The Legal 500

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

Norton Rose LLP advises its prominent blue-chip client base on outsourcing and procurement matters, as well as acting for outsourced service providers, giving it a valued understanding of customer and supply-side requirements. Highlight deals for Mike Rebeiro’s team included advising Kiln Group on an agreement with French company Prima Solutions for the development of an in-house underwriting system and, in a reflection of its transport and infrastructure capabilities, advising Eversholt Rail on a series of IT and outsourcing contracts.

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

Norton Rose LLP has a ‘solid, very consistent’ offering, and notable expertise in asset finance and Islamic finance. The team advised AXA on the £2.75bn sale of its UK-based traditional life and pensions businesses, its IFA protection and corporate pension businesses, and its annuity businesses to Resolution; and acted for International Innovative Technologies Limited in the UK’s first-ever sukuk. Recommended partner John Challoner is ‘personable’ and ‘identifies the problem’, and Dominic Stuttaford has a ‘clear and pragmatic’ approach.

Within Equity capital markets: UK capability, tier 4

Norton Rose LLP has an excellent reputation for equity capital markets work, and is one of the top players in the mid-cap space. Highlights for 2010 included advising on a privatisation in Poland, and the team also continues to develop its expertise in the mining and natural resources sectors. Recommended individuals include ‘excellent practitioner’ Richard Sheen, Raj Karia, Simon FT Cox and Julian Stanier.

Within Equity capital markets: US capability, tier 5

Up and coming in the market, Norton Rose LLP’s US corporate finance group is led by Thomas Vita, who recently advised Jupiter Fund Management on its £755m IPO and London listing. The team has notable experience in Polish transactions. Mike Dunn is recommended.

Within EU and competition , Norton Rose LLP is a third tier firm,

Although not as visible at EU level as some other firms, Norton Rose LLP is punching well above its weight in the UK competition arena. Recent work includes acting for Asda in its appeal to the CAT against the OFT’s decision and fine in the tobacco cartel; and acting for Stena Lines before the OFT and Competition Commission in its acquisition of two Irish Sea routes from DFDS. Martin Coleman is ‘a strategic thinker’ with ‘excellent business acumen’; Mark Jones is ‘an excellent technician and tactician’; Peter Scott has ‘a rare combination of insight into competition law and economics’; and Michael Grenfell ‘loves the details of cases, which is particularly important in litigation, while at the same time ensuring that the story hangs together as a coherent whole’.

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

Norton Rose LLP’s Jonathan Herbst advises on commodity derivatives, outsourcing transactions, custody and clearing, and the regulatory aspects of acquisitions and disposals, while Peter Snowdon is focused on retail financial services. Charles Evans and Dorian Drew are recommended for investigations.

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

The ‘first-class, timely and accurate’ team at Norton Rose LLP has a ‘fantastic practice’, with clients praising the ‘competent and tactful delivery of advice’. The firm is active in the oil and gas arena, and in 2010, Raj Karia advised Liberum Capital as NOMAD and bookrunner on Zanaga Iron Ore Company’s $750m IPO. On the issuer side, the ‘very good’ Simon FT Cox represented Petro Matad in its $54m secondary fundraising on AIM, and Richard Sheen advised Ludgate Environmental Fund on a secondary placing. Elsewhere, Julian Stanier advised Jeffries and Cenkos as joint bookrunnners in a £70m placing by Avanti Communications.

Within M&A: upper mid-market and premium deals, 250m+, Norton Rose LLP is a third tier firm,

Norton Rose LLP is consistently praised for its ‘sensible approach to the client’s demands’ and its ‘spirit of co-operation’, as well as the ‘top quality’ of its work’. Such accolades are unsurprising looking at its track record in recent years, and with an average deal size of over £1bn, 2010 was another fruitful year. A deal sheet that should be the envy of its competitors saw the firm advise on the $1.4bn merger of Peter Hambro Mining with Russian iron ore mining company Aricom and the subsequent move onto the FTSE 250; and also the British Airways-Iberia merger, and RWE’s €9.3bn acquisition of Essent. Experienced public M&A lawyer Ian Lopez joined the firm from Allen & Overy LLP, and Chris Pearson and Robin Brooks are highly recommended by clients.

Within M&A: US law capability, Norton Rose LLP is a third tier firm,

Norton Rose LLP has the ‘outstandingly efficient’ Tom Vita among its ranks. The US corporate finance team advised Bilcare on the €100m acquisition of the Films Division of INEOS plc. Mike Dunn is also recommended.

