Norton Rose Fulbright > London, England > Firm Profile
Norton Rose Fulbright Offices
3 MORE LONDON RIVERSIDE
LONDON
SE1 2AQ
England
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Norton Rose Fulbright > The Legal 500 Rankings
Corporate and commercial > Equity capital markets – small-mid cap Tier 1
Norton Rose Fulbright draws praise from clients for its ‘strong grasp of the commercial implications of legal points and speed to act on key points’. The London-based ECM practice advises on the entire range of equity-related transactions for a litany of issuers, from FTSE 100 to AIM, as well as being particularly strong in London listed funds. The team is also noted as an adviser to bookrunners in the space, as well as for its deep sector expertise in real estate-related transactions. Raj Karia heads up the cross-disciplinary corporate, M&A and securities practice. The highly experienced Richard Sheen is well known for his focus on equity capital markets and investment fund work, while Fiona Millington‘s broad practice sees her advising issuers and investment banks on IPOs, equity fund raisings, sponsor transactions for listed companies, and public M&A. Clementine Hogarth advises listed companies and financial investors on the entire gamut of ECM transactions.Practice head(s):
Raj Karia
Other key lawyers:
Richard Sheen; Fiona Millington; Clementine Hogarth; Alexander Green
Testimonials
‘Strong grasp of the commercial implications of legal points and speed to act on key points when needed is good.’
‘Fiona Millington displays quick decision-making and actions.’
‘NRF’s corporate practice delivers good service, is reliable and can offer a breadth of advice across many jurisdictions.’
‘Always willing to have an ‘off the clock’ chat about ideas and offer some free advice, recognising the bigger picture.’
‘Clementine Hogarth is a stand-out partner with deep industry knowledge. Works well on issuer or bank-side and is a champion of social mobility.’
‘Fiona Millington is a veteran, safe pair of hands who plays well with the other side on deals.’
‘Paul Whitelock is well respected and always willing to have a chat about ad hoc issues.’
Key clients
Numis Securities Limited
Peel Hunt
Canaccord Genuity Limited
Cantor Fitzgerald
Mortgage Advice Bureau Holdings
Grant Thornton
Investec Bank plc
Tullow Oil plc
Taylor Maritime Investments Ltd
J.P. Morgan Securities plc.
Goldman Sachs International
Orascom
Aedifica
Warehouses de Pauw (WDP)
Taleem Management Services
Xior Student Housing
Ekopak
Work highlights
- Advised Numis Securities on the sell down by the Arab Petroleum Investments Corporation of part of its residual shareholding in Ashtead Technology Holdings Plc representing approximately 6% of the company by way of an accelerated bookbuild block trade.
- Advised Canaccord Genuity, Cantor Fitzgerald and Berenberg as joint bookrunners to Yellow Cake plc on a $75 million placing for Yellow Cake plc.
- Advised Mortgage Advice Bureau plc on the acquisition of 75% of the Fluent Money Group for c.£73m.
Finance > Islamic finance Tier 1
Led from London by Farmida Bi and also able to leverage significant resources on the ground in Dubai, the ‘well organised, efficient and client focused team’ at Norton Rose Fulbright is well-positioned to advise investors, corporates, governments and banks across a broad range of Islamic finance structures pursuant to transactions in core areas of expertise for the firm as a whole, including energy, transport and real estate. A good deal of the work flow centres around debt capital markets transactions, with Bi recently advising ACWA Power on the update and second drawdown under its domestic sukuk programme, the proceeds of which were used to refinance its large equity investment in a high profile and strategically significant Jizan IGCC project. Yusuf Battiwala has made a strong impact to the practice (particularly in the context of derivates and structured finance matters) since his arrival from Dentons in March 2022, including handling a considerable number of mandates for large commercial/investment banks on Islamic repo transactions. Counsel Andrew Coote is also a key member of the team, regularly working alongside Bi for underwriters and issuers, including their continued work for Pakistan Ministry of Finance on its sovereign sukuk and bond issuances.Practice head(s):
Farmida Bi
Other key lawyers:
Yusuf Battiwala; Andrew Coote; Mark Brighouse
Testimonials
‘It is a well organised, efficient and client focused team.’
