Madelene Cook
Corporate: Private Equity
London
LLB, Liverpool University 1996
LPC, Oxford Institute 1999
Madelene is admitted as a Solicitor in England and Wales. She finds Weil unique among London firms for its high energy, progressive nature and lack of strict hierarchy.
Weil provides associates with a real chance to take responsibility and run with deals on your own, but there’s always someone behind you so you don’t feel like it’s sink or swim. When I was two yea rs qualified I worked with a senior associate on the entire process of restructuring Premier Foods prior to its IPO. We started in April with a blank sheet of paper, came up with the program and implemented it. We had to seek board approvals and agreements from nearly 100 companies, and deal not only with our client, but also with the investment banks and advisors. When the company floated in July it was on the news and on the front page of the Financial Times, and I had a real sense of achievement.
I also worked on the auction sale of All 3 Media Group, an independent TV production company. My role was coordinating the whole vendor due diligence process. I had to really get to know the company, which was actually made up of eight different companies, and prepare a 200-page report for prospective buyers. I worked very closely with the COO and the CFO, as well as the managers of the individual production companies. I also had to manage and motivate a team that included a trainee and a junior associate below me.
The work here is of the highest quality, and the firm gives associates a chance to show what they can do.
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