Catherine is a highly experienced M&A corporate partner, with a particular specialism in private equity.
She has over two and a half decades of experience in helping businesses like yours with a plethora of corporate matters, including acquisitions, disposals, joint venture arrangements and securing external investment, as well as providing general day-to-day corporate advice. Catherine also undertakes a significant amount of private equity work, acting for either the private equity house providing the investment and/or for the corporate/business to whom the investment is provided and/or for the relevant management team. She has worked as a dedicated corporate lawyer since qualifying in 1996 and has been a corporate partner since 2007. Her extensive client base includes many corporates and private equity funds (both national and international).
Catherine is known for:
- leading deals from the front; a true "partner-led" approach
- her no-nonsense style, focusing on the key issues
- client service excellence; securing for you — the client — as optimal an experience as possible
- building and establishing long-term, trusted client relationships
"Catherine Eley did a fantastic job in extremely short timescales and with wonderful drafting, responsiveness and commerciality. First class!" Greg McMahon, General Counsel, Mitchells & Butlers plc
“The team (led by Catherine Eley) was very much at the top of any team that I have dealt with over the past 20 years.” David Fraser, Non-Executive Chairman, Paddock Holdings Limited
“Eversheds was invaluable to us during the sale process. Having worked with Catherine Eley and her team on several projects over the past five years — from acquisitions to debt refinancing — they were our obvious choice when it came time to sell. Their expertise and commercial approach ensured a smooth exit process, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to others.” Charles Eggleston (CEO) and Clare Wilson (CFO), Treetops Nurseries
Latest Insights
- podcasts and webcastsConsumer / M&A podcast: exploring sector activity and a look towards 2023
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client news
February 12, 2026
Baird Capital turns to trusted adviser Eversheds Sutherland on its latest s...
client news
December 10, 2024
Eversheds Sutherland advises Baird Capital on the sale of its investment in...
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September 05, 2024
Harnessing ‘trusted adviser’ relationships to help steer complex deals to s...
Catherine's recent experience includes:
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advising the management team of Aston Lark on the sale by Goldman Sachs Asset Management and Bowmark Capital of Aston Lark to international insurance broking group Howden
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acting for Baird Capital upon its investments in eCube Solutions Limited and Subsea Technology & Rentals Ltd
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representing Aston Lark upon numerous acquisitions
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helping Sovereign Capital and management with the sale of one of Sovereign Capital's education assets
- supporting the management team on the US$220M acquisition of Shimtech Industries by Inflexion and Auctus Industries from Bridgepoint
Catherine is also part of our Consumer sector and has acted on a number of deals for large consumer/food and beverage companies. Transactions include:
- acting for Compass Group on various acquisitions and disposals
- advising Mitchells & Butlers on the sale of a portfolio of pubs to real estate investment company Aprirose
- representing Mitchells & Butlers upon its investment into Ego Restaurants
- supporting long-standing client, Connect Distribution Services Limited, upon numerous transactions over the past 25 years
- Ranked in Chambers and Partners, 2022
- Ranked as a Leading Individual in Legal 500, 2022
- Ranked as one of Eversheds Sutherland's Acritas Stars
- The Legal 500 United Kingdom Recommended Lawyer 2014
- LPC (Distinction) De Montfort University, 1994
- LLB (First Class Hons) Birmingham University, 1990-1993