Key clients
JP Morgan
First Abu Dhabi Bank
Natixis
Macquarie Bank
ACWA Power Development
Bank ABC
Bank of London and the Middle East
Bank of New York Mellon
Government of Pakistan, Ministry of Finance
Islamic Development Bank
Save the Children UK
Finance > Trade finance Tier 1
Norton Rose Fulbright has a broad practice that covers a range of financing transactions, including big-ticket borrowing base facilities, though it also works in innovative areas such as the development of electronic trade platforms, carbon credit financing deals, and ESG-related matters. Global head of trade finance Nicholas Grandage and senior associate Richard Wilkes recently acted for Standard Chartered Bank in a €350m green trade finance syndicated uncommitted invoice-based facility to support Polestar Group’s import of electric vehicles into Europe and North America. 'Astute negotiator' Andrew Wood advises financiers (including banks, alternative financiers, DFIs, ECAs, corporate borrowers, fintechs, trading companies and suppliers/producers on cross-border structured trade finance transactions. With counsels Mark Brighouse and Tudor Plapcianu, Wood advised ED&F Man Group on the $629m structuring and refinancing its world-wide borrowing base, reference borrowing base, margin line, trade instruments and revolving credit facility across 29 jurisdictions. The arrival of highly regarded structured finance partner Yusuf Battiwala from Dentons boosts the firm's capacity to handle large structured note and receivables programmes.Practice head(s):
Nick Grandage
Other key lawyers:
Andrew Wood; Tudor Plapcianu; Richard Wilkes; Mark Brighouse; Yusuf Battiwala
Testimonials
‘Andrew Wood is an exceptional partner, bringing a wealth of expertise in trade finance structures, particularly within emerging markets. With extensive knowledge and experience, he provides invaluable insights to clients navigating complex financial landscapes.’
‘Richard Wilkes is an exceptional lawyer known for his unwavering dedication to clients. Diligent and hard-working, he consistently goes above and beyond, delivering top-notch, tailored legal advice. His commitment to client satisfaction and meticulous approach establish him as a trusted advisor in the field of trade finance.’
‘Tudor Plapcianu – organized, knowledgeable, highly proactive and very responsive to queries and concerns. Excellent at anticipating what a client may require and checking before actioning. Deep trade knowledge.
‘Nick Grandage – a real pleasure to work with. Incredible trade expertise, both from a legal and commercial perspective.’
‘It is a great team, great diversity, great service provided in close collaboration with the client. Always on the ball and with very good service all around. It is a great trade finance team.’
‘Andy Wood is great, always there when needed. Richard Wilkes is a great sidekick to Andy and managing the more tricky issues with others assisting.’
‘Loads of market experience, very pragmatic and subject knowledge experts.’
‘Andy Wood is very knowledgeable, a very astute negotiator and good fun to work with too.’
Key clients
Africa Finance Corporation
AIG
BP
BNP Paribas
MUFG
Citibank
Coal India Limited (CIL)
Commodities Markets Council
Demica
Erste Group Bank AG
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
Eurasian Resources Group
Cobra Group
ED&F Man Group
HSBC
Jefferies
JP Morgan
Louis Dreyfus
Lloyds Bank
Shell
Macquarie
Mercuria
Natixis
NEXIM
RWE
Santander
Societe Generale
Standard Chartered Bank
Trafigura
TD Securities
ICBC Standard Bank
Raiffeisen Bank International AG
Mizuho Bank, Ltd
Baffinland
UK Export Finance
Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank
Brightfield Trading
IFC
Rabobank
Commerzbank
Work highlights
- Advised ED&F Man Group ED&F Man group on the refinancing of their commodity finance facilities – including a US$300m injection of new money – across 30 jurisdictions, in connection with the US$1.5bn restructuring.
- Advised SCB as agent on a EUR350m green trade finance syndicated uncommitted invoice-based facility (together with an accordion facility of up to EUR250m) with Polestar Performance AB (Polestar), Swedish premium electric performance car maker and an affiliate to Volvo Cars and Geely Holding Group.
- Advised EBRD in relation to its award-winning Trade Facilitation Programme, which involves documentation with numerous banks in EBRD’s countries of operation.
Finance > Transport finance and leasing Tier 1
Combining core overarching transportation industry knowledge with a deep understanding of a myriad financial products to facilitate new money mandates and refinancings in the sector, Norton Rose Fulbright is well-positioned to provide a 'commercial approach' to a myriad stakeholders across all transport asset classes. The sheer size of the team allows a strong degree of specialisation at partner level, while the diversity of client types, including lessors, banks, funds, operators and export credit agencies, ensures that the team has wide knowledge across the market and a truly 360 degree perspective of each matter. Simon Hartley has developed a reputation among shipping clients for his 'solutions driven' service, particularly as it pertains to work in the cruise sector, where Carnival remains a core client. Eleanor Martin has deep knowledge of the offshore shipping, in particular, and alongside restructuring partners in London and US, recently advised the lender committee in relation Altera's restructuring helping to guide it out of Chapter 11 protection and its subsequent re-chartering of the Knarr FPSO to Equinor UK. The firm has also been very active on insolvencies in the aviation sector, with the team picking up roles as special aviation counsel in relation to the Chapter 11 restructuring of both LATAM and SAS. Appreciated for his 'very high service levels and responsiveness', Owen Mulholland has been pivotal to both these mandates, a reflection of his longstanding relationship with both aforementioned carriers. Duncan Batchelor is also key to the firm’s aviation finance practice and has particular expertise advising on structured financings including Japanese, French, UK and Luxembourg lease structures. Of the more junior practitioners in the team, Will Alete continues to grow his reputation in the aviation sector for a varied mix of airlines, banks and lessors, while at an associate level, Matthew Bambury has a 'great grasp of technical detail', ensuring that he is a popular choice among lenders on structured leasing mandates within the maritime sector.Practice head(s):
Duncan Batchelor; Simon Hartley
Other key lawyers:
Simon Lew; Richard Howley; Giles Brand; Owen Mulholland; Emma Giddings; Eleanor Martin; Andrew Williams; Will Alete; Dan Cowdy; Richard Green; Alex Blaney; Olivia Cullen; Matthew Bambury; Corrine Rathie
Testimonials
‘They display a commercial approach and have an excellent understanding of their clients’ business and sensitivities.’
