Chambers Ranks Akin Gump Lawyers and Practices in the UK

(London) – Twenty Akin Gump lawyers in London have been recognized in their respective areas of practice, along with 11 of the firm’s practices, in the 2019 edition of Chambers UK. The annual guide, published by Chambers and Partners, covers 50 cities and counties in the U.K., with London having the most in-depth coverage.

The ranked lawyers are as follows, with ranked practices in bold:

Banking & Finance: Borrowers

• A “thriving team that focuses on borrower representation.”
• Partner Robert Aulsebrook is “well regarded for his expertise in international debt finance and is particularly skilled at financing matters in Russia.”

Banking Litigation

• The practice maintains “a strong reputation for its representation of investment funds in contentious banking work, with strengths in distressed debt disputes, sovereign debt litigation and shareholder activism issues.”
• Mark Dawkins “is deeply experienced when it comes to financial disputes and investigations.”

Capital Markets: Debt

• The group demonstrates “notable expertise in cross-border transactions, including recent handling of significant international offerings for large Russian clients.”
• Barry Russell “is highly regarded” for “regularly [advising] on complex financial restructurings.”

Capital Markets: Securitisation

• Sarah Smith “has a wealth of securitization experience.”

Competition Law

• Davina Garrod “frequently advises financial investors on the competition law risks of mergers and the likelihood of obtaining clearance.”

Construction: International Arbitration

• This is a “prominent international practice with a strong reputation for advising top-drawer clients on large infrastructure and oil and gas projects worldwide.”
• Hamish Lal (Top tier) “has a formidable reputation for his representation of purchaser-side clients in complex construction and engineering disputes and arbitrations.”

Construction: Purchaser

• Hamish Lal (Top tier)

Energy & Natural Resources: Disputes

• Justin Williams is recognized for his work advising “clients in oil, gas and power arbitrations and litigation across the globe.”

Energy & Natural Resources: Oil & Gas

• The team has “impressive depth of market experience.”
• Nicholas Antonas (Associate to watch) “has a broad oil and gas offering, which includes representing clients in mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, project financings and restructurings.”
• John LaMaster (Top tier) “is a vastly experienced oil and gas transactional lawyer who frequently appears in upstream, midstream and downstream matters in a number of jurisdictions.”
• Caroline-Lucy Moran (Associate to watch) is noted by clients as being “‘[R]eally hard-working and super user-friendly.’”

Financial Services: Contentious Regulatory (Corporates)

• The practice is recognized “for its handling of high-stakes investigations and enforcement actions,” with a client noting that “‘they are incredibly knowledgeable about financial markets regulations and their highly personal and collaborative approach to client service sets them apart.’”
• Clients say Helen Marshall (Top tier) “is ‘very sure, confident and ready to hold her ground. She is direct and no-nonsense.’”

Investment Funds: Hedge Funds

• The team has “broad experience across an array of asset classes including real estate, infrastructure and credit.”
• Ian Meade “is experienced in acting for hedge funds on a full range of work.”
• Tim Pearce “is ‘highly proficient and has a depth of knowledge and commercial expertise.’”

Litigation

Fraud: Civil

• Kambiz Larizadeh – Recognized practitioner

Restructuring/Insolvency

• Akin Gump is noted as having a “market-leading creditor-side practice housing certified experts in bond and noteholder work.”
• Tom Bannister “is well regarded for his experience acting for a wide range of institutional and distressed investors on cross-border financial restructurings and workouts.”
• Neil Devaney “is noted for his strong creditor-side practice …. Clients say: ‘He’s great – he has an incredible technical knowledge and he is very pragmatic and response.’”
• James Roome (Top tier) “is regarded as ‘a class act.’ He has enviable [experience] in both domestic and cross-border restructurings.”
• Barry Russell (Top tier) “is hailed as ‘masterful’ by impressed clients.”
• James Terry (Top tier) is lauded for his significant experience in large European and international oil and gas restructurings.

Tax

• Sophie Donnithorne-Tait (Up and coming) is noted for advising clients “on a wide range of tax matters including restructurings [and] investment funds.”
• Stuart Sinclair is recognized for being “accomplished in handling a full range of corporate tax matters.”

Founded in 1945, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP is a leading international law firm with more than 900 lawyers in offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

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