Zara has a particular focus on the Life Sciences, Consumer and Retail sectors, and is lead relationship associate for two publicly listed life sciences/consumer clients. Zara spent six months on secondment to a publicly listed Life Sciences client in 2020 and also 6 months on secondment to Allen & Overy's Madrid office.
Zara is co-lead of the Afghan Pro Bono Initiative project, for which she won the firm's prizes for “Access to Justice” and “Multijurisdictional Pro Bono Effort” in 2022. The project also won the 2022 LawWorks Award for Most Effective Pro Bono Partnership, and was highly commended at The Lawyer awards for “Pro Bono Initiative of the Year” in 2023.
Zara advises on a range of corporate transactions including private acquisitions, public takeovers, equity finance and general corporate advisory work.
Expertise
Experience
Representative matters
Wittington Investments on the c. GBP4bn sale of Selfridges, De Bijenkorf, Brown Thomas and Arnotts in Europe.
Marks and Spencer plc on the acquisition of its logistics provider, Gist, in the UK.
A global healthcare company on the buyout of its Saudi Arabian joint venture partner.
A global healthcare company on its divestment of 15 consumer healthcare brands to STADA.
Pro bono
Advising a number of Afghan nationals in the UK through the Afghan Pro Bono Initiative (a collaboration between law firms to provide legal representation for Afghan refugees).
Advice to individual client fleeing persecution in Iraq, leading to successful asylum in Australia.
Published Work
- Drug formulations in life sciences transactions – https://www.aoshearman.com/en-gb/global/news-and-insights/publications/ao-hosts-webinar-on-drug-formulations-in-life-sciences-transactions
- Global Impact of Covid-19 coronavirus on “non-Covid” clinical trials - https://www.aolifescienceshub.com/global-impact-of-covid-19-coronavirus-on-non-covid-clinical-trials/
- COVID-19 and the life sciences sector - https://uk.practicallaw.thomsonreuters.com/w-025-9794?originationContext=document&transitionType=DocumentItem&contextData=(sc.Default)
Qualifications
Admissions
Admitted as a Solicitor (England and Wales) 2018
Academic
Bachelor of Arts, Geography, University of Leeds, 2013
Graduate Diploma in Law, BPP University, 2015
Legal Practice Course, BPP University, 2016
Disclaimer
A&O Shearman was formed on May 1, 2024 by the combination of Shearman & Sterling LLP and Allen & Overy LLP and their respective affiliates (the legacy firms). Any matters referred to above may include matters undertaken by one or more of the legacy firms rather than A&O Shearman.