‘It is a large team of highly skilled and experienced lawyers in the shipping finance space. Excellent collaboration across offices in different jurisdictions when working on cross-border deals.’
‘Simon Hartley adopts a commercial approach and provide solutions driven advice.’
‘Owen Mulholland provides very high service levels and responsiveness, and he always offer opinions on clients’ best interests.’
‘Richard Green is highly responsive and provides a high quality work product.’
‘Matthew Bambury has a great grasp of technical detail’.
Key clients
Amedeo + Voyager Aviation / VAH
ABN AMRO Bank N.V.
Bayerische Landesbank
BNP Paribas
Carnival Corporation
Citigroup
Clover Aviation Capital (formally Ping An Aircraft Leasing Company Limited)
Commerzbank AG
Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank
Deutsche Bank
Development Bank of Japan
DHL
DNB Markets, Inc.
DP Aircraft / DS Aviation / Dr Peters Group
DVB
easyJet (legal panel)
Eversholt Rail
GB Railfreight
Global Ship Lease
ING
Investec
JP Morgan
KfW IPEX-Bank
Korea Development Bank
Lagos State Government
LATAM Airlines (Aviation finance panel – confidential)
Lloyds Banking Group plc
Lombard North Central PLC
LOT Polish Airlines
Macquarie
MUFG
New York Life
NORD/LB
Nordea
ORIX Corporation
Polskie Linie Lotnicze LOT S.A.
Prime Capital AG
Qatar Reinsurance
SACE S.p.A.
Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS)
Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (SEB)
Société Générale
Stadler Rail
Standard Chartered Bank
Stena
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank
The City of Ottawa
The Department for Transport
The Go-Ahead Group
UK Export Finance
UniCredit S.p.A.
777 Partners
Work highlights
- Advising the secured lender group on the restructuring/refinancing approximately $1bn of debt secured on 118 aircraft, as part of the $6bn debt restructuring of Nordic Aviation Capital in US Chapter 11 proceedings.
- Acting as special aviation counsel to LATAM on its Chapter 11 restructuring.
- Advised the Co-ordinating Committee comprised of financial institutions and export credit agencies (ECAs) representing over $500m million in debt, secured by certain of Altera’s vessels.
Industry focus > Emerging markets Tier 1
Norton Rose Fulbright is recommended by clients for its 'capability to offer creative solutions despite pressure, and work as one team with its clients'. The firm has an extensive emerging markets practice in London, and is active in Francophone and Anglophone Africa, the Middle East, the CIS region, Latin America and in Southeast Asia. Its work focuses on key sectors such as mining, agriculture, oil and gas, power and infrastructure development, and commodity trading, covering transactional work, finance and disputes. Martin McCann, who has extensive experience in infrastructure, mining, commodities and project finance, is head of the London emerging markets group. He acted for Horizonte Minerals PLC in arranging a $660m financing package for the construction and development of an Araguaia ferronickel mine in Brazil. Head of banking and finance Madhavi Gosavi is a key adviser on structured financings, project financings and restructurings. She recently assisted the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Angola with the $1bn financing of the Bita water production, transmission and distribution system in South Luanda. Corporate partner Raj Karia is a key member of the firm’s mining and minerals practice, and Bayo Odubeko, also in the corporate team, focuses on cross-border energy investments into Africa.Practice head(s):
Martin McCann
Other key lawyers:
Daniel Metcalfe; Charles Whitney; Bayo Odubeko; Raj Karia; Madhavi Gosavi
Testimonials
‘They have the capability to offer creative solutions under pressure.’
‘They work as one team with their clients.’
Key clients
Africa Finance Corporation
Ministry of Finance, Angola
EBRD
Ministry of Finance, Pakistan
The Development bank of Southern Africa (DBSA)
GuarantCo
Infinity Power
IFC
MUFG
Masdar
Societe Generale
Standard Chartered Bank
LATAM
Horizonte Minerals plc
Republic of Kazakhstan
Work highlights
- Advised a consortium, led by Kenya’s Safaricom and including Vodafone, Vodacom, BII and Sumitomo, on its winning bid for Ethiopia’s first telecoms license for $850 million, following a competitive, two-year auction process.
- Advising Brazilian Nickel in relation to its Piauí Nickel Project, a nickel laterite heap leaching project in the North-east of Brazil.
- Acted as US federal securities, New York, English and UAE law legal counsel advising underwriters (led by Citi, HSBC and MUFG) in connection with the issuance by Sweihan PV Power Company PJSC (the Issuer) of US$700,800,000 3.625% senior secured amortizing green bonds due 2049.
