Overview
As a nexus of international trade and finance, London is a focal point for businesses launching strategic initiatives and investments around the world. Parties to international commercial and financial transactions often choose English law and jurisdiction to govern deals and disputes.
From our office in the heart of the City, we offer broad-based legal services tailored to London’s role as an international centre. We are unique among US law firms in London, as virtually all of our lawyers are UK-qualified. Many of our clients’ businesses and interests are global in scope, and they rely on our ability to handle English law matters in Africa, Asia and other international markets. We also work seamlessly with the Firm’s European offices on pan-European matters.
We know that in today’s global market, you need innovative and actionable solutions to give you an edge. Our lawyers draw on deep experience to advise public and privately owned companies, financial institutions, trading houses, funds, and high-net-worth individuals and family offices on the full spectrum of law, including:
- Banking & Finance
- Corporate/M&A
- Dispute Resolution (Litigation and Arbitration)
- Energy
- Healthcare & Life sciences
- Labour & Employment
- Private Client & Wealth Management
- Private Equity
- Tax & Transfer Pricing
We are consistently recognised for our high-quality counsel and dedication to our clients. Legal directories and trade publications such as Chambers UK, The Legal 500 UK, IFLR1000 and Citywealth praise us for providing “responsive and pragmatic advice” and “solutions that work for business,” combined with a “sensitivity to cost issues.”
RELATED CAPABILITIES
Corporate / Mergers & Acquisitions
A defined, dynamic M&A strategy is critical to stay competitive in the global marketplace. You need trusted counsel who know your business needs and your market realities. Our seasoned M&A lawyers represent a wide range of public and privately held businesses, from large multinational companies to venture-backed start-ups, as well as private equity funds, family offices and financial institutions. We conduct buy-side and sell-side due diligence and manage complex transactions with multijurisdictional components, all while drawing on our extensive knowledge of specific industry sectors and markets, as well as the commercial contexts in which our clients operate. We advise clients on public company takeovers, domestic and cross-border private company and assets transactions, regulatory analysis and execution, and competitive auction processes.
Dispute Resolution
Our dispute resolution lawyers are always ready to roll up their sleeves and deliver the sound, practical legal strategies necessary for success in commercial and financial disputes and international arbitration across all sectors and geographies. Wherever you conduct business, we’ll be there to help. As trusted advisers to leading financial institutions, corporations, contractors, investors and family offices, we have deep knowledge of our clients’ industries, including finance, energy, insurance, commodities, shipping, construction and IT. We deliver commercially viable solutions to resolve contentious situations effectively and timely in jurisdictions around the world, including Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. Our team is adept at handling cases both in court and through alternative resolution proceedings such as arbitration. Our wealth of experience encompasses a range of circumstances from insolvency, liquidation, contractual disputes and claims, to fraud, joint ventures and art theft.
Energy
Businesses across the energy sector rely on us for our ability to address the unique legal issues associated with operating in this highly specialised market. As part of a global team, we represent commodity traders, investment banks, hedge funds, energy companies and government agencies. We have extensive experience in upstream advice for oil and gas majors and independents, and advice in energy commodities trading, including structured deals involving power, gas, emissions, coal, metals, LNG and biomass, and all other commodities and downstream projects. Our experienced energy project lawyers advise on all aspects of financing, developing, off-taking and contracting for energy and infrastructure projects, while our corporate energy and trading lawyers represent clients in mergers, acquisitions, disposals, joint ventures and corporate restructurings. We have a long track-record advising clients in infrastructure projects such as new-build energy capacity, transmission lines and terminals, including all aspects of project documentation and financing, with a particular emphasis on conventional power and renewables.
Healthcare & Life Sciences
Today’s global healthcare marketplace is marked by unprecedented transformation and opportunity. Our market-leading team partners with stakeholders at the forefront of health innovation to foster the unique partnerships and ventures that are transforming healthcare today. We offer comprehensive service across a broad spectrum of business challenges, including corporate and commercial advice, M&A, private equity, finance, restructuring, employment law and tax. We serve as counsel to hospitals, nursing homes, health technology companies and agencies, as well as tech companies and other businesses looking to invest in health interests. We also counsel public healthcare institutions on procurement, regulatory and contractual matters. Our multidisciplinary offering encompasses digital health, healthcare litigation, life sciences, insurance, regulatory diligence and healthcare real estate.
Labour, Employment & Benefits
In today’s fast-paced marketplace, employers face challenges on every front. Our UK employment team partners with employers across a broad range of industries to identify the potential legal implications of workplace issues develop comprehensive programmes that will limit legal exposure, and provide effective representation in litigation. We offer practical advice at every step in the employment process, from recruiting and hiring through retention and training, to termination and retirement. Our lawyers have in-depth experience managing employers’ most sensitive and confidential employee relations issues, including guidance throughout disciplinary, grievance and sickness absence processes. The team is equally adept at handling employment and benefits issues that arise in the context of complex corporate transactions and business reorganisations, and European data privacy matters.
Private Equity
Private equity firms face tremendous pressure to deploy capital, all in the current market of hypercompetition. Our lawyers are committed to helping sponsors and their portfolio companies tackle all types of private equity transactions, including buyouts, buy-ins and add-ons, restructurings, refinancings and exits. We work seamlessly with our European competition, regulatory, international dispute avoidance and resolution, intellectual property, media and technology, tax and employment practices to advise clients on how to maximise after-tax investment returns at all stages of fund formation, buyouts, and early- and late-stage investments.
Private Client & Wealth Management
The concerns of today’s closely held business owners and high-net-worth individuals are global—both geographically and in the breadth of legal issues that require attention. Our award-winning London private client team works closely with the Firm’s global private client practice to represent high-net-worth individuals, multi-generational families, family offices, large closely held businesses, foundations, private trust companies, corporate trustees and special-purpose investment management entities worldwide. We regularly advise clients on cross-border tax, structuring and dispute resolution in the United Kingdom, United States, France, Switzerland and South Africa. We also have wide experience with structures in the Isle of Man, the Channel Islands, the Cayman Islands, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands (BVI) and other offshore financial centres, and partner with our clients to protect and minimise risks to their assets in those jurisdictions. Our lawyers stand ready to help you navigate the complex mix of individual, family and business concerns that arise in the context of estate, wealth transfer and business succession planning, international tax planning, creation and operation of private foundations and charitable organisations, and dispute avoidance and management.
Tax & Transfer Pricing
Taxpayers worldwide are facing increasing scrutiny of longstanding tax structures. Our highly ranked tax practice provides cutting-edge advice in all areas of taxation for major companies doing business in Europe and around the world. Combining our London lawyers’ talent and innovation with close working relationships with revenue authorities in Europe, the United States and throughout the world, we offer strategic European and international tax planning services, covering all direct and indirect taxes, and deliver innovative advice quickly and effectively. Major multinational enterprises rely on us to handle transfer pricing planning, advance pricing agreement (APA) and controversy matters, including controversy cases that other professional advisors have not been able to resolve. We routinely handle some of the largest transfer pricing cases around the world.