Within Private equity: transactions , tier 6

Norton Rose LLP’s David Baylis is praised for his ‘technical knowledge, business acumen and wealth of experience’, and heads a team praised for its ‘willingness to go the extra mile’. Clients include CIBC, Bridgepoint Capital and Europa Capital.

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

Charles Evans leads the team at Norton Rose LLP, whose recent work includes defending an investment bank in a $100m fraudulent misrepresentation and conspiracy claim; and advising a major offshore contractor regarding proceedings in Nigeria.

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

Norton Rose LLP has been particularly active advising corporates on the development and implementation of comprehensive anti-corruption programmes in light of the new Bribery Act. Recent work for Charles Evans includes advising a major multinational company in an ongoing SFO investigation into bribery and corruption.

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

Norton Rose LLP was boosted by the arrival of Paul Morris from SNR Denton, who has a strong reputation and broad experience in structured products and debt capital markets litigation. Group head Deirdre Walker ‘keeps things on track and is good at deflating attempts to distract, derail or inflame’. Morris, Michael Godden and Radford Goodman are all ‘hugely capable’ and ‘don’t favour getting bogged down in pointless and wasteful mud-slinging but prefer the approach of getting disputes dealt with as swiftly and effectively as possible’. New client wins include The Bank of New York Mellon, Citi, and Deutsche Bank.

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

Norton Rose LLP ramped up with David McKie joining from DLA Piper UK LLP along with Paul Morris from SNR Denton. The practice has sector strengths in energy and transport in addition to financial institutions, and recently acted for the US trustee of the liquidation of Lehman Brothers in a trial concerning the ownership of securities. Deirdre Walker heads the practice; and insurance specialist Susan Dingwall, former practice head Antony Dutton, Sam Eastwood, Charles Evans and contentious construction expert Chris Hill are also recommended.

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

Norton Rose LLP is ‘extremely efficient and quick’, and has seen an increase recently in Singapore and Middle East related work. Team head Joe Tirado ‘gives out-of-the-box solutions to very complex problems’. Steve Abraham is noted for construction and engineering-related disputes.

Within Mediators Mediators

Within Acquisition finance, tier 7

The ‘very creative and business savvy’ James Dunnett is recommended at Norton Rose LLP.

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

‘Consistently the best across all asset classes’, Norton Rose LLP has a deeply entrenched focus on the transport industry. The firm has long had a strong presence in shipping, where recent work for the team includes collaborating with the Milan office in advising the Coeclerici Group on the largest-ever transhipment contract in Africa for the largest coal mine in East Africa. On the aviation side, as well as handling a continuing flow of ECA work, the team advised on the English-law aspects of BA’s merger with Iberia, and represented the lenders on the $160m Islamic financing of a Boeing 777-200CR aircraft for Qatar Airways. The rail team advised on the restructuring of Ascendos Rail Leasing. Harry Theochari, Gordon Hall and Neil Poland are recommended for shipping, rail, and aviation finance respectively.

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

Norton Rose LLP’s four-partner, bank-oriented corporate loans group provides ‘clear, relevant and informative guidance’. ‘Very strong in the emerging markets’, the team recently advised Standard Bank on several multimillion-dollar facilities made available to MTN Nigeria; and also acted for Tullow Oil plc on a $650m revolving credit facility. The ‘professional and responsive’ James Dunnett has ‘deep experience on syndicated loan deals’; Alexandra Triptree has ‘in-depth knowledge of the banking industry’; and Michael Ings ‘has a deep well of telecoms experience’.

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

At Norton Rose LLP, Jonathan Herbst is ‘a star’, and Peter Snowdon stands out for regulatory advice on climate derivatives. The firm advised the Chicago Mercantile Exchange in relation to its UK clearing house, and Low Carbon Initiative on regulation, documentation and disclosure matters. Its diverse client base also includes Bache, Drax and HVB.

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

Norton Rose LLP has a strong energy, renewables and metals practice. Jonathan Herbst and Peter Snowdon are recommended for financial matters, Mark Bankes for mining, and Richard Metcalf for energy. The team recently advised BP on commodities regulation, and the Green Exchange on its UK operations.