Projects, energy and natural resources > Infrastructure: Project finance and development Tier 1
Steered by the highly experienced renewable energy and energy transition specialist Rob Marsh, Norton Rose Fulbright ‘s infrastructure practice has had an impressive year, pulling in a large volume of work acting for both public and private bodies on a series of complex and significant cross-border mandates. With emerging markets seeing more investment than ever before, the group has helmed high-profile deals for a mix of leading players in Africa, including the governments of Angola and Nigeria. Exemplifying the firm’s skillset in this region is Madhavi Gosavi, who has had near-unparalleled exposure to the continent. In the UK, the firm has been deeply involved in the UK’s Project Cavalry, which involves the financing, development and delivery of eight projects relating to police, schools and judicial courts extension and build programmes. Martin McCann‘s eminent reputation continues to generate a considerable amount of work for the practice, while Andrew Buisson leverages construction experience to act on PFI/PPP projects. Daniel Metcalfe has deep financing knowledge and acts on a number of renewables and digital infrastructure mandates across Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Jessica Melville advises lenders, sponsors and governments on a wide array of assets and has been a key supporting presence on the practice's most consequential instructions.Practice head(s):
Rob Marsh
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
Absa Bank Limited
AMG Pension Fund
Balfour Beatty
European Investment Bank
Quinbrook
Ministry of Finance of Angola
Hellenic Republic Development Fund
Hermes Investment Management
John Laing Infrastructure
Africa Finance Corporation
Lloyds Banking Group
Octopus Investments
Orange SA
Standard Bank
Standard Chartered Bank
The Renewable Infrastructure Group Limited
Nedbank
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
European Bank for International Development (EBRD)
Work highlights
- Advised the financiers (International Finance Corporation and Islamic Development Bank) on all aspects of the US$750 million Queen Alia International Airport PPP project in Amman, Jordan, which is owned and operated by Airport International Group, a consortium led by ADP International and Meridiam.
- Advised the Ministry of Finance of Angola in relation to the c. USD 1 billion financing for the development of the Bita water production, transmission and distribution facilities and system in South Luanda.
- Advised Bank Muscat SAOG in its capacity as lender on the financing to Helios Towers and Rakiza Telecommunications for the purpose of financing the acquisition of Oman Tech Infrastructure SAOC.
Projects, energy and natural resources > Mining and minerals Tier 1
Norton Rose Fulbright‘s impressive deal flow sees consistent high-end mandates related to complex mining projects and transactions with a focus on battery metals, electric vehicles and the energy transition, with a notable increase in greenfield battery metals projects and battery processing. Private equity and debt financing across projects and transactions is another key specialism of the ‘experienced team’, which is particularly well-known for its experience in Africa. The London-based team also possesses demonstrable know-how on disputes, regulations and investigations in key global mining markets. Practice leader and pre-eminent project finance lawyer Martin McCann lends his expertise to all aspects of debt financing in the mining sector. Corporate partner Raj Karia advises sector-specific clients on M&A, ECM, joint ventures and restructuring transactions. Daniel Metcalfe is a key name for financing complex cross-border transactions in emerging markets.Practice head(s):
Martin McCann
Other key lawyers:
Raj Karia; Daniel Metcalfe; Felicity Brown; Jon Perry
Testimonials
‘Experienced team in mining project finance, and particularly for projects in Africa. Very commercial and consistently provide constructive advice. Very prompt turn-around times and a proactive approach.’
‘Daniel Metcalfe is very competent without an ego. Constructive and thoughtful in his advice, whilst always considering the commercial objectives of each party. Proactive and responsive.
‘Jessica Melville, great energy and a strong understanding of mining project finance. Able to clearly articulate issues and provide relevant and timely advice.’
‘A fantastic offering from the Norton Rose team which covers all aspects of the mining practice, from corporate to project finance. Excellent international experience; very commercial and user-friendly; great reputation within industry; strong in all areas.’
‘Martin McCann – top-in-class industry knowledge, highly commercial and savvy; very solutions focused; thinks high level and strategically. Felicity Brown – excellent attention to detail and market experience; very user-friendly. Jon Perry – excellent, calm and very effective negotiator; very strong corporate experience.’
‘Great coordination across offices and teams: UK/SA/Canada – seamlessly working across geographies, bringing in the right expertise for the transaction. Very hands-on partners, available when required, and well experienced in the mining sector.’
‘Daniel Metcalfe is a very experienced partner for mining transactions in Africa, well-liked for both borrower counsel and lenders’ counsel. He is very thorough in his work and a pleasure to have on transactions.’
Key clients
Anglo American
AngloGold Ashanti
Appian Capital Advisory
Barrick Gold
Brazilian Nickel
Centamin plc
EDC
Eramet Group
Eurasian Resources Group (ERG)
Horizonte Minerals
ING
KfW
La Mancha Capital Advisory
Natixis
Nedbank
RK Mine Finance
Shalina Resources
Societe Generale
Taurus Mining Finance
Trafigura
Work highlights
- Advised Horizonte Minerals on a US$660 million finance package, in relation to the construction and development of the Araguaia ferronickel mine in Brazil.
