The Legal 500

Within Commercial contracts, tier 4

Norton Rose LLP’s cross-practice team impresses with its ‘depth of quality’, and has attracted instructions from clients such as PwC, Ernst & Young and HSBC. Its ‘knowledge in the outsourcing market and general business acumen is extremely valuable and really complements the team’s strong legal expertise’. Technology practice head Mike Rebeiro has ‘tremendous industry experience and is a top-flight negotiator’. He led the advice to Friends Life on a £1.4bn 15-year IT and customer service function outsourcing project involving the transfer of over 1,900 staff.

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Within Corporate tax, Norton Rose LLP is a second tier firm,

Norton Rose LLP’s ‘knowledgeable’ and ‘practical’ team has key specialisms in asset finance and Islamic finance, and a focus on the financial, energy, transport and technology sectors. It advised AXA on the corporate tax aspects of the sale and resturucturing of its life business. Recommended partners include practice head Louise Higginbottom, Matthew Hodkin and Dominic Stuttaford, who has a ‘keen intellect which he uses to good effect in negotiations’.

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Within Equity capital markets: UK capability, Norton Rose LLP is a third tier firm,

Norton Rose LLP has strength in the energy and natural resources sectors, and is noted for its work for growth companies. Deals included Julian Stanier acting for Cyfrowy Polsat on a £306m block trade; Raj Karia acting for Allied Gold on a £464m triple listing; and Glenn Hall advising Zambeef on its London listing. Mark Lloyd Williams, Simon FT Cox, Richard Sheen and Nick Adams are also recommended.

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Within Equity capital markets: US capability, tier 5

Thomas Vita, the lynchpin of Norton Rose LLP’s up-and-coming US securities practice, ‘has been around the block’. He advised bookrunners including Deutsche Bank on Cyfrowy Polsat’s $486m offering, and Allied Gold on its London listing.

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Within EU and competition, tier 4

Norton Rose LLP has a balanced four-partner practice covering merger control, behavioural and contentious matters, and acts for clients such as Stena Line, RWE, and BMW. It advised Asda in a successful appeal against the OFT decision in the high-profile tobacco case, quashing an adverse decision and £14m fine. It also acted for PwC in the Competition Commission market investigation into the UK’s ‘Big Four’ audit firms. Practice head Martin Coleman, Michael Grenfell, and Mark Jones are recommended.

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Within Financial services, Norton Rose LLP is a second tier firm,

The core strengths of Norton Rose LLP’s ‘attentive and commercial’ team are asset management, and banking and markets infrastructure. It advised in the establishment of a freight derivatives trading platform, the first platform trading this instrument type. Jonathan Herbst is well respected. Peter Snowdon works closely with the contentious regulatory group, led by Charles Evans. Contentious expert Dorian Drew has ‘excellent client relationship skills’.

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Within Flotations: small and mid-cap, Norton Rose LLP is a first tier firm,

Raj Karia and Mark Lloyd Williams ‘really impress’ at Norton Rose LLP, which is ‘deservedly top tier’ and noted for its strength in the natural resources sector. Glenn Hall and Thomas Vita advised Lusaka-listed Zambeef on its £97m dual listing on AIM; Simon FT Cox represented Bahamas Petroleum on a £45m placing of new shares; and Richard Sheen advised Hawkpoint Partners on the AIM IPO of Secure Trust Bank.

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Within M&A: mid-market, £50m-£250m Leading individuals: M&A

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Within M&A: premium deals, £250m+, Norton Rose LLP is a third tier firm,

Norton Rose LLP’s 42-partner team provides ‘real strength, depth and expertise in large-scale transactions, which is further strengthened by its expanding global offering’. A strong focus on its core sector capabilities and a client list including BMW, Vattenfall and G4S have enabled it to amass a prodigious deal sheet. In 2011 it acted for Chaucer Holdings plc in its £330m takeover by The Hanover Insurance Group. Corporate head Martin Scott’s team was strengthened by the arrival of energy M&A specialist John Conlin from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP; Bayo Odubeko, formerly head of SJ Berwin LLP’s Africa group; and Jill Gauntlett, who returned to London from Singapore following her stint as Asia corporate head. Also recommended are Chris Pearson, for his ‘depth of experience and commercial advice’; Paul Whitelock, for his Takeover Code expertise, and Chris Randall, who is ‘technically competent and able to think strategically’.

