Apax Digital Partners. Tide is a rapidly scaling all-in-one financial platform for small business customers that operates in the UK, India and Germany with global ambitions, and has over 750,000 small business customers in the UK.
M&A - Consultation On Changes To The National Security And Investment Act
KL Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP More Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer is a world-leading global law firm, where our ambition is to help you achieve your goals. Exceptional client service and the pursuit of excellence are at our core. We invest in and care about our client relationships, which is why so many are longstanding. We enjoy breaking new ground, as we have for over 170 years. As a fully integrated transatlantic and transpacific firm, we are where you need us to be.
M&A - consultation on changes to the National Security and Investment Act
The government has published a consultation on proposed amendments to the National Security and Investment Act 2021 (Notifiable Acquisitions) (Specification of Qualifying Entities) Regulations 2021. The regulations contain details of the 17 sensitive sectors where a mandatory filing is required under the National Security and Investment Act 2021 for certain changes of control.
The UK's Modern Industrial Strategy
KL Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP More Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer is a world-leading global law firm, where our ambition is to help you achieve your goals. Exceptional client service and the pursuit of excellence are at our core. We invest in and care about our client relationships, which is why so many are longstanding. We enjoy breaking new ground, as we have for over 170 years. As a fully integrated transatlantic and transpacific firm, we are where you need us to be.
Private capital - updated versions of BVCA documents
Dylan Doran Kennett Partner, Co-Head of EMEA Venture & Growth Capital , London Dylan Doran Kennett Julie Farley Knowledge Lawyer, London Julie Farley Michael Jacobs Partner, Co-Head of EMEA Venture & Growth Capital , London Michael Jacobs Sabry Salama Associate, London Sabry Salama
Private capital - updated versions of BVCA documents
The British Private Equity & Venture Capital Association (BVCA) released the updated versions of its standardised Model Documents for early-stage venture capital investments on 26 February 2025, replacing the editions from February 2023. The changes in this latest update are less substantive compared to the previous 2023 revisions, and a summary of the relevant changes is detailed below.
Herbert Smith Freehills advises Streambased on US$2.7 million funding
Leading international law firm Herbert Smith Freehills has advised Streambased Ltd (Streambased), a pioneering force in streaming data analytics and management, on its US$2.7 million in seedfunding led by Elaia. Other backers include Seedcamp, TKM and First Momentum as well as industry expert angels. This funding round will go towards hiring and R&D to expand their tech capabilities.
H1 2024 - a steady start for biopharma M&A
Following a wave of sizeable biopharma transactions announced in the final quarter of 2023, we came into 2024 with optimism that deal making in the sector would continue to perform amid challenging conditions globally. So far, 2024 has shown signs of promise with steady deal volume. Whilst there remains an absence of mega deals, the deal landscape has featured a number of deals in the $1-2bn range and, as in 2023, big pharma continues to be the dominant driver of that activity.
Tech And Digital Infrastructure – Increased Activity And Scrutiny - M&A/Private Equity - Worldwide
Overall, the activity in the technology space slowed down in 2023 compared to 2022. Key highlights included Cisco's US$28 billion acquisition of software firm Splunk and acquisition of software provider Adenza by Nasdaq for US$10.5 billion. On the other hand, despite a softer M&A market, digital infrastructure investment activities continued to grow globally last year, with large investments being made into Southeast Asia.
Pharma - Strong Year Ahead - Venture Capital - Worldwide
After a relatively flat start, activity picked up in the second half of the year with a flurry of sizeable transactions announced including AbbVie's acquisitions of Cerevel and ImmunoGen, Bristol Myers Squibb's acquisition of Karuna and Roche's acquisition of Carmot Therapeutics. 2023 also saw the largest biopharma deal in recent years with Pfizer completing its US$43 billion acquisition of Seagen.
Tech and digital infrastructure - Increased activity and scrutiny
Overall, the activity in the technology space slowed down in 2023 compared to 2022. Key highlights included Cisco's US$28 billion acquisition of software firm Splunk and acquisition of software provider Adenza by Nasdaq for US$10.5 billion. On the other hand, despite a softer M&A market, digital infrastructure investment activities continued to grow globally last year, with large investments being made into Southeast Asia.
Going green, literally - (slow) legalization of cannabis in Germany
Cannabis for adult-use is no longer a clandestine indulgence anymore, but a thriving industry in certain countries globally. Germany remains slowly progressing towards this eventuality. Whether this is about to hit a major inflection point is still uncertain, even in light of recent draft legislation issued by the German Government on August 16.
Australian Court determines that an Artificial Intelligence system can be an inventor for the purposes of patent law (via Passle)
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning are increasingly used in the life sciences industry for research and drug discovery, including: finding molecular targets (i.e. molecular structures with which certain APIs interact); finding a “hit” or “lead” (e.g. a “hit” may be found through automated high-throughput screening, allowing identification of candidates for lead structures, which are investigated as a starting point for drug design); drug repurposing; identifying existing drug...
FCA Publishes Guidance On Its Approach To Cannabis Companies Looking To List In The UK
Contributors: Laura Ford, Karin Kirschner, Katie O’Hara, Rob Salter and Rahool Sarjua, all of DLA Piper On September 18, 2020 the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) published guidance on the listing of cannabis-based businesses onto public stock exchanges in the UK. Here we will consider the key issues arising from the FCA's statement and how this will impact on businesses looking to raise funds in the UK.
The Future Fund: UK Government Tries Its Hand At Venture Capital
On April 20th the UK Government announced how it plans to help out high-growth companies make their way through the other side of the Coronavirus pandemic. Enter, the Future Fund, a £250,000,000 venture investing scheme deployed through the British Business Bank. The program aims to assist innovative companies that might struggle to survive the current climate and may have been precluded from funding assistance under the current Government schemes.
UK Government Looks To Ease Barriers On Bulk Importation Of Medicinal Cannabis
Co-Author - Rahool Sarjua of DLA Piper Getty Images The UK Government today has announced that it is changing importation restrictions regarding medicinal cannabis, so as to minimize the waiting time for fulfillment of prescriptions. The change allows licensed wholesalers to: (1) import larger quantities of cannabis-based products; and (2) hold supplies for future use by patients with prescriptions.
NICE Backs Two Cannabis-Based Medicinal Products In The UK; Chronic Pain Left Out of Recommendations
On November 12 2019, two cannabis-based medicinal products ("CBMPs") received a positive recommendation from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence ("NICE"). This marks the first time that any plant-derived CBMP has received a recommendation from NICE for use on the National Health Service. However critics and campaign groups will undoubtedly state that these measures do not go far enough. What are the medicines?
Cannabis And The United Kingdom: Where Are We Now?
The Path to Medicinal Use On September 21 2018, the U.K. Government announced that cannabis-based products for medicinal use would become available for specialist doctors to prescribe legally. Keeping true to their word, November 1 of that year marked a watershed moment towards the approach to cannabis in the U.K., as the Government legalized its use for medicinal purposes.
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