- Advised Natixis on the USD$650 million debt financing transaction to fund the acquisition of Minas de Aguas Teñidas S.A (MATSA) and its copper projects by Sandfire Resources Limited.
- Advised Altus Strategies plc on its share-for-share merger of equals with Elemental Royalties Corp. creating a global gold royalty company.
Real estate > Commercial property: corporate occupiers Tier 1
Leveraging support from the firm’s international work, the ‘knowledgeable and commercial team’ at Norton Rose Fulbright is geared to handle domestic and international real estate development mandates. The practice is also well-regarded for its expertise in energy and infrastructure projects, inward investment, as well as large-scale social housing investment and financing. Head of real estate Wasim Khan and Charlie Pinkerton are knowledgeable of significant office moves, while the former also has know-how of the rationalisation of their space requirements. David Hawkins is adept in landlord and tenant matters, while Louisa Roe excels in leasing transactions. Dan Wagerfield often advises Asian investors and Juliette Kelly is informed in property financing. David Sinclair departed to Stephenson Harwood in December 2022.Practice head(s):
Wasim Khan
Other key lawyers:
Charlie Pinkerton; David Hawkins; Dan Wagerfield; Juliette Kelly; Helen Finnis
Testimonials
‘They are very professional, personable, and reliable. Always available at short notice and urgent requests.’
‘Louisa Roe is an effective, efficient and friendly partner who is always willing to explain the legal complexities in a clear and understandable way.’
‘All our contacts at Norton Rose Fulbright go above and beyond for our business. They are always well-equipped with ideas and possible heads up on up-and-coming situations.’
‘The team adopts a very commercial but thorough approach, and we enjoy a strong, collaborative relationship that meets and often exceeds our corporate real estate needs.’
‘In addition to clear expertise in their field, individual members of the team have been a pleasure to work with, notably during challenging circumstances and working to tight deadlines.’
‘They have great market knowledge, are quick to respond and are proactive in their approach.’
‘Louisa Roe is very proactive and understands client requirements and how to manage these in an efficient and effective manner.’
‘Charlie Pinkerton is thoroughly knowledgeable and always makes himself available at short notice to answer difficult questions or deal with more complex matters that arise during a transaction.’
Key clients
ABSA Bank
Partner Reinsurance
Paragon 28 Inc
Saxo Capital Markets
British Airways Plc
Kimberly-Clark
Royex Real Estate Investments Limited
Voya Investment Management (UK) Limited
Exane S.A.
DP World London Gateway
Bank of Montreal
VF International
Civitas Social Housing
Korn/Ferry International
WELPUT
SOFAZ (State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan)
Olympia London
Ivanhoé Cambridge
Ashby Capital
Barnard’s Inn Unit Trust
Prudential Plc
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board
Europa Capital/Hobart Partners
Resolution Property Holdings
BMW Group
British Racing Drivers Club (Silverstone)
Commerz Real
GLL Real Estate Partners
Columbia Threadneedle Real Estate Partners and Global Asset Management
ING Bank NV
The Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association Limited
Seamus Mulligan
Work highlights
- Advised Olympus Property Holdings Limited on the pre-letting of a school venue to Alpha Plus Group.
- Advised BentallGreenOak’s WELPUT fund on the acquisition, lettings, financing and management of six buildings within its London real estate portfolio.
- Advised BMW on its UK-wide operational real estate portfolio.
TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Fintech Tier 1
Engaged by clients including major financial institutions, trade bodies, insurtech startups and payment infrastructure providers, Norton Rose Fulbright advises on matters across the fintech spectrum, including payments systems, distributed ledger technology, digital assets, decentralised finance and transformative transactions. The practice is jointly led by five partners. Global head of fintech Sean Murphy is well placed to advise on the development and deployment of financial services technology. Co-head of payments Victoria Birch advises clients ranging from governments to start-ups on fundraisings, regulatory compliance strategic investments into fintech companies. Fellow co-head of payments Albert Weatherill advises on a broad range of domestic and cross-border financial services regulatory matters. Hannah Meakin, who heads the fintech regulation department, is an authority on the use of distributed ledger technology in relation to market infrastructure and commodity derivatives. Head of insurtech Nicholas Berry, who completes the leadership team, has an in-depth understanding of the deployment of emerging technology in the insurance space. James Russell and Michael (Mike) Knapper are further names to note.Practice head(s):
Sean Murphy; Victoria Birch; Albert Weatherill; Hannah Meakin; Nicholas Berry
Other key lawyers:
James Russell; Michael (Mike) Knapper ; Matthew Gregory
Testimonials
‘Global reach and office network and a cultural and commercial willingness to work with start-ups/fintechs as well as big corporations.’
‘Strong expertise in trademarks and payments.’