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Within M&A: smaller deals, up to £50m Leading individuals: M&A

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Within Private equity: transactions, tier 7

Headed by David Baylis, Norton Rose LLP’s private equity group recently advised STAR Capital Partners on its divestment of Oxford Aviation Academy.

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Within VAT and indirect tax VAT and indirect tax

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Within Crime,

Bindmans LLP provides a ‘first-class’ service, and Neil O’May’s advice is ‘spot on’. It represented an academic who was prosecuted for drug offences after a 15-year-old school girl died having taken ecstasy at his house during an unsupervised house party. The team has also been acting for an alleged Polish gang member in relation to his extradition to Poland for murder and other offences. Kate Goold ‘works 24/7’. O’May is set to move to Norton Rose LLP, with Martin Rackstraw and Katie Wheatley to take over as joint heads of the criminal law team.

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Within Fraud: civil, Norton Rose LLP is a second tier firm,

Norton Rose LLP recently undertook a review of the compliance policies and procedures for a joint venture operating in the energy sector in an African country. Sam Eastwood is praised for his ability to ‘see a way through issues’, and has a particular focus on fraud, asset tracing and corruption work. Charles Evans specialises in contentious regulatory proceedings.

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Within Fraud: corporate crime, Norton Rose LLP is a second tier firm,

Norton Rose LLP has a ‘strong’ team particularly recommended for its advice on corruption and corporate ethics. Among its highlights, ‘class act’ Sam Eastwood was appointed by a major corporate entity to assess its anti-corruption programme.

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Within Fraud: white-collar crime,

Bindmans LLP provides a ‘first-class service’. Key individuals include ‘indefatigable’ associate Rhona Friedman; the ‘vastly experienced’ Neil O’May; and Martin Rackstraw, who ‘attends to every detail’. It acted in a major VAT fraud case, representing John MacFarnon, who eventually pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of fraudulent trading. O’May is set to move to Norton Rose LLP.

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Within Banking litigation: investment and retail, Norton Rose LLP is a second tier firm,

Norton Rose LLP represented the Trustee of Lehman Brothers in the Supreme Court in the client money litigation concerning the FSA’s rules on the segregation of client monies by Lehman Europe. Other clients include RBS, HSBC and Bank of Ireland. Deirdre Walker’s team includes Michael Godden and Paul Morris, who are ‘intelligent, responsive, thoughtful and commercial – pretty much everything you want!’; and Radford Goodman, who is ‘an expert in the insolvency arena’. Antony Dutton left the firm to join Dechert LLP.

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Within Commercial litigation, Norton Rose LLP is a third tier firm,

Norton Rose LLP continues to act for the Trustee of Lehman Brothers in relation to issues arising from Lehman’s liquidation. Deirdre Walker is group head; and Sam Eastwood, Michael Godden, Radford Goodman, and Charles Evans are other principal contacts. Shipping disputes expert Patrick Foss joined from Barlow Lyde & Gilbert LLP; while Antony Dutton left for Dechert LLP.

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Within International arbitration, Norton Rose LLP is a third tier firm,

Norton Rose LLP’s ‘proactive’ team focuses on high-value international disputes, mainly within the energy, construction and infrastructure, mining and commodities sectors. It also has extensive expertise in shipping and insurance arbitrations, and is increasingly instructed in investor-state arbitrations. Joe Tirado and Steve Abraham attract praise.

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Within Mediators Mediators

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Within Tax litigation, Norton Rose LLP is a third tier firm,

Norton Rose LLP’s team acts for clients including HSBC and Lloyds Banking Group. Team head Louise Higginbottom is noted for her expertise, and the Dominic Stuttaford is ‘attentive, available and approachable’.

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Within Acquisition finance, tier 6

At Norton Rose LLP, James Dunnett advised DNB Bank and HSBC on a £73m leveraged loan facility for the acquisition of Viking Moorings Group.

