Akin’s London Lawyers and Practices Recognized in Legal 500 UK 2025

The Legal 500 United Kingdom 2025 has recognized a number of Akin practices and lawyers in the firm’s London office as leaders in their respective fields.

For the 11th consecutive year, Akin’s financial restructuring practice received top rankings in the Corporate Restructuring and Insolvency category.

In addition, Akin saw three partners named to the Hall of Fame list: Barry Russell (Corporate Restructuring and Insolvency) for the seventh consecutive year, Helen Marshall (Financial Services: Contentious) for the fourth year as well as Stephen Rosen (Private Equity: Transactions – mid-market deals), who joined the firm this year.

The following Akin partners were named a “leading partner”:

• Barry Russell
• Daniel Quinn
• Davina Garrod
• Emma Simmonds
• Ian Meade
• James Terry
• Jasper Helder
• Justin Williams
• Richard Hornshaw
• Robert Aulsebrook
• Shaun Lascelles
• Tim Pearce

The Legal 500 UK’s “next generation partners” includes eight from Akin’s London office: Hamish Annandale (Hedge Funds), Chiara Klaui (EU and competition: trade, WTO anti-dumping and customs), Scott Pettifor (EU and competition), Rob Butler (Oil and gas), Daniel Giemajner (Mining and minerals), Matt Hardwick (Infrastructure: Project finance and development), Ezra Zahabi (Financial services: non-contentious/regulatory) and Serena Lee (Corporate Tax).

In total, 19 of the firm’s practices were ranked with 26 lawyer recommendations:

Corporate and commercial – Corporate tax

• Serena Lee

Corporate and commercial – EU and competition

• Davina Garrod
• Scott Pettifor

Corporate and commercial – EU and competition: trade, WTO anti-dumping and customs

• Jasper Helder
• Chiara Klaui

Corporate and commercial – Financial services: contentious

• Helen Marshall
• Joe Hewton

Corporate and commercial – Financial services: non-contentious/regulatory

• Ezra Zahabi

Corporate and commercial – Private equity: transactions – mid-market deals (up to £500m)

• Stephen Rosen
• Shaun Lascelles

Dispute resolution – Commercial litigation: premium

• Richard Hornshaw

Dispute resolution – International arbitration

• Justin Williams
• Jenny Arlington

Finance – Corporate restructuring & insolvency

• Barry Russell
• Emma Simmonds
• James Terry

Finance – Debt capital markets

• Barry Russell
• Robert Aulsebrook

Investment fund formations and management – Hedge funds

• Hamish Annandale
• Ian Meade
• Tim Pearce

Investment fund formation and management – Private funds

• Daniel Quinn

Projects, energy and natural resources – Infrastructure: Project finance and development

• Matt Hardwick

Projects, energy and natural resources – Mining and minerals

• Daniel Giemajner

Projects, energy and natural resources – Oil and gas

• Justin Williams
• Rob Butler

For further details on the firm’s rankings and commentary, please see here.

The Legal 500 United Kingdom is an annual, independent guide that ranks law firm practices, recommends lawyers and provides editorial analysis of law firms operating in the United Kingdom.