‘The team is very knowledgeable at what they do and have stood us in good stead over a consistently long period of time. They are my go-to legal advisors in the UK and I would be lost without their commercial focus and sound advice that I know I can trust.’
‘An exceptional team, combining deep expertise from both a legal and a technical and operational perspective.’
Key clients
AIG
Anansi
Aquiline Capital Partners
Arch
Bybit
FMO
HSBC Investment Bank
Global Parametrics
Global Blockchain Business Council
IG Markets
InsurWave
InsurX
Kneip
Nexus Mutual
Northern Trust
Pay.UK
Paxos (formerly itBit)
Paypal
Post Trade Distributed Ledger Group
Riskbook
Revenio Capital
SmartCo
Stable Group
Standard Chartered Bank
Starling Bank
Superfluid
TPAY
Zego
Zurich
Work highlights
- Advising the Global Blockchain Business Council (GBBC) on its merger with Global Digital Finance Limited (GDF).
- Advising COWA on its $100 million Series A funding round and follow-on debt and equity rounds.
- Advising Aquiline Capital Partners LLC on its acquisition of a controlling stake in Ripe Insurance.
Transport > Aviation Tier 1
‘Leader in the field’, Norton Rose Fulbright offers a full-service aviation practice, advising on commercial matters including aircraft purchases and leasing arrangements, regulatory issues and slot issues. On the contentious side, the firm has recently acted for lessors and financial institutions making insurance claims in relation to aircraft seized in Russia. The firm is also noted for its EC 261 claims handling work, offering specialised legal tech to help airline clients manage these claims. Leading the team are Patrick Farrell and Robin Springthorpe, both aviation litigation specialists, while Duncan Batchelor focuses on asset financing as part of a wider commercial practice. Charlotte Winter, Annabelle Wheeler and Zayba Drabu focus on aviation disputes, including those pertaining to leasing, manufacturing issues and repossessions. Will Alete has a strong commercial aircraft leasing and acquisition practice.Practice head(s):
Duncan Batchelor; Patrick Farrell; Robin Springthorpe
Other key lawyers:
Charlotte Winter; Will Alete; Zayba Drabu; Annabelle Wheeler; Nicola Fenton
Testimonials
‘Fast responding, very practical and clear advice.’
‘The team is very experienced and knowledgeable in aviation. They are responsive and always try to find a practical solution to any issues.’
‘Norton Rose has strength in depth and outstanding talent. The firm has a deep understanding of the industry and provides outstanding results for their clients.’
‘Charlotte Winter: a great intellect who fights hard for her clients. Charlotte sees solutions and then delivers them. Zayba Drabu: A tough litigator who has a very strong understanding of the sector. Annabelle Wheeler: a brilliant lawyer and accomplished litigator. Patrick Farrell: a wise head to navigate the uncertainties thrown to the aviation industry. Robin Springthorpe: an accomplished legal mind who provides airlines with practical solutions.’
‘Excellent client relationship, proactivity, hardworking, very smart and dedicated to meeting our objectives.’
‘Robin Springthorpe is a first-class litigator – very good with managing the client relationship.’
‘Norton Rose Fulbright are leaders in their field.’
‘Charlotte Winter and Zayba Drabu are my go-to partners for disputes advice.’
Key clients
777 Partners
Air Canada
AirTanker
Atoz Aviation Finance S.à r.l.
The Carlyle Group
British Airways
CargoLogicAir
Delta Air Lines, Inc
DHL
DS Aviation
easyJet plc
Export Development Canada (EDC)
flyadeal Airline Company
Flynas
FTAI AirOpCo UK Limited
FW Aviation (Holdings) 1 Limited
Gama Aviation PLC
Jet2.com
Qatar Airways
SAS
Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia)
TUI
Virgin Atlantic
Voyager Holdings
Wizz Air
Work highlights
- Represented an ad hoc group of creditors, with claims totalling approximately $1bn in a $6bn debt restructuring of Nordic Aviation Capital DAC and its subsidiaries and group companies, by way of implementation via Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings.
- Advised Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) on a leasing dispute involving claims in respect of the leases of a large fleet of 50 Airbus aircraft, totalling approximately $4bn.
- Advised FW Aviation (Holdings) Limited in its Commercial Court claim against VietJet Aviation Joint Stock Company in respect of four aircraft which were on lease to VietJet.
Corporate and commercial > Equity capital markets – mid-large cap Tier 2
Praised for possessing a ‘wide geographic footprint, including in jurisdictions where other leading ECM firms don’t have a presence’, the team at Norton Rose Fulbright is equally adept acting on major London transactions and across emerging markets, representing issuers in Africa, the Middle East and Latin America. The practice group advises on the entire range of equity and equity-related transactions across the full spectrum of issuers, and is particularly strong with respect to London listed funds. The team has also seen a hive of activity in the real estate and technology sectors over recent years. Raj Karia leads the practice group, which includes US corporate finance expert Thomas Vita and Fiona Millington who advises on IPOs, equity fund raisings and public M&A.Practice head(s):
Raj Karia
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The team is able to draw upon a wide geographic footprint, including in jurisdictions where other leading ECM firms don’t have a presence (e.g. in Africa).’