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Within Asset finance and leasing, Norton Rose LLP is a first tier firm,

Praised for its ‘outstanding industry knowledge and business acumen’, Norton Rose LLP provides ‘consistently high-quality advice’ across all asset classes. Recent highlights include advising the JV parties in the establishment of a Luxembourg joint venture for the leasing and financing of Boeing 747-8F for launch customer Cargolux, while on the rail side the team is advising Lloyds on the sale of parts of its rail portfolio. Shipping remains a core part of the practice, and the team is instructed by banks and owners across the spectrum of financings, including Islamic finance methods. Harry Theochari heads the team, which includes core partners Simon Hartley, Neil Poland and Tom Johnson, who are recommended for shipping, aviation and rail respectively. Clients include ABN AMRO, Flybe, P&O Ferries, and Bombardier.

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Within Bank lending: investment grade debt and syndicated loans, Norton Rose LLP is a third tier firm,

Michael Ings leads the corporate loans group at Norton Rose LLP, which acts for financial institutions and borrowers in the media and telecoms sectors. Alexandra Triptree led the advice to key client Saudi Oger on the first stage of its financing for the development of security headquarters for the Ministry of Interior of Saudi Arabia. Michael Black joined from SNR Denton, with experience in cross-border syndicated lending, principally for lenders. Other clients include Standard Bank, RBS and Santander.

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Within Commodities: derivatives, Norton Rose LLP is a second tier firm,

Norton Rose LLP ‘offers the most comprehensive regulatory practice’. Jonathan Herbst has a strong relationship with the FSA, and recently advised Green Exchange on its application to the authority, as well as assisting The Baltic Exchange in setting up its freight derivatives trading platform Baltex. Will Ingram is ‘a superb associate with a fantastic work ethic’.

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Within Commodities: physicals, Norton Rose LLP is a second tier firm,

Banking partner Nicholas Grandage, regulatory expert Jonathan Herbst, mining and metals specialist Mark Bankes, litigator Philip Roche and clean energy guru Andrew Hedges contribute to the breadth and depth of Martin McCann’s transactional and disputes team at Norton Rose LLP. McCann advised Standard Bank on an eight-million-tonne iron ore offtake agreement from a West African mine. Other clients include Drax Power, Exxon and RWE.

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Within Corporate restructuring and insolvency, tier 4

With its increased international network, Norton Rose LLP is well placed to handle contentious and non-contentious cross-border matters. Team head Hamish Anderson continues to advise the US trustee of Lehman Brothers following its collapse. Other clients include Deloitte, KPMG and RBS.

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Within Debt capital markets, Norton Rose LLP is a third tier firm,

An ‘exemplary firm’, Norton Rose LLP is noted for its ‘dedication, professionalism and expertise’ in emerging markets, retail bonds, and equity-linked and Islamic structures. Tak Matsuda is ‘excellent, and always tries to deliver to clients ’ expectations’; and Susan Mann is recommended for sovereign debt matters. Peter Noble focuses on Canadian issuers. Matsuda advised QBE Insurance on exchangeable notes issues of $1bn and £325m.

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Within Derivatives and structured products, Norton Rose LLP is a second tier firm,

Norton Rose LLP has ‘an extremely well-run practice, combining bespoke solutions with a client-friendly manner’. Dean Naumowicz (‘a leader in his field’ who is ‘able to find complex, innovative solutions’) and ‘good diplomatic communicator’ Laurence Garside regularly advise BNP Paribas as hedging provider for structured products. Regulatory specialist Jonathan Herbst and Islamic derivatives expert Farmida Bi are also highly recommended. The firm recently advised the Chicago Mercantile Exchange on the clearing of OTC derivatives.

