Mills & Reeve Adds VC Partner Peter Mayhew in Birmingham Push

Mills & Reeve has hired venture capital partner Peter Mayhew from Shakespeare Martineau, stationing him in Birmingham as the law firm pushes to build specialist VC practices across the Midlands and the North. The appointment, announced without financial terms, lands in a corporate team of more than 150 lawyers operating nationally.

Mayhew brings particular expertise in tax-advantaged investments and funds. His specialisms include the enterprise investment scheme (EIS), the seed enterprise investment scheme (SEIS) and business property relief work — the tax structures that underpin much early-stage funding in the UK. He has also built a network across the Birmingham, Oxford and London markets, according to the firm.

What the firm has not disclosed is the size of the venture capital practice Mayhew is joining, or the revenue it generates. Those omissions make the growth claims difficult to benchmark.

What does the hire signal about the firm's strategy?

Ryan Hawley, co-head of the corporate team at Mills & Reeve, framed the hire as part of a deliberate national expansion. He said: "In the last few years, we have a built a hugely successful practice with a strong reputation across venture capital, funds and VCT work."

"Our aim is to scale our offering nationwide, developing specialist venture capital practices in key regional hubs, including both the Midlands and the North," Hawley added. "Attracting talented individuals such as Peter is integral to achieving our growth ambitions and we're delighted to have someone with his knowledge, experience and deep market connections onboard."

The language is confident but lacks numbers. No headcount targets, no timeline for the regional hubs and no client roster accompanied the announcement. In plain words: the firm says it is scaling, and this hire is the visible proof it offers.

Mayhew joins a corporate team of over 150 lawyers and will service clients on a national basis from the Birmingham office, the firm confirmed.

Who else has the firm brought in this year?

The appointment is the second senior Birmingham hire Mills & Reeve has made public this year. Partner Fiona Teague joined the firm's Birmingham commercial team earlier this year, preceding Mayhew's arrival.

Two partner-level hires in one office within a single year is a concrete — if modest — signal of investment in the Midlands. The firm has not said whether further hires are imminent.

How does the new partner read the market?

Mayhew himself struck an expansive tone about the UK venture capital environment. He said: "It's an exciting time to be joining Mills & Reeve and I am delighted to have the opportunity to do so. The venture capital team is highly ambitious and is perfectly placed to capitalise on the rich opportunities that exist in a vibrant market."

He positioned venture capital as structural to the wider deal economy. "The venture capital market is a key foundation of the UK's M&A ecosystem, with investments – both public and private – playing a key role in growing the next generation of UK corporates," Mayhew said.

He was more specific about the region he will now work from. "The Midlands venture capital market is particularly ripe with young, exciting businesses and founders seeking to bring their intellect and creativity to bear on innovative new products and services," he said.

"I'm delighted to be part of a practice that recognises that potential and look forward to working alongside the team as we grow our venture capital capabilities across the UK."

Why does a partner move matter to founders and investors?

For early-stage companies and their backers, partner-level tax expertise is not cosmetic. EIS and SEIS reliefs directly affect the after-tax return investors earn on seed rounds, and business property relief shapes how founders and family shareholders structure holdings. A lawyer fluent in those schemes, with an Oxford-to-London network, can influence which firms see which deals.

The bet embedded in this hire is that regional VC — Midlands and Northern dealflow in particular — will keep producing enough mandates to justify a national specialist practice. If UK venture funding tightens further, that bet will be tested; the firm has given no figures that would let outsiders judge its margin of safety. For now, the move signals that Mills & Reeve intends to compete for regional venture work at partner depth rather than as a side practice.