Within Corporate restructuring and insolvency, tier 4

Norton Rose LLP advises a range of insolvency practitioners, banks and corporates on restructuring and insolvency matters. Leveraging the firm’s strength in shipping, the team landed a major role advising the co-ordinator committee of banks on the $2.5bn financial restructuring of Danaos Corporation, a leading international owner of container ships. James Stonebridge acted on that deal, while Hamish Anderson continues to lead a team advising the US Trustees of Lehman Brothers Inc.

Within Debt capital markets, tier 4

Tak Matsuda, trustee expert Farmida Bi and infrastructure bond specialist Kate Alliott excel in Norton Rose LLP’s team, which focuses heavily on equity-linked deals and Islamic finance. Clients include the government of Ras Al Khaimah, and BMW.

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

Dean Naumowicz and Laurence Garside at Norton Rose LLP act for a range of US and European investment banks, and the firm has London’s leading practice for shari’ah-compliant derivatives, thanks to Farmida Bi and regulatory specialist Jonathan Herbst. Recent work includes advising the Chicago Mercantile Exchange on derivatives aspects of its proposed clearinghouse, and TriOptima on industry-wide initiatives including a global interest rate swaps repository.

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

The ‘very results-oriented’ team at Norton Rose LLP has ‘excellent response times’ and ‘provides a more personal service than the Magic Circle’. It boosted its capabilities with the hire of Nick Grandage from SNR Denton, who leads the firm’s global trade commodity finance practice. Drawing on its strength in Africa, the firm acted for the African Development Bank and senior lenders on the Main One Cable Project, and also advised Sonangol on a $2.5bn facility arranged by Industrial and Commercial Bank of China. Martin McCann, Chris Brown and Richard Metcalf are all recommended.

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

‘Very solid on the law, with an excellent dose of commercialism’, Norton Rose LLP is ‘very responsive’, and provides ‘good advice from the partners and good support from the associates’. Listed and retail funds are key, but the firm is growing its private equity, real estate and hedge funds work. It advised JPMorgan Global Emerging Markets Income Trust plc on its IPO and LSE listing; acted for J.P. Morgan Cazenove and others on the £270m IPO and LSE listing of John Laing Infrastructure Fund Limited; and acted on the establishment of Skyline Capital. Practice head Ian Fox is ‘very good, and explains complex issues clearly’; Michael Newell is highly rated for hedge and private funds; and Richard Sheen, head of asset management, is also recommended, along with listed funds expert Cathy Pitt.

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

Norton Rose LLP’s team has changed significantly. The practice’s founding partner Neil Miller retired in April 2011; the ‘enormously well-respected’ and ‘energetic and enthusiastic’ Mohammed Paracha re-joined the firm from Al Salam Bank; Rizwan Kanji moved to King & Spalding; and the ‘exceptional’ Davide Barzilai relocated to Hong Kong. There are three new regional practice heads: Barzilai for Asia; the ‘very good’ Farmida Bi for Europe; and Paracha for the Middle East and Africa. Highlights included advising Kuveyt Türk on its $100m LSE-listed sukuk, noteworthy as Turkey’s first sukuk and Europe’s first bank sukuk. The team also advised HSBC on financing for SabaFon in Yemen; QF Investment Management NV on a shipping-focused mezzanine financing fund; and Calyon on a commodity murabaha for Zain Sudan. Oli Charlesworth in Abu Dhabi is ‘very responsive, competent and accessible’.

Within Overview,

Instructed by a swathe of FTSE 100 corporates, Slaughter and May is the premier borrower-side practice in the market, and scores highly for bank lending and restructuring matters, where it continues to excel in government-led work. Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP is also very accomplished on the borrower side, in investment grade lending and acquisition finance, where it acts for an oustanding roster of private equity sponsors, and also in more esoteric areas such as derivatives, where it moves to the top tier this year. High-ranking practices outside the Magic Circle include Hogan Lovells International LLP, which moves up in the asset finance ranking having hired Simon Gwynne and Robert Fugard from Linklaters LLP, and also has a strong showing across restructuring, investment funds, and Islamic and trade finance; Ashurst LLP, across acquisition finance, investment funds, securitisation and derivatives; Norton Rose LLP, in asset finance, Islamic finance and emerging markets; SJ Berwin LLP, in investment funds; and Simmons & Simmons, in hedge funds and derivatives. As well as having strong asset finance practices, Clyde & Co LLP, Holman Fenwick Willan LLP and Reed Smith all feature in the top tier of the commodities (physicals) ranking.