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Within Emerging markets, Norton Rose LLP is a second tier firm,

Norton Rose LLP provides ‘practical advice backed up by huge experience’, and, following recent mergers, now has a presence in South Africa, Venezuela, Colombia and Kazakhstan. With a strategic focus on energy, infrastructure, mining and commodities, it has been involved in many financings for deals in Africa, Latin America, Asia and the CIS. Chris Brown advised a consortium on its successful tender to expand Medina Airport, a project valued at $1.5bn. Infrastructure partner Mark Berry is involved in several mining projects in Senegal and the Republic of Congo; and Martin McCann is Standard Bank’s chosen adviser on mining matters. Simon Currie and Richard Metcalf are recommended on the energy side.

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Within Investment funds, Norton Rose LLP is a second tier firm,

Norton Rose LLP is best known for listed and retail funds, but has a growing private and hedge funds practice. It advised Cenkos Securities as sponsor and placing agent on The Diverse Income Trust plc’s LSE main market IPO, and acted on Samena Capital Special Situations Fund II. Practice head and real estate fund specialist Ian Fox is ‘a very knowledgeable, responsive lawyer who gives excellent client service’. Hedge and private funds partner Michael Newell has ‘a wide knowledge of the law as well as of investment funds and listing procedures’. Head of asset management Richard Sheen and listed fund specialist Cathy Pitt are also recommended.

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Within Islamic finance, Norton Rose LLP is a first tier firm,

Norton Rose LLP’s three regional practice heads – Manama-based Mohammed Paracha for the Middle East and Africa, London-based Farmida Bi for Europe, and Hong Kong based Davide Barzilai for Asia – are recommended, as is Dubai-based Anthony Pallett and Oli Charlesworth in Abu Dhabi. Paracha is ‘a very reliable lawyer, who works actively to design and document solutions’, and Bi is ‘a bona fide Islamic finance lawyer’. The team acted on Indonesia’s sovereign international sukuk issuance under Reg S and Rule 144A terms. Other matters included various billion-dollar-plus project financings, securitisations and bonds, structured fully or partly as shari’ah-compliant arrangements.

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Within Overview,

Able to leverage its impressive roster of blue-chip corporates, Slaughter and May has the most impressive borrower-side practice in the market, and scores particularly highly for bank lending and restructuring work, where it continues to excel at high-profile matters emanating from the financial crisis. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP also stands out for borrower work, and is able to leverage this for top-quality debtor-side restructuring instructions, as well as acquisition finance and investment grade lending matters. High-ranking practices outside the Magic Circle include Hogan Lovells International LLP, which has a strong showing across restructuring, investment funds, asset finance, Islamic finance, and trade finance; Ashurst, for debt capital markets, acquisition finance and investment funds; Norton Rose LLP, for asset finance, Islamic finance and emerging markets; SJ Berwin LLP, for investment funds; and Simmons & Simmons LLP, for investment funds and derivatives. As well as having strong asset finance practices, Clyde & Co LLP, Holman Fenwick Willan LLP and Reed Smith also all feature in the top tier of the commodities (physicals) ranking.

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Within Securitisation, Norton Rose LLP is a second tier firm,

With ‘good knowledge of the market’, Norton Rose LLP’s ‘very responsive’ team provides ‘excellent service and the best value for money’. The ‘very friendly’ Sandrine Sauvel has ‘excellent business acumen’ and ‘goes the extra mile, always eager to find new solutions’. The firm hired David Shearer from Allen & Overy LLP, who has ‘great expertise and asset class coverage’. Sauvel advised National Bank of Greece on a €1.75bn RMBS deal and a €600m auto-loan deal. Laurence Garside is recommended for RMBS restructurings.

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Within Trade finance, Norton Rose LLP is a first tier firm,

Norton Rose LLP’s London office is ‘a centre of excellence’ for trade finance work, with the practice strengthened by the firm’s merger with ‘very strong energy and natural resources firm’ Macleod Dixon LLP. Nicholas Grandage’s team has a truly international focus and acts on many transactions in Africa. Grandage and senior associate Jake Howard advised Trafigura on a multibillion-pound borrowing base programme, and the firm also advised RBS on a $150m coal financing. Martin McCann and Charles Whitney are also recommended.

