Travers bags Towerbrook's Jimmy Choo acquisition

Travers Smith has scooped a major role on the £185m sale of manufacturer and retailer Jimmy Choo to private equity firm Towerbrook Capital Partners, reinforcing the firm's ongoing relationship with the luxury shoe business.

The deal also generated instructions for SJ Berwin and Chicago-based firm Kirkland & Ellis.

Travers corporate partners Philip Sanderson and Andrew Roberts led the team advising Jimmy Choo's management team. The firm struck up a relationship with the management after it advised on the management buyout of the Jimmy Choo group of companies, which was backed by the firm's longstanding client Phoenix Equity Partners in 2001.

Sanderson told The Lawyer: "We advised Phoenix when it did the original buyout back in 2001. We've seen the company develop. For us it reflects how we've remained close to the management team, even when the original client Phoenix is no longer involved."

SJ Berwin advised the seller Lion Capital, led by corporate partners Steven Davis and Richard Lever.

Kirkland corporate partner Erik Dahl advised longstanding client Towerbrook.

Clifford Chance represented the financial advisers, which included UBS. Finance partner Malcolm Sweeting led the team for Clifford Chance.