Susan A. Laws focuses her practice on business law and finance, mergers and acquisitions, venture capital financings and computer law.

Ms. Laws is a member of the Law Society and a member of the Society for Computers and the Law. Ms. Laws is director of Motors Secretaries Limited, a GM-owned corporation, and acts as its nominee to more than 50 U.K.-based GM venture capital organizations.

A frequent lecturer on the topic of mergers and acquisitions, Ms. Laws is one of the few solicitors in the U.K. to hold a master's degree in business administration. She is a 1977 graduate of Southampton University and an MBA graduate of Nottingham Law School.

Areas of Practice

• Business Law
• Mergers and Acquisitions
• Finance
• Computer Law

Representative Matters

• Advising in connection with numerous outsourcing projects, including participating in the cost benefit analysis of outsourcing, preparing ITTs and RFQs, preparing tenders, when acting on behalf of suppliers, negotiating outsourcing contracts and establishing, monitoring and taking action in respect of key performance indicators, particularly in the IT, telecoms, finance and manufacturing industries.
• The disposal for a US parented manufacturer of its loss making factories in the South of England to a purchaser on an asset based basis for a multi-million pound consideration, allowing the seller to avoid significant closure costs, which would have arisen out of the compulsory redundancy of the employees under EU law;
• The purchase for a household name US computer company of a niche UK e-business providing solutions which could be applied to the purchasers extensive portfolio of public utilities clients, and in particular ensuring that the right title and interest in the vital know how and other intellectual property was properly registered before completion to ensure that the purchaser really got what it paid for. This included locating former employees of the target company and obtaining rights waivers and obtaining all necessary evidence to allow international registration of the target's rights to the know-how;
• Acting for UK and US based lenders to companies seeking funds for business acquisition and development in the UK and the US including the taking of cross border security, cross border guarantees and the registration of that security in the US and the UK and the structuring of the security and loan arrangements so as to optimize cost savings on the taking of security, effective reporting on a cross border basis to give early warning of possible defaults and enforcement in the event of breach in the most cost-effective manner.
• The purchase for a US parented finance company of a UK on-line secondary debt financing house, for a purchase consideration linked to the future performance and continued involvement in the business of the key shareholders, so as to ensure continuity of management and the transfer to the purchasers staff of key information;

Admissions

• England and Wales

Education

• Nottingham Law School, MBA, 1997
• Southampton University, LLB, 1977

Other Experience

• Duane Morris
  - Partner, 2000-present
• Geisler & Laws, London, England
  - Partner, 1996-2000
• Rakisons, London, England
  - Partner, 1989-1996
• Reynolds Johnson & Green (formerly legal department of Alexander Howden plc), London, England
  - Partner, 1984-1989
  - Corporate Lawyer, 1981-1984
• William Moss plc, Hemel Hempstead, England
  - In-house lawyer 1980-1981
• Bridges Sawtell, London, England
  - Articles of Clerkship, 1978-1980

Professional Activities

• The Law Society of England and Wales
• The City and Westminster Law Society
• The Society for Computers and Law
  - Internet Group
• The British Italian Law Society

Honors / Awards

• Listed in U.K. Super Lawyers, 2013

Board Memberships

• Director, Motor Secretaries Limited, a GM-owned corporation and acts as its nominee to more than 50 U.K.-based GM venture capital organizations
• The Food Factor Limited
• Certagent Limited

Civic and Charitable Activities

• Parents Society, Dr. Challoner's School (founded 1624)
• Bellingdon & Asheridge Village Association
• Pro Bono Legal Adviser to Crouch End Community Trust, An Inner City Foundation
• Gondar Link, a registered charity operating a High School in Ethiopia

Speaking Engagements

• "Joint Ventures and Shareholders Agreements," General Motors Convention, March 2001
• "A Latest Update on the Block Exemption: The Future of Car Retailing in Europe Post 2002," Second International Conference "European On Line C@rs," Munich, Germany, November 9, 2000
• "Shares vs. Assets - Structuring for Success," General Motors Convention, June 1999
• "The Motor Dealer - The Sitting Target - Conditions and Warranties on Franchise Takeovers," The Law Society, London, England, April 1998