Gateley awarded ‘Deal of the Year’ at Legal 500 Northern Powerhouse Awards 2026

We have been awarded ‘Deal of the Year’ at the Legal 500 Northern Powerhouse Awards 2026 for our work acting for Praetura Ventures Limited (Praetura) in relation to the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II).

We advised Praetura on its appointment as fund manager of North West’s NPIF II equity fund by British Business Bank (BBB) in relation to the constitution and structuring of this second-generation equity investment fund and the associated fund management documentation.

NPIF II is a major initiative launched to improve access to early stage finance for SMEs across the North West, North East, Yorkshire and the Humber and Tees Valley.

This £100m North West equity fund is already supporting ambitious SMEs across the region by improving access to the funding required for sustainable growth, and we are pleased to see its impact recognised.

The deal was led by Paul Jefferson, who commented: “Praetura is a long-standing client of Gateley, so it was a pleasure advising them on this significant appointment. We are delighted to be recognised with this award, but even more proud to continue to assist Praetura, now part of PXN Group, in deploying this vital investment capital across our region.”