28 LAWYER WINNER
OF THE YEAR AWARD
SPONSORED BY MERIDIAN CORPORATE FINANCE Stephen Porter of Shoosmiths
Above: Stephen Porter of Shoosmiths
Left: Clive Coleman with Stephen Porter and Darren Thompson of sponsor Meridian Corporate Finance
With Shoosmiths shortlisted for two top awards on the night, there was pressure on nominee Stephen Porter to see if he could start a winning streak.
The title of Lawyer of the Year, sponsored by Meridian Corporate Finance, saw Porter line up alongside Nick Gent of Trethowans and James McNeil of Paris Smith.
McNeil was described as having had a strong 2012, leading the high- profile Ageas/Rosebowl transaction, advising the Co-operative Bank on a major refinancing deal and working with Santander on a number of other significant deals, including the growing “Pig“ brand of restaurants.
He also advised Santander in connection with a facility to allow Rookley Holding Company to buy an insolvent holiday park business based on the Isle of Wight, a deal which required a swift turnaround.
Gent, who joined Trethowans in 2010, has been busy building its reputation within the M&A and corporate area. Over the past year, he has gained
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a strong following for “stand out“ legal work, including advising the management team on the Coolmation sale; the Innovation acquisition of Gemini and the sale of HSP Group.
A “trusted adviser“ to local businesses who is “widely respected“ by his peers in the corporate finance community was how one nomination described Stephen Porter. Well-known in the region where he has worked since qualifying, he has had a busy year, advising on deals including the Ageas Insurance acquisition of Groupama and the highly complex “double transaction“ of MBO and subsequent buyout at RMA.
He also worked on a large number of other deals, including group reorganisations, capital restructures and buybacks.
With such a strong line-up, Darren Thompson of Meridian – himself a contender on the night in the category for Dealmaker of the Year – was invited on stage to announce the winner as ... Stephen Porter.
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – SOLENT & SOUTH CENTRAL – JULY/AUGUST 2013
Speaking later, he said: “I‘m delighted to have won such a prestigious award.
It‘s
come at the end of a challenging but very successful year for the Shoosmiths corporate team.
“I am particularly pleased to have been able to work closely with some of the key professionals and businesses in the local corporate finance community over the past 12 months.
“Despite persistent market uncertainty, we‘ll continue to achieve the best results for our clients and the region and look forward to the next 12 months.“
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