‘Fiona Millington is always available to work through the issues and keen to develop strong relationships.’
‘Alexander Green is a rising star and has a strong grasp on developments within the sector. He is calm and affable when providing advice.’
‘Great under pressure Communication was top notch Felt like an extension of our team Pleasure to work with throughout.’
‘Strong grasp of the commercial implications of legal points and speed to act on key points when needed is good.’
‘Fiona Millington and Thomas Vita display quick decision-making and actions.’
Key clients
Dar Global PLC
Barclays Bank plc
Deutsche Bank
JTC PLC
Aedefica
Numis Securities Limited
Xior Student Housing
J.P. Morgan Securities plc.
Goldman Sachs International
Canaccord Genuity Limited
Ecora Resources PLC
Societe Generale
Orascom
Picton Property Income Limited
Management Consulting Group PLC (MCG)
Vodafone
Investec Bank plc
BMO Capital Markets
M&G Investments
Berenberg
Cantor Fitzgerald
Citigroup
HSBC
Peel Hunt
RBC
Stifel
Beltone Capital
CI Capital
Is Yatirm
Yapi Kredi
Work highlights
Corporate and commercial > Financial services: contentious Tier 2
Fielding a ‘very sophisticated group of lawyers‘, Norton Rose Fulbright is experienced at all stages of the contentious regulatory process, from the emergence of potential reportable issues through to enforcement and remediation. The team’s work covers a wide range of regulators, including not only the FCA and PRA, but also the FRC, SFO, NCA and OFSI, in addition to global regulatory agencies. Much lauded duo Katie Stephen and David Harris jointly lead the London-based department, with support from Jonathan Herbst, the global head of the financial services offering. Matthew Gregory was promoted to partner in January 2023. At the senior associate level, Claudia Van Gruisen is marked out as ‘a star of the future‘.Practice head(s):
Katie Stephen; David Harris
Other key lawyers:
Jonathan Herbst; Matthew Gregory; Joe Smallshaw; Andrew Reeves; Claudia Van Gruisen
Testimonials
‘Andrew Reeves is a sure-footed and sophisticated thinker. He misses nothing.’
‘David Harris is a brilliant tactician.’
‘Claudia Van Gruisen is a star of the future.’
‘Andrew Reeves is a superb analyst of legal risk.’
‘David Harris is meticulous in everything he does. Claudia Van Gruisen is tireless in her efforts on behalf of clients.’
They are a very sophisticated group of lawyers.’
‘Katie Stephen is an absolute doyen of the FS regulatory arena, with a well-deserved reputation for excellence. She knows the regulatory landscape as well as anyone, and strikes fear into opponents, including regulators. A top choice for any tough regulatory fight.’
‘A strong team providing a thoughtful approach to difficult cases. Katie Stephen is notable.’
Corporate and commercial > Financial services: non-contentious/regulatory Tier 2
The team at Norton Rose Fulbright is ‘at the top of its game’ in the wholesale markets arena, with a strong focus advising on retail and wealth management matters, often involving cross-border elements on account of the firm’s international footprint. Jonathan Herbst spearheads the global financial services regulation group and stands out for his expertise in bank structuring, while Hannah Meakin provides ‘exceptional advice’ on matters concerning market infrastructure, commodities derivatives and fintech. Albert Weatherill, who spearheads the payments practice, and policy development expert Matthew Gregory were promoted to partnership in January 2023. Katie Stephen, who co-heads the contentious financial services group, is another key contact.Practice head(s):
Jonathan Herbst; Hannah Meakin; Katie Stephen
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘In-depth knowledge of the sector with lawyers at top of their game. They are pragmatic, commercial and not afraid to suggest innovative solutions.’
‘The team is super collaborative, helpful and provide a lot of added value. The team acts with integrity and professionalism at all times but most importantly are technically knowledgeable and have a wealth of industry intel and knowledge that is most valuable.’
‘I find the NRF team most helpful, always happy to provide information/intel relating to market developments. Specific mention is owed to Jonathan Herbst and Hannah Meakin. They go above and beyond in all circumstances and always ensure that my needs are met. Both very pleasant to work with; approachable, responsive and considerate.’
‘The team strives to get to know your business and your internal risk appetite, bringing insights from past instructions into the present, and providing pragmatic, commercial and risk-based advice.’
Key clients
Citadel
CME Group
Goldman Sachs
KKR
BNP Paribas
Société Générale
Revolut
Save the Children
Provident
Royal Bank of Canada
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)
Mortgage Advice Bureau
Standard Chartered
Russell Investments
Ruffer Investments
Starling Bank
Bank of Montreal
Charles Stanley
Work highlights
- Advised KKR on three acquisitions including: its 25% stake in Northumbrian Water for $1.02bn; its majority stake in the French insurer APRIL Group; and its €3bn acquisition of world-leading reproductive medicine group, IVIRMA.
