15th May 2025
Profile: Jennifer is the Head of Corporate and Commercial at Leonard Curtis Legal, where she leads a dynamic team focused on providing comprehensive legal solutions across a broad spectrum of corporate matters. Known for her client-focused approach, Jennifer specialises in mergers and acquisitions (M&A), guiding clients through every stage of the process, from due diligence and negotiations to post-transaction integration.
Jennifer has successfully advised corporates and individuals in relation to transactions across a wide range of sectors, with significant experience in the professional services and manufacturing sectors as well as advising on Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs).
The best thing about my job is the people; it’s the human side of corporate law that keeps it exciting.
We’ve built a brilliant team and we’re lucky enough to work with some fantastic clients. It’s so rewarding to be able to help companies and business owners to navigate life-changing moments while working with a team that goes above and beyond every single day – both for clients and each other. All of these things make me genuinely love my job.
We look forward to growing the Leonard Curtis Legal team over the coming twelve months; there is huge appetite among owner-managed and fast-growth businesses for advisors who are not only technically excellent, but genuinely collaborative.
This is where we differentiate ourselves from our competitors. Being part of a wider business advisory group means that we can bring in complementary professional advice to provide a comprehensive, solution-driven approach for our clients. It means that we can go beyond the legal aspects of the relevant challenge or opportunity, and that’s what clients are increasingly looking for in a competitive legal market.
The M&A market continues to grapple with uncertainty, with economic volatility and shifting valuations breeding caution and more complex structures, but we know that there are also exciting opportunities.
There is capital out there and plenty of genuine buyers but deal appetite and deal execution are not the same thing. Deals are taking longer to complete and buyers will dig deeper when completing due diligence, particularly where financial resilience and ESG compliance is concerned.
Delivering successful deals will be more dependent on sellers being prepared and able to provide clean and complete data, a clear growth story and demonstrate a governance structure that can withstand scrutiny.
We have seen significant changes over the last decade, such as the rise of private capital, which has reshaped the M&A landscape in the UK.
It has driven competition, pushed valuations and made processes more sophisticated and demanding. For firms like ours, it has meant delivering deals that are more aggressive on timing and structure, while raising client expectations. Our clients want lawyers who can think like an investor, not just document the deal.
There is real power in quiet confidence. Deals can get noisy, with a lot of pressure, personalities and late nights, but you don’t need to be the loudest in the room to win a negotiation.
Quiet confidence based on solid advice and clarity wins more trust than legal posturing ever will and means the focus is where it should be – on the client and the deal. It resonates with us because it reflects how our team works, with confidence in what we do while remaining focused on achieving the best possible outcomes for our clients.
I learnt early in my career that clients don’t care how clever your drafting is if it doesn’t get the deal done.
A brilliant technical point means nothing if it gets in the way of a commercial solution. Technical excellence will always be the baseline, but what clients really value is clear, calm advice that moves things forward. That’s the real skill.
It’s important to watch how different people solve problems, win trust and handle pressure.
I’ve learned just as much from clients who have built fantastic businesses as I have from brilliant colleagues who stay calm amidst the chaos.
Watching how different people solve problems, win trust and handle pressure has shaped how I lead my team and advise clients. It’s a constant reminder that there’s not just one way to do things and being open to new ideas delivers growth, both personally and professionally, along with the best outcomes for everyone involved.
Finding time to relax away from work is important. Being outside helps to clear my head in a way that nothing else can.
Whether I’m walking with my boys and our dog, doing a bit of (slow but enthusiastic!) trail running or exploring new places whenever we can travel, I’m happiest outdoors. If it involves being in the mountains or by the sea, that’s even better!