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

Norton Rose LLP is ‘coming up the curve quickly’, thanks to partners such as Sandrine Sauvel and Laurence Garside, who epitomise the firm’s ‘in-depth experience and industry knowledge, fast response times and team spirit’. Kate Alliott is recommended for whole-business and infrastructure deals, and Farmida Bi’s strengths are ‘her knowledge and her industry expertise in Islamic finance’. New clients include Barclays Capital, which the firm advised in relation to a €3bn covered bond programme for Piraeus Bank.

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

Norton Rose LLP, a recognised specialist in the area, is ‘one of the best in the market’, and advised on deals in over 40 countries in 2010. The team, led by Nicholas Grandage, has ‘excellent technical competency and understanding of commercial aspects’. It advised Sonangol on a number of highly structured deals including a $2.5bn facility; and Citibank, HSBC and Crédit Agricole are also clients. Simon Currie, Charles Whitney and head of commodities Martin McCann are recommended. The firm rises in the ranking this year.

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

Norton Rose LLP provides ‘good-quality’ advice at ‘competitive rates’, with a strong transactional offering and expertise in emerging markets and Islamic finance compliance. It advised F&C Asset Management on the incentives aspects of its acquisition of Thames River Capital, and Jupiter Fund Management on the share plan aspects of its IPO, including implementing new deferred bonus, long-term incentive and tax-approved sharesave plans. David Cohen is noted for his ‘extremely competent and practical’ advice, and Monique Fry is also recommended.

Within Employment, tier 5

New practice head Paul Griffin at Norton Rose LLP replaced Peter Talibart, who joined Seyfarth Shaw in 2011. The team acted for Tube Lines in resisting strikes by the RMT and TGWU; and was instructed by HSBC on the departure of CEO Michael Geoghegan and chairman Stephen Green in 2010. The team has added Citibank to its roster of financial services clients.

Within Health and safety, tier 5

The ‘very responsive’ Caroline May heads the team at Norton Rose LLP, which acts for energy, utility, transport and engineering clients. In 2010 the team advised on a fatality in the oil sector, and provided training to Drax Power and others.

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

Peter Ford’s pensions group at Norton Rose LLP also rises a tier this year; it is ‘responsive and expert in this complex area’. Work highlights included advising Axa on the sale of the majority of its UK life business to Resolution, and acting for the Cheviot Trust in contentious matters. Lesley Browning’s ‘strength is her ability to communicate with those for whom pensions is an alien topic, but she also has a depth of technical knowledge which allows her to interact with other professionals’.

Within Insurance and reinsurance litigation, Norton Rose LLP is a third tier firm,

Norton Rose LLP is renowned for its very strong financial lines practice. The team provides ‘excellent’ service, and demonstrates ‘strong business acumen and industry knowledge’, as well as ‘value for money’. Susan Dingwall provides ‘efficient, pragmatic advice’, and is appreciated for her ‘no-nonsense and direct approach’. Clients include ACE, Chartis, Marsh and QBE.

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

Norton Rose LLP demonstrates ‘strong business acumen and industry knowledge’, and its insurance expertise encompasses transactional, regulatory and other advisory matters. Highlights included advising AXA on the £2.75bn sale of the majority of its UK life business to Friends Provident Group. New client wins include Alterra, Catlin, RBS Insurance and Partner Re. Practice head James Bateson is recommended, and in 2010 the group recruited consultants Stuart Brown, formerly senior transaction counsel at Admin Re UK, and Robert Merkin.

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

Norton Rose LLP’s insurance insolvency and restructuring team has a focus on cross-border international work. The London team advised R K Carvill on disposing of its brokerage subsidiaries in run-off to Randall & Quilter. New clients include the Carvill Group and Royal London, joining existing clients such as ACE, AIG and XL. James Bateson, Ashley Prebble and Hamish Anderson are recommended.

Within Professional negligence, tier 5

Susan Dingwall heads Norton Rose LLP’s four-partner team, which is recognised for its ability to advise a global client base on complex matters.

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

Norton Rose LLP is valued for its ‘high levels of industry expertise’ and ‘more personal service than the Magic Circle’. The ‘commercial’ Martin McCann heads the team, which is ‘second to none for infrastructure in the emerging markets’. The firm advised the African Development Bank, and a syndicate of Nigerian commercial banks, on the £240m financing of the Main One undersea cable. Mark Berry and Chris Brown are also recommended.

