Counselthatendures.
Boutique commercial counsel for founders, boards, and private clients navigating decisions of consequence.
Three practices.
One standard.
We have built around the matters where senior counsel makes the decisive difference. Where it doesn't, we will tell you so candidly.
We are built
around six convictions.
The model has not changed since 2008. We expect it will not change again. These are the principles that shaped the firm — and that we are willing to be measured by.
Partner-led, throughout.
Every matter is run by the partner you instruct. There are no associate handoffs, no introductions to faces you have not met. Continuity is not a feature; it is the model.
Specialism, not scale.
We have built around three practice areas where our expertise is unimpeachable. We do not advise on what we do not master, and we will tell you so candidly.
Considered, not reactive.
Our counsel is shaped by the long arc of a matter, not the urgency of an inbox. Speed when it matters; reflection when it counts.
Discretion as default.
Most of the work that defines us is work you will never see. Confidentiality is not a service we offer — it is a precondition of how we operate.
Transparent on fee.
We agree the basis of fees in writing before work begins. Hourly, fixed, blended, or capped. No surprises, no padded bills, no commercial drift.
Outcome, not output.
We are paid to resolve matters in our clients' interests. The number of pages drafted is not a measure of value. The result is.
The people who run
the work, run the firm.
Every matter is led by a partner. The partner you meet at intake is the partner who carries the work through completion.
Charles Whitfield
Twelve years at Slaughter and May before founding Meridian. Chambers-ranked.
Eleanor Ashworth KC
Took silk in 2022. Acts at the most senior end of the executive market.
James Pemberton
Eighteen years in commercial real estate. Magic Circle alumnus.
Rebecca Sinclair
Founder-side specialist. Former NASDAQ general counsel.
“Meridian were unflinching. When the deal threatened to collapse at signing, their commercial instincts and procedural rigour saved the transaction. I would instruct them again without hesitation.”
A small selection
of recent matters.
Most of the work that defines us is work you will never see. What follows is anonymised.
Series C through to exit
Acted for the founders of a London-headquartered SaaS business through Series C, Series D, and the subsequent acquisition by a NASDAQ-listed strategic. Aggregate value c.£420m.
Cross-border carve-out
Lead counsel to a FTSE-listed group on the carve-out and disposal of its specialist industrials division to a continental European buyer. Concurrent advice on the senior management exit terms.
City headquarters acquisition
Acted for an institutional investor on the acquisition of a forward-funded City of London office development. Forensic diligence on planning and pre-let arrangements.
When the matter is consequential,
begin with a conversation.
Initial consultations are partner-led, confidential, and without fee. We will tell you within the first hour whether we are the right firm for the matter — and if not, who is.