Legal 500 Recognizes Akin Gump Lawyers and Practices in the UK

(London) – The Legal 500 United Kingdom 2015 has recognized a number of Akin Gump practices and individuals in the firm’s London office as being among the leaders in their respective fields. The Legal 500 United Kingdom is an annual, independent guide to leading law firms across the United Kingdom that ranks individual practices and lawyers and provides editorial analysis of law firms operating in the United Kingdom.

For finance, Akin Gump is ranked as a top-tier firm in the category of corporate restructuring and insolvency and is noted as a “bondholder powerhouse” in the practice. Practice co-heads James Roome and Barry Russell are noted as “leading individuals,” and partners Tom Bannister, Neil Devaney, Liz Osborne, Emma Simmonds and James Terry are recommended as well.

Additionally in finance, Akin Gump is ranked in the following practice areas:

• Bank lending: investment grade debt and syndicated loans
  • Akin Gump has a “strong emerging markets focus.”
  • Partners Robert Aulsebrook, Fred Heller and Lisa Hearn are recommended.
• Debt capital markets
  • Partners Robert Aulsebrook, Mark Mansell and Barry Russell are recommended.
• Emerging markets
  • Robert Aulsebrook, Fred Heller and Lisa Hearn are recommended.
• Securitisation
  • Akin Gump is noted as having “great business acumen.”
  • Partner Sarah Smith is recommended.

For corporate and commercial work, Akin Gump is ranked in the following practice areas:

• Corporate tax
  • Partners Jonathan Ivinson and Stuart Sinclair are recommended.
• Equity capital markets
  • Partners Sebastian Rice, John Clark and Harry Keegan are recommended.
• EU and competition
  • Partner Davina Garrod is recommended and noted as having “superior knowledge of the regulatory process governing the telecommunications, financial services and energy sectors.”
• Financial services (contentious and non-contentious)
  • Partner Helen Marshall is recommended and noted as a “leading individual.”
  • Counsel Rosemarie Paul is recommended and noted as having “extensive knowledge, both technically and about the FCA generally.”
  • Partner Christopher Leonard and counsel Ezra Zahabi are recommended and noted as being “very knowledgeable about the financial services industry.”
• Investment funds: hedge and private funds
  • Partners Christopher Gorman-Evans, John Holton, Ian Meade, Tim Pearce and Thiha Tun are recommended.
• M&A: upper mid-market and premium deals, £250m+
  • Partners Sebastian Rice, Vance Chapman, John Clark and Daniel Walsh are recommended.
• Private equity: transactions (Large Cap)
  • Akin Gump has “impressive crossborder private equity credentials.”
  • Sebastian Rice, Vance Chapman and John Clark are recommended. Mr. Rice is noted as providing “sound and well-reasoned advice in a quick and efficient manner.”

For dispute resolution, Akin Gump is ranked in the following practice areas:

• Banking litigation: investment and retail
  • Partners Mark Dawkins and Richard Hornshaw are recommended.
• Commercial litigation
  • Akin Gump has “impressive experience” in the practice.
  • Partners Justin Williams and Mark Dawkins and counsel Tom Evans are recommended. Mr. Evans is also noted as “a strong counsel.”
• International arbitration
  • Mark Dawkins, Richard Hornshaw and Justin Williams are recommended.

For projects, energy and natural resources, Akin Gump is ranked in the following practice areas:

• Oil and gas
  • Akin Gump “really understands the upstream oil industry and the key elements of a farm-out.”
  • Partners John LaMaster and Marc Hammerson are recommended. Mr. Hammerson is “highly regarded” and Mr. LaMaster is noted as “first-class.”

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.

# # #