Osborne Clarke advises Pure Cremation on its acquisition by Epiris

International legal practice Osborne Clarke has advised the shareholders of Cognicent Limited, the holding company of Pure Cremation ("Pure"), the leading provider of prepaid funeral plans in the UK, on its acquisition by private equity firm Epiris. The transaction was subject to regulatory approval which was granted in early November 2023 and completed on 14 November 2023.

The Osborne Clarke team that assisted Pure was led by corporate partners Edward Persse and Simon Jones and included senior associate Ben Parker, associate Oliver Wilson and trainee solicitor Stefano Schahbasi. Additional support was provided by partner Paul Harris and legal director Clare Burman (regulatory); partners Richard Wilkinson and John Baird and senior associate Lakhmi Halaith (real estate); partner Mathew Oliver and senior associate Anna Reynolds (tax); and associate Sarah Smith (employment).

Pure allows people to organise their own end-of-life arrangements and relieve their families from the stress and expense of doing so. Pure is also a market pioneer in ‘direct cremations’, which are simple, unattended cremations that provide an alternative to a traditional funeral. Families and friends are able to mark their loss at a time and place of their choosing.

"It has been a genuine pleasure supporting Bryan, Catherine, Richard and Rob who have challenged the established market and created the leading brand in the sector. I wish all stakeholders every success in the future", said Edward Persse.

Osborne Clarke’s M&A and private equity team is a go-to practice for companies working in a range of sectors including financial services. We work with clients ranging from global businesses to fast-growth start-ups and market challengers. The team advises at every stage of company development across all corporate issues, from equity and debt fundraisings to M&A, IPOs and JVs.