Samuel J. Pearse

Partner

  • Samuel J. Pearse
  • Phone: +44 20 7786 2113
    Fax: +44 20 7785 9280

    Import to Address Book

  • Duane Morris
    Citypoint, 16th Floor
    One Ropemaker Street
    London, UK EC2Y 9AW

Samuel J. Pearse advises clients in the UK and internationally on a wide range of complex corporate and securities transactions. His practice includes private and public mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, joint ventures, investment funds, private equity and finance. Mr. Pearse advises on cross-border investments, acquisitions, disposals, restructurings, accessing capital markets and corporate issues. He works with Fortune 50 companies, venture capitalists and startups in the financial services, technology, energy, aerospace and defense sectors. In the investment funds arena, Mr. Pearse counsels European and U.S. fund managers on fund formation, strategy execution, co-investments and regulatory issues, and helps U.S. fund managers enter European markets.

Mr. Pearse holds an LL.B. (Hons) from the University of Manchester and completed the Legal Practice Course at Nottingham Law School.

Areas of Practice

  • Corporate Law

  • Securities Law

  • Mergers and Acquisitions

  • Investment Funds and Investment Management

  • Capital Markets

  • Private Equity

  • Finance

Admissions

  • England and Wales

Education

  • Nottingham Law School, Legal Practice Course, 2001
  • University of Manchester, LL.B. (Hons), 2000

Experience

  • Duane Morris
    - Partner, 2019-present
  • Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
    - Senior Associate/Partner, 2010-2019
  • Macfarlanes
    - Associate, 2007-2010
  • Olswang
    - Trainee/Associate, 2001-2007

Honors and Awards

  • Listed in The Legal 500 UK in Mergers & Acquisitions, 2019; Fintech, 2018; Hedge Funds, 2017-2018; IT & Telecoms, 2017

  • Listed in International Financial Law Review for Investment Funds, 2018-2019

Selected Publications

  • Author, "Cryptocurrency Remains Cryptic," Financial Advisory, 26 September 2019

  • Author, "Cryptocurrency Is 10 Years Old, But Has It Really Grown Up?" Minutehack, 12 June 2019

  • Author, "Is the Hegemony of the Banks under Threat?" Retail Banker International, 15 March 2019

  • Author, "Disruptive Technologies Are Challenging the Traditional Financial Order – but To What Extent?" World Finance, 22 February 2018

  • Author, "The Bank of Amazon," Global Banking & Finance Review, 17 February 2018

  • Author, "Playing Fair," Asset Servicing Times, 2 October 2018

  • Quoted, "Art of M&A in Age of Disruption," Capacity Magazine, 18 August 2018

  • Author, "Is It Still Playtime in the Sandbox?" FinTech Weekly, 15 August 2018

  • Author, "Blockchain: The Music Industry’s Savior or False Prophet?" Music Ally, 10 July 2018

  • Quoted, "Managing Cyber and Technology Risks in M&A," Financier Worldwide, 24 May 2017

  • Author, "Brexit: One Year On," Financier Worldwide, 17 May 2017

  • Co-author, "Promoting UK Fintech," Financier Worldwide, 21 April 2017

  • Author, "Cyber Security and M&A," Financier Worldwide, 21 March 2017

  • Author, "FCA: Experimenting in the Sandbox," Banking Technology, 14 February 2017

  • Author, "What Does 2017 Hold for Fintech?" Financier Worldwide, 30 January 2017

  • Quoted, "Innovation via the Regulatory Sandbox," Financier Worldwide, 30 January 2017

  • Author, "Brexit and M&A," Acquisition Finance Magazine, July 21, 2016

  • Author, "What Could Brexit Mean for M&A?" Acquisition Daily, July 15, 2016

  • Quoted, "Rapidly Increasing Activism Scrutinized by Investors," Global Investor, June 17, 2015

Selected Speaking Engagements

  • Moderator, "Managing Digital Assets: Assessing the Operational Hazards Associated With Crypto Funds," HFM West Coast Operational Leaders Summit, San Francisco, 8 November 2018

  • Panelist, "MiFID II and Reverse Solicitation," 35th IBA International Financial Law Conference, Amsterdam, 1 June 2018

Representative Matters

    Mergers & Acquisitions

  • Represented a NASDAQ-listed enterprise solutions company on the acquisitions of four European companies, totaling over $200 million. 

  • Advised a Japanese aviation business on the sale of an engine leasing platform.

  • Represented the aviation division of a Japanese corporation on the sale of corporate assets and commercial aircraft with a total valuation in excess of $1 billion.

  • Advised an NYSE-listed marketing company on an all-share merger with an AIM-listed marketing company; the client, a UK company, was the surviving entity in a rare example of a trans-Atlantic public merger with a UK buyer.

  • Advised an AIM-listed marketing company, on its takeover by an AIM-listed advertising company.

  • Represented a designer and manufacturer of components for wireless devices on its $300 million sale to a NASDAQ-listed semiconductor company.

  • Represented a Japanese precision engineering group on the acquisition of a business division which included UK assets.

  • Advised a NASDAQ-listed technology company on multiple acquisitions, including $1 billion plus in acquisitions of business divisions in EMEA and APAC businesses.

  • Represented a manufacturer of wireless communications equipment on the acquisition of a UK communications equipment supplier.

  • Advised a NASDAQ-listed cloud communications company on its $18 million acquisition of a UK cloud business VoIP company.

  • Represented a NASDAQ-listed customer engagement company on the $16.1 million purchase of a UK contact centre software company.

  • Represented a US private equity house on the acquisition of a European packaging group.

  • Advised a US private equity house on multiple acquisitions of European media technology and storage companies.

    • Investment Funds & Investment Management

  • Represented European and US activist investors on strategy execution, campaigns and regulatory aspects in respect of investments in companies listed in the UK and on European stock exchanges.
  • Advised asset managers on UCIT management arrangements and regulation.
  • Advised US, UK and Swiss asset managers on fund formation and marketing for hedge, fund of funds, residential property, timber and commodity funds.

    • Emerging Company & Venture Capital

  • Advised the venture arm of a major US oil company on multiple investments in UK companies.

  • Represent a UK-headquartered art verification and technology company on funding rounds, company and commercial, real estate, and employment matters.

  • Represented a UK company applying 3D printing technology to the medical sector on funding rounds.

  • Represent a US-headquartered company applying AI technology to engineering and construction on incorporation, funding and commercial matters.

  • Advised a US venture capital fund on Series A investment in an EU-headquartered digital asset exchange providing trading in cryptocurrencies.
  • Advised a US venture capital fund on Series A investment in a UK company providing AI marketing platforms.

  • Represented a designer and manufacturer of components for wireless devices on Series C to F funding rounds leading to eventual sale.

  • Advised a leading blockchain venture firm on an investment in an Ethereum startup.

  • Represented a software development company on investment in a decentralised trading software company.

    • Other Advisory

  • Represented a leading US energy and defence technology company on European expansion, government contracts and supply of equipment and services to domestic nuclear power projects.

  • Advised a national nuclear energy company on funding structures and corporate matters for a build, own, operate nuclear power plant in Europe.

  • Represented a national nuclear energy company on corporate restructuring of UK group.

  • Advised a European banking and financial services listed on the LSE on market compliance requirements in the context of US sanctions of key shareholders.