Consultant Legal Counsel
Emma Parnes
Emma is an experienced General Counsel and corporate lawyer who’s worked with high-growth startups, scale-ups and global law firms. She has guided companies through every stage – from early funding to exit – with a focus on fundraising, M&A and corporate strategy. She has built legal functions from the ground up, often in fast-paced tech environments, and is known for bringing clarity and cohesion to the way teams work together. She also helps businesses identify and implement practical legal AI solutions that deliver operational and strategic value. Her collaborative, calm approach helps bridge the gap between legal and the rest of the business.
As a former UK director of a regulated fintech, Emma understands what it’s like to navigate high-stakes decisions under pressure. She also co-founded a B2B tech startup, so she knows first-hand what it takes to grow a business and how to stay focused on what really matters. That experience shapes how she works today: practical, pragmatic, and always with the bigger picture in mind. She is all about building legal functions that are embedded, enabling, and strategic, and using her experience to support others. Clients value her grounded, solution-focused mindset and her ability to bring structure, momentum, and calm to complex situations.
Useful to know:
Emma splits her time between Portugal and the UK, and when not working, she is likely on a tennis court, learning a language, or exploring the Algarve on two wheels. A former competitive tennis player and qualified coach, she now plays regularly at a high level and has recently taken up padel. She’s also a keen runner, weightlifter and pianist.