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Within Employee share schemes, Norton Rose LLP is a third tier firm,

Norton Rose LLP’s two-partner team provides ‘dependable’, ‘value-for-money’ advice, acting for BMW and BNP Paribas among others. It has expertise in areas such as Islamic finance and emerging markets, with a strong transactional-side offering. It advised Müller on the employee share plan aspects of its £279m takeover of LSE-listed Robert Wiseman Dairies; and Chaucer Holdings on the share schemes aspects of its £313m takeover by The Hanover Insurance Group. David Cohen and Monique Fry are recommended.

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Within Employment: employers and senior executives, tier 5

Norton Rose LLP advises on international projects and transactions in addition to representing major companies on employment claims and executive departures. The ‘commercially very astute’ Paul Griffin and ‘very bright’ Catrina Smith make a formidable duo. Clients include HSBC, Petronas, and recent win Citigroup.

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Within Health and safety, tier 5

Norton Rose LLP handles health and safety work as part of its environment, safety and planning practice. It is advising DP World on the London Gateway container port project.

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Within Pensions, Norton Rose LLP is a second tier firm,

Norton Rose LLP ‘works seamlessly as a team’. Clients include Cheviot Trust, the Trustee of the Invensys Pension Scheme, BMW, the Trustees of the CEMEX UK Pension Schemes, Nestlé UK, HSBC Holdings, Steria, the Norsk Hydro Group and the Stena Group. Peter Ford and Lesley Browning, who has ‘a gut feeling for when the client wants solutions or obstacles’, are recommended. Charles Evans’ experience includes pensions litigation, where the firm rises a tier in the ranking this year.

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Within Insurance and reinsurance litigation, tier 4

Praised for its ability to ‘pull together and keep on top of all the many strands involved in a complex case’, Norton Rose LLP has a strong financial lines practice, and acts for clients such as RBS, Lloyds Banking Group and Standard Chartered. Susan Dingwall has a ‘calm and confident manner’, and recently represented Collyer Bristow LLP in its claim against the broker Lockton arising from the placement of its professional indemnity cover in a layered programme. Also recommended is Patrick Foss on the marine side, who joined from Barlow Lyde & Gilbert LLP.

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Within Insurance: corporate and regulatory, Norton Rose LLP is a first tier firm,

Norton Rose LLP has a strong reputation in the Lloyd’s market, and was active in M&A transactions in 2011. David Whear advised Ryan Speciality Group on its acquisition of Lloyd’s underwriter the Jubilee Group; and practice head James Bateson acted for RBS Insurance on the transfer of Churchill, Direct Line and NIG to UK Insurance, involving some 22 million policyholders. New panel wins for the team included RSA, Brit and Torus. Bob Haken was promoted to partner, in a boost to the regulatory side of the practice. Maria Ross is ‘technically able and a pleasure to work with’, and is recommended for life insurance matters.

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Within Insurance: insolvency and restructuring, Norton Rose LLP is a second tier firm,

Norton Rose LLP has been busy in a number of high-profile restructuring matters, including cross-border matters. Maria Ross acted for AXA UK in two Part VII transfers as part of restructuring arrangements following on from the sale of its life and pensions businesses to Resolution. Other clients include ACE, QBE and RBS. Ashley Prebble, Hamish Anderson and David Whear are also recommended.

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Within Professional negligence, tier 5

Key individuals in Norton Rose LLP’s ‘approachable and thorough’ team include Paul Morris and Susan Dingwall. Notable clients include Lloyds Banking Group, HSBC, Standard Chartered Bank, RBS, and HSH Nordbank.

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Within Infrastructure, Norton Rose LLP is a second tier firm,

Norton Rose LLP’s international focus secured it work on major projects in Germany, Uzbekistan and Saudi Arabia. With power infrastructure a specialism, the firm advised a sponsor consortium, including Marubeni Corporation and Chubu Electric Power, on the Sur Independent Power Project (IPP) in Oman, which completed in November 2011. Other recent work includes advising a shortlisted bidding consortium on the procurement of the RegioTram project in Groningen. Martin McCann heads the team.

