New director at Leicester & London firm
Full service law firm DWS Legal has appointed a new director in its corporate transaction team.
Martin Smith, an experienced corporate lawyer, has joined the firm’s board and will head up its corporate team.
Martin worked as a corporate finance executive in the merchant banking sector in the corporate finance departments of both Lazard and Kleinwort Benson. He brings with him a detailed financial and commercial understanding of getting his clients the right deal on the right terms.
He read law at Merton College, Oxford and undertook the London Business School corporate finance programme. He was head of corporate law at Harvey Ingram Owston in Leicester before becoming a partner at City firm DJ Freeman, where he was a corporate partner in the media and technology department.
Speaking of Martin’s appointment, DWS Legal’s CEO Sameer Karim said: ‘We have had the pleasure of working with Martin on a consultancy basis for several years and during that time he has been invaluable and instrumental in completing a number of high-value and prestigious corporate transactions, including the sale of a company holding the local Costa Coffee franchises, the sale of an app developer to an AIM listed company, acting for a successful spin-out company from a local university, and helping to secure one of the largest international business deals in the East Midlands by co-ordinating the £60 million acquisition of REVIEWS.io by US-based AppHub.
‘With ambitious plans for our future, I was looking for someone with that level of experience, expertise and leadership to join me on the board as a fellow director of DWS Legal.’
Commenting on his appointment, Martin said: ‘I have known Sameer for many years now and have admired his tenacity, determination and innovation in what is often viewed as a very traditional industry. I have seen him grow DWS Legal significantly and have always liked the direction he’s taken.
‘Joining DWS, heading up their corporate team and becoming a director was a natural progression, enabling us to further expand and succeed whilst building a solid team.
‘I think the next few years are going to be extremely interesting for DWS Legal and I am looking forward to playing my part in the growth plans this enterprising and innovative law firm have put in place.’
