Sally Arnold

Sally Arnold is a Senior Associate within our Corporate team.

Sally specialises in advising on private M&A and private equity transactions, EMI and other share option schemes, group reorganisations and investment/shareholders’ agreements. She advises a wide range of clients – including private companies, entrepreneurs, investors, and start ups / high-growth businesses – on complex and high-value deals.

Her career began at Linklaters, where she specialised in private equity transactions, before moving in-house at Unilever to advise on major corporate and commercial projects including the sale of its frozen food business. At Outset, Sally focused on private M&A within a successful team advising on buy and build acquisitions in the veterinary care sector, as well as private equity investments, group reorganisations, and corporate governance matters including shareholders’ agreements and articles. She started with Acuity in September 2025.

Experienced in leading transactions and negotiations across multiple sectors, she draws on both her private practice and in-house background to deliver pragmatic, commercially focused solutions.

Beyond her client work, Sally is actively involved in mentoring junior lawyers and supporting the team’s business development initiatives.

Expertise

• Assisting in private acquisitions acting for both buyer and seller
• Transaction management, including full due diligence and disclosure processes, liaising with other practitioners and local counsel and managing a team
• Drafting and negotiating investment/shareholders’ agreements and articles of association (including growth share hurdles and other bespoke share rights)
  
• Drafting and implementing EMI and other share option schemes and growth share schemes, ensuring compliance with SEIS/EIS rules
  
• Group reorganisations and restructurings
• Share buybacks and other share capital matters, often supporting in the context of director’s exits
  
• Advising on the sale and transfer of employee ownership trusts
• Devising and delivering training both in-house (to other teams and junior lawyers) and to clients
• Property investment joint ventures and investments