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

Norton Rose LLP is a ‘big team for project finance’, ‘far more commercial than other firms’, and valued for ‘genuinely structuring deals tailored towards the client’. Group head Martin McCann is in the ‘upper echelon of his peer group’, and is valued for his ‘first-class legal advice’ and ‘propensity to think laterally’. Raj Karia is recommended for corporate work. Highlights included advising the lead arrangers on the $300m European Goldfields project in Greece.

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

Norton Rose LLP’s team is led by Nick Prowse, and specialises in advising oil and gas companies on the full life-cycle of matters. In a major coup, 2010 saw the firm advise OLT Offshore Livorno Toscana on the financing of the world’s first major floating storage and regasification unit.

Within Overview,

Norton Rose LLP draws admiring glances for its market-leading renewables and mining practices, and is working to become the pre-eminent name for energy work. SNR Denton and Trowers & Hamlins LLP field strong Middle East practices, which work alongside London teams to offer excellent global coverage.

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

Norton Rose LLP is ‘the firm to beat on the green side’, and has an ‘enviable ability to cream off the top-tier mandates’, under head of renewables Simon Currie. Other recommended names include Richard Metcalf, who leads the firm’s electricity practice, and head of nuclear Peter Hall. The firm is advising Boyabat Elektrik ÜRETIM VE Ticaret on the $1.1bn project financing of a dam and hydroelectric power plant.

Within Private finance initiative (PFI) , Norton Rose LLP is a third tier firm,

Norton Rose LLP is praised for its expertise in the waste and transport sectors. PFI head Martin McCann ‘articulates positions in a robust and logical way’, and Mark Berry has the ‘ability to address challenging issues’. The firm advised in relation to the tender to award a PPP sub-concession to develop a fuel hydrant system at Cyprus’ Larnaka Airport, acting for the airport company.

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

At Norton Rose LLP, Peter Hall heads a water group that covers the full gamut of financing, regulatory and environmental issues. The firm advised London Thames Gateway Development Corporation on several linked applications by Thames Water Utilities. Dalkia and Ofwat are also representative clients.

Within Administrative and public law, tier 4

Norton Rose LLP advises on judicial reviews, public procurement, health and safety, and EU state aid and regulation. It is appointed to the legal panels of Ofwat and the Office of Rail Regulation. In 2010 it advised Global Knafaim Leasings in a judicial review against the Civil Aviation Authority, and assisted the Department for Transport on rolling stock procurement. Michael Grenfell is recommended.

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

Norton Rose LLP is ‘a go-to firm – quite simply the most client friendly’. Its ‘excellent’ team advised on over £1.2bn of investment transactions during 2010, and acted for Employees Provident Fund of Malaysia on the £150m acquisition of Whitefriars. On the development side, the London Gateway project keeps the team busy. David Sinclair is recommended for his ‘commercialism and minimalism’, Wasim Khan is ‘reassuringly confident and capable’, and Lindsay Morgan is also well regarded.

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

Norton Rose LLP ‘provides the right lawyers with the right expertise at the right level’. The practice is particularly strong on the contentious side, but also advises on international energy and rail projects. The ‘very practical’ Donald Warnock is particularly good for rail disputes, and practice head Christopher Hill is also recommended.

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

Norton Rose LLP is well regarded for its strength in depth. Its key focus is advising on regulatory, permitting and liability issues pertaining to energy projects, and its clients include the European Commission, Solena Group and Drax Power. It acted for Crest on the UK’s first contested decision under the contaminated land regime. Practice head Caroline May has ‘in-depth knowledge, and is highly effective in negotiations’.

Within Planning, tier 4

Norton Rose LLP provides ‘good, focused advice’ to public and private sector clients. Highlights included acting for Blue-NG in a planning application inquiry over a power station; and advising Thames Gateway Development Corporation on development applications made by Tesco. Other clients include DP World, Drax Power and Solena. Practice head Nigel Hewitson is ‘very user friendly in his dealings with clients but tenacious in promoting their interests’, and is well regarded for his broad understanding of planning matters.

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

Nabarro LLP is ‘one of the most used and useful firms’. With its expertise in student accommodation, the team advised Unite Group on the £67m development financing for the Moonraker site. In retail, it advised Grosvenor Liverpool Fund on refinancing the development facility for the Liverpool One shopping complex. Andrew McLean, Amanda Howard and James Dakin are ‘thoughtful, intelligent and responsive’. Duncan Hubbard joined Norton Rose LLP.

