James Leslie

Counsel

London
james.leslie@lw.com
+44.20.7710.1000

PRACTICES

  • International Tax
  • Tax
  • Transactional Tax

BAR QUALIFICATIONS

  • England and Wales (Solicitor)

EDUCATION

  • LPC, Oxford Institute of Legal Practice, 2006
  • GDL, Oxford Institute of Legal Practice, 2005
  • BA, University of Oxford, 2004

PROFILE

James Leslie advises clients on a wide range of UK and cross-border tax matters, including in connection with complex M&A and financing transactions.

James delivers commercially focused tax advice to a variety of clients based in the UK and internationally, including private equity funds, financial institutions, and corporates. He regularly handles complex transactions across industries involving innovative and cutting-edge structures.

James’ work includes advising on the tax aspects of:

  • M&A transactions
  • Private equity deals
  • Acquisition financings
  • Debt and equity capital markets transactions
  • Restructurings

Drawing on his broad range of private practice and in-house experience, James brings a firsthand understanding of client needs and delivers complex tax advice in a practical and client-friendly manner.

In addition to his commercial work, James regularly provides tax advice to nonprofit organizations and charities on a pro bono basis.

EXPERIENCE

James’ experience includes advising:

  • On the tax aspects of the revolving credit facilities for Williams Scotsman, Inc., a provider of mobile and modular office space, to refinance existing debt
  • PureGym, a UK-based company engaged in operating fitness clubs, on the tax aspects of an equity investment by KKR
  • Darktrace plc in connection with its £1.7 billion initial public offering and listing on the London Stock Exchange
  • BluJay Solutions, Francisco Partners, Temasek, and other selling shareholders on the US$1.7 billion sale of BluJay to E2open Parent Holdings, Inc.
  • The senior creditors committee in relation to the rescue financing and subsequent c. €2.9 billion debt and equity restructuring of Swissport, a global aviation services business headquartered in Switzerland
  • The underwriter on the tax aspects of the US$29.4 billion initial public offering of Saudi Aramco, a Saudi Arabian public petroleum and natural gas company, on the Saudi Stock Exchange — marking the world’s largest IPO
  • A consortium of investors, including TPG Capital, on the tax aspects of the acquisition of a majority stake in Aviva Ltd, a Singapore-based insurance company
  • RIMES Technologies, a portfolio company of EQT Partners, on the tax aspects of its acquisition of EBR Analytics Holdings, a provider of benchmarking and data analytics services for financial institutions
  • The committee of senior secured bondholders in relation to New Look, the UK-headquartered national fashion retailer, including the Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) of its store portfolio and a restructuring of its c. £1.35 billion debt capital structure via the injection of interim financing, public debt exchange, debt-for-equity swap, and new high yield bond issuance
  • The underwriters on the tax aspects of the US$3.2 billion initial public offering of Avast, a leader in digital security products — marking the largest-ever tech IPO on the London Stock Exchange
  • The initial purchaser on the tax aspects of the issuance of US$1.085 billion, five-year senior secured notes by Aston Martin Capital Holdings Limited, a British luxury carmaker
  • Abcam, a Cambridge-based research tool provider, on the tax aspects of its US$156 million American depositary share IPO listed on the London Stock Exchange and the NASDAQ
  • Total SE, a French multinational integrated oil and gas company, on the tax aspects of its US$14.9 billion financing of a liquefied natural gas project in the Republic of Mozambique
  • The initial purchaser on the tax aspects of a £320 million cash-box placing by IWG, a multinational operator of workspace brands
  • Investec Bank on the tax aspects of a £141 million private placement by JD Wetherspoon, a UK-based pub company
  • A consortium of investors led by Cinven Partners and Astorg Partners on the tax aspects of the acquisition of LGC Group, a UK-based provider of chemical and biological, analytical and diagnostic services
  • Astorg Partners on the tax aspects of its sale of Audiotonix Group Limited, a UK-based manufacturer and distributor of audio consoles, to Ardian for €1 billion
  • Hellmann Worldwide Logistics GmbH & Co. KG, a Germany-based logistics services company, on the tax aspects of its debt restructuring
  • Silver Lake Partners on the tax aspects of its acquisition of a stake in City Football Group, the UK-based parent company of various football clubs, for US$500 million
  • Goldman Sachs on the tax aspects of its acquisition of Aston Lark, a UK-based provider of insurance brokerage services
  • Shandong Ruyi Investment Holding, a leading Chinese textile and apparel company, on the tax aspects of its acquisition of the Apparel & Advanced Textiles business of INVISTA, a producer of chemical intermediates, polymers and fibers
  • Duke Street, a London-based private equity group, on the tax aspects of its sale of Wagamama, a London-based restaurant chain owner and operator, to The Restaurant Group
  • Farfetch Limited on the tax aspects of its IPO listed on the New York Stock Exchange and concurrent private placement
  • SIG Combibloc Group, a Switzerland-based company engaged in the containers and packaging industry, on the tax aspects of its IPO listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange
  • MeiraGTx Holdings, a clinical-stage gene therapy company, on the tax aspects of its US$75 million IPO listed on the NASDAQ
  • Permira Advisers on the tax aspects of its acquisition of a majority stake in the Corin Group, a UK-based company that develops, produces, and distributes orthopedic devices
  • The lenders on the tax aspects of the financing of Cineworld Group’s acquisition of Regal Entertainment Group, a motion picture exhibitor