- Leading on instructions to implement the FCA’s new Consumer Duty, working with numerous clients, across all retail sectors, from retail banks, retail brokerages, exchanges, asset managers to private and mass retail wealth managers and consumer finance firms.
- Acted as sole legal adviser to Royal Bank of Canada in relation to its £1.6bn recommended cash offer for investment management firm, Brewin Dolphin Holdings plc.
Crime, fraud and licensing > Fraud: civil Tier 2
Lawyers of Norton Rose Fulbright leverage the firm’s expansive international footprint to support on multijurisdictional fraud and asset tracing mandates, including those with insolvency, cyber-fraud, white-collar crime, corruption and bribery. Harriet Jones-Fenleigh is an expert in civil fraud disputes, worldwide freezing order applications, and proprietary injunctions, whereas James Lockwood is noted for his track record across a wealth of banking-related matters. The practice is co-led by Patrick Bourke and Ruth Cowley.Practice head(s):
Patrick Bourke; Ruth Cowley
Other key lawyers:
Radford Goodman; Antony Corsi; Katie Stephen; James Lockwood
Testimonials
‘Strong team that is able to progress multiple challenging work streams. They work collaboratively and efficiently. They are a good humored bunch and are a pleasure to work alongside.’
‘A very able team at all levels, and exciting junior partners’
‘James Lockwood is a new partner who is outstanding and a future star’
‘James Lockwood is utterly outstanding and, although a newly made-up partner, has the qualities of the most seasoned of litigators. He’s extremely bright, and an excellent lawyer; he’s has a vice-like grip on the details of the case while never losing sight of the big-picture; he’s tactically astute; and he’s a delight to work with. Clients love him. He’s utterly first-rate.’
‘Depth of expertise and ability to run well resourced litigation efficiently’
‘Highly experienced financial services regulatory team combined with astute commercial litigators.’
‘Anthony Corsi – a top class litigation heavyweight.’
‘The top of the ticket individuals at Norton Rose – i.e. partners and senior associates – are highly impressive, user-friendly and a delight to work with. I have worked with Antony Corsi and Jonathan Ball’s team for nearly five years and the senior associates (I have experience of working with three of them so far) have always been top class. In my view this is key to good work product and running disputes efficiently.’
Key clients
Orange Liberia, Inc.
HSBC
BNP Paribas
Emirates NBD Bank
Citibank N.A. and Citigroup Global Markets Limited
Citicorp Trustee Company Ltd
Work highlights
- Acting for Orange Liberia in a high profile conspiracy claim which was one of the Lawyer’s Top 20 Cases for 2022.
- Acting for HSBC in two related complex billion pound and hundred million pound group action fraud claims.
- Acting for Citicorp Trustee Company Ltd on claims following a USD650m Sukuk (Islamic bond) default.
Dispute resolution > Commodities disputes Tier 2
Norton Rose Fulbright has 'fantastic knowledge of the market, very hands-on, involved in many of the leading cases, well-resourced teams'. EMEA head of disputes Patrick Bourke oversees the world of commodities litigators. Among them are key partner Holly Stebbing who worked with senior associate India Furse to defend ExxonMobil, which was co-defendant with Shell U.K. Limited and BP Exploration Operating Company Limited, in a £440m Commercial Court proceedings brought by Apache North Sea Limited exceeding. Both are 'stars in the making'. In oil and gas disputes, the firm advises some of the world's largest multi-nationals and the team is 'smart, clever, commercial and completely on top of their game'. Ruth Cowley, Antony Corsi, international arbitration specialist James Rogers and commercial litigator Harriet Jones-Fenleigh also play pivotal roles in commodities disputes. James Rogers moved to Jenner & Block LLP.Practice head(s):
Patrick Bourke
Other key lawyers:
Holly Stebbing; India Furse; Radford Goodman; Ruth Cowley; Antony Corsi; Harriet Jones-Fenleigh; Sherina Petit
Testimonials
‘NRF is well resourced and manage to attract and retain extremely bright lawyers. They are well-resourced and run a tight ship. They are also extremely good at encouraging diversity.’
‘Holly Stebbing and India Furse are both exceptional. Both are stars in the making. Sherina Petit is also a force to be reckoned with. She has a very strong India practice and is very well-known in the industry.’
‘They are smart, clever, commercial and completely on top of their game. Litigation is conducted efficiently, and always with a strategic regard for what can, and what cannot, be achieved.’
‘A very well-manned and able team, full of excellent lawyers and easy access to a very wide range of complimentary expertise across the firm.’
‘Radford Goodman is a shrewd and experienced litigator who knows how to handle a big case.’
‘Harriet Jones-Fenleigh is a star – highly recommended.’
‘Fantastic knowledge of the market, very hands-on, involved in many of the leading cases, well-resourced teams.’
Key clients
Citibank N.A. and Citigroup Global Markets Limited
Mercuria Energy Group
Barrick Gold