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Within Mining and minerals, Norton Rose LLP is a first tier firm,

Norton Rose LLP’s London group often combines with resources internationally to advise clients in the sector. A cross-office team recently advised Allied Gold mining on its restructuring and listings on the London, Toronto and Australian stock exchanges. The firm’s recent merger with Macleod Dixon has given the firm a South American presence, and Martin McCann and Raj Karia are currently advising Zamin Ferrous on the joint venture financing of the Valentines Project, a magnetite mining facility in Uruguay.

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Within Oil and gas, Norton Rose LLP is a second tier firm,

Norton Rose LLP’s clients include national oil companies, service companies and new players in the upstream sector, as well as major multinationals. The LNG market has been a fruitful one recently; the firm is advising Chevron on the Wheatstone and Gorgon LNG projects in Australia, both of which have onshore and offshore features. Upstream M&A specialist John Conlin joined from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP in July 2011. Department head Nick Prowse attracts praise from peers.

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Within PFI and PPP, Norton Rose LLP is a third tier firm,

Notable for its work on domestic waste PFI projects, Norton Rose LLP also advised the bidding consortium on the Medina Airport Project, among several other notable international PPPs. Chris Brown - has ‘a wide area of knowledge and long, long experience of infrastructure funding’. Group head Martin McCann and Mark Berry are also recommended.

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Within Power (including electricity, nuclear and renewables), Norton Rose LLP is a second tier firm,

Truly international in scope, Norton Rose LLP acts for clients including energy majors, governments and industry bodies. Prominent in conventional and nuclear, the firm recently advised Inter Rao UES on a feasibility study to attract international investment into the development of the Baltic nuclear power plant. With a highly regarded renewables practice, the firm is advising Masen Ouarzazate on the tender process for the Ouarzazate Solar Power Complex, one of the world’s largest solar energy projects. Simon Currie is the firm’s head of energy.

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Within Water, Norton Rose LLP is a third tier firm,

Norton Rose LLP is advising major client Ofwat on the financing, procurement and regulatory aspects of the Thames Tideway Tunnel. The firm also won tenders to assist the regulator on Water Industry Act 1991 claims, and modification of water licences. International projects include advising Sumitomo Corporation on a desalination plant in Peru.

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Within Administrative and public law, tier 4

Norton Rose LLP’s practice is part of the firm’s competition department, and is headed by Michael Grenfell. The team recently acted for PayPoint in a National Lottery licence dispute with the National Lottery Commission. Other clients include Ofwat and Eastleigh Borough Council.

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Within Commercial property, Norton Rose LLP is a second tier firm,

Norton Rose LLP acted on over £1.2bn of investment transactions. It advised on debut UK acquisitions for Sweden’s Stena Realty and Singapore’s Khoo Teck Puat Foundation, and also advised Al Faisal Holding Company on its purchase of the W Hotel. Practice head David Sinclair is ‘clever and very proactive’, David Hawkins is ‘highly competent and a strong negotiator’, and Lindsay Morgan and Wasim Khan adopt a ‘proactive approach’.

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Within Construction, Norton Rose LLP is a third tier firm,

Norton Rose LLP’s ‘exemplary’, ‘technically gifted’ team ‘excels in its level of customer service’. Practice head Chris Hill provides ‘constructive advice on complex legal issues’, and recently assisted an Asian contractor on contentious aspects of a rail project in the Middle East. Steve Abraham represents leading energy, resources and utilities companies in international and domestic disputes; and Donald Warnock is ‘hands-on’ and ‘extremely professional’. Clients include Ferrovial and Tube Lines.

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Within Environment, Norton Rose LLP is a third tier firm,

Norton Rose LLP’s environmental department is led by the experienced Caroline May, who specialises in sustainability, carbon reduction and contaminated land matters. The practice was appointed to BP’s panel as a specialist environmental legal adviser along with two other firms. It also advised Drax Power on the development of a major renewable energy plant in Lincolnshire.

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Within Planning, tier 4

Norton Rose LLP continues to provide planning, highways and compulsory purchase advice to DP World regarding the London Gateway port, and also advised London Thames Gateway Development Corporation (LTGDC) on a planning proposal by Tesco to develop a district centre in Bromley by Bow. Nigel Hewitson is ‘able to cut through bureaucracy’.