Within Property litigation, tier 5

At Norton Rose LLP, new partner Charlotte Bijlani is developing a name for herself as a litigator, with clients praising her ‘calm authority’ and commercialism. The team recently represented a property manager in winning an under-letting claim.

Within Social housing: finance, Norton Rose LLP is a third tier firm,

Norton Rose LLP’s team ‘engenders trust and respect’. It is advising Scottish & Southern Energy plc on its solar panel joint venture, and advised Hyde Housing Association Limited and Brent Co-Efficient on the Brent Social Housing PFI project phases one and two. David Coulter and Richard Hill are recommended.

Within Intellectual property, tier 4

Norton Rose LLP’s team ‘goes the extra mile to keep the client happy’, and saw an increase in brand enforcement work in 2010. Jonathan Ball, who ‘manages complex problems calmly and efficiently’, is representing RBS subsidiary Green Flag. Mike Knapper, commended for his ‘technical excellence’, advised the European Commission on the IP aspects of technology and knowledge-sharing obligations regarding the NER300 funding programme, which supports renewable energy projects.

Within IT and telecoms, tier 4

Mike Rebeiro heads Norton Rose LLP’s cross-practice team, which assisted France Telecom on the merger of its Orange UK business with Deutsche Telekom’s T-Mobile unit. On the IT side, the group represents suppliers and customers including PayPoint, TriOptima, Hutchison 3G and confused.com. Mike Knapper is recommended for his data protection expertise.

Within Media and entertainment, tier 4

Norton Rose LLP’s ‘thorough and practical’ team works on high-value matters, such as a recent acquisition for FTSE International. It also regularly advises Arqiva on carriage agreements and disputes. Mike Knapper leads the nine-partner team. Peter Scott is noted for his ‘capture of key issues’, and he and senior associate Mark Simpson are recommended for their ‘ability to make clear and well-argued recommendations’. Jonathan Ball, who heads the firm’s contentious IP practice, works closely with the media practice.

Within Pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, tier 4

Norton Rose LLP ‘always provides excellent candidates/teams for the job’. It advised Nestlé on its acquisition of CM&D Pharma. Jonathan Ball, who ‘manages complex problems calmly and efficiently’, worked with the firm’s Australian office on a worldwide licensing deal, and advised Dey Pharma in patent litigation against Teva. Commercial IP partner Mike Knapper advises on patent licensing in the R&D sphere. GSK is a significant new client.

Within Sport, tier 6

Norton Rose LLP’s five-partner team adopts an ‘excellent commercial approach’. Its clients include the West Indies Players Association, David Lloyd Leisure, and London Wasps rugby union club. The ‘practical and efficient’ Jonathan Ball heads the practice, and associate Ben Morgan is also recommended.

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

Norton Rose LLP has ‘very good partners, as well as a very strong team of associates and counsel’, and is ‘one of the best at the litigation/aircraft recovery and aircraft finance aspects of the business’. The team advised Monarch Airlines in relation to the volcanic ash disruptions; Balli Group plc in a dispute over the ownership of three Boeing 747 aircraft; and Global Knafaim Leasing in a judicial review regarding the detention of aircraft following the collapse of Zoom Airlines. Patrick Farrell is ‘absolutely outstanding – hugely experienced in the industry and as a litigator – and has a very in-depth global knowledge of repossession issues/local law/lien and procedure in an endless number of jurisdictions’; he is the ‘first port of call when preparing for a possible repossession’.

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

Gordon Hall’s team at Norton Rose LLP covers a wide range of work, with expertise in construction, finance and leasing, regulatory and infrastructure, and acts for a wide variety of industry players, including operators (Go-Ahead), financiers (Lloyds TSB), ROSCOS (Eversholt Rail), manufacturers (Siemens), sponsors (Hochtief), railway operators (Tube Lines), regulatory bodies (the Office of Rail Regulation) and government (the DfT). The group acted for a bidder on the privitisation of HS1, and also advised on the restructuring of Ascendos Rail Leasing.

Within Shipping , tier 5

Philip Roche’s team at Norton Rose LLP acts for clients such as P&O Ferries, The Standard Club and OSG Ship Management, and is currently advising on the cancellation of a long-term charterparty as part of the insolvency of the Bluestream Group. David McKie, who is ‘always available and gives the best advice’, joined from DLA Piper UK LLP.