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Within Property finance, Norton Rose LLP is a third tier firm,

Norton Rose LLP acted for Bank of Ireland on the sale of a £1.4bn UK real estate loan and swap book to Kennedy Wilson, and advised Invesco Property Income Trust on restructuring its facilities with RBS. Other clients include Allied London, HSBC and RBS. The ‘excellent’ team includes Lucy Wolley Dod and Duncan Hubbard, who have ‘real experience in this area’.

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Within Property litigation, tier 4

Norton Rose LLP’s team has grown in profile since recruiting ‘rising star’ Charlotte Bijlani, whose ‘probing intellect’ and ‘soothing manner’ make her ‘an outstanding operator’. It has recently acted in several significant rent disputes.

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Within Intellectual property, tier 4

Norton Rose LLP is ‘highly attuned to a client’s business and needs’, and acts for ICAP, Visa Europe, RBS, and Orange, among others. Mike Knapper handles commercial and transactional matters, and ‘thinks of real solutions that will work’. Jonathan Ball handles trade mark disputes, and also represented Brightpoint in telecoms patent litigation against IPCom.

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Within IT and telecoms, tier 4

Norton Rose LLP’s technology head Mike Rebeiro is ‘a skilled negotiator and builder of relationships, with knowledge and understanding on all aspects of outsourcing’. Highlights included acting for Friends Life on a £1.4bn-plus outsourcing, and advising Orange and Vodafone on acquisitions. The team also acted for Orange Holdings in contentious matters.

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Within Media and entertainment, tier 4

Mike Knapper and his ‘proactive, innovative’ team at Norton Rose LLP handle corporate media finance deals, with Chris Pearson advising Trinity Mirror and Ian Lopez advising Future and United Business Media. Peter Scott and Mark Simpson handle regulatory matters. Arqiva is a key client. IP litigator Jonathan Ball has ‘a strong ability to understand clients ’ needs’.

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Within Pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, tier 4

Norton Rose LLP’s team has ‘solid understanding of a wide range of issues, and a real willingness to put itself in the client’s shoes’. Clients incude GlaxoSmithKline, Domtar Corporation and UBM Medica. Patent litigation specialist Jonathan Ball is ‘an expert in the area, and provides extremely good direction and detailed advice to clients’. Mike Knapper advises on non-contentious IP matters, and is ‘very commercial and pragmatic – he thinks of real solutions that will work’.

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Within Sport, tier 5

Norton Rose LLP has a substantial motor sport practice, with Jonathan Ball the key figure.

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Within Aviation, Norton Rose LLP is a third tier firm,

Norton Rose LLP’s ‘quick’ and ‘very professional’ team, led by Neil Poland, is recommended for its aviation competition, regulatory and contentious expertise. Praised for its ‘intensive customer servicing’, its headline clients include Balli Group, Continental Airlines, easyJet, Guggenheim Aviation Partners, HSH Nordbank, and United/Continental Airlines. Patrick Farrell is a ‘repossession specialist’ with ‘enormous experience in aviation’.

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Within Rail, Norton Rose LLP is a first tier firm,

Norton Rose LLP’s rail practice is recommended for its ‘great attention to detail’, and is experienced across construction, finance and leasing, regulatory and infrastructure matters. Key clients include Bank of America, Barclays Bank, Bombardier Transportation UK, the Department for Transport, and Tube Lines Limited. Tom Johnson is recommended for rail financing transactions, and Michael Grenfell is also singled out for praise. Gordon Hall is now based in the firm’s Hamburg office.

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Within Shipping, tier 4

Recent highlights for the ‘very professional team’ at Norton Rose LLP include a number of high-profile casualty matters, including acting for the owners and insurers after the container ship Rena ran aground with a subsequent spill of around 300 tonnes of fuel oil. Philip Roche is ‘superb’, and Ian Teare in Singapore is also singled out. Recommended for their dispute resolution expertise are the ‘brilliant’ Patrick Foss and Chris Zavos, who joined from Barlow Lyde and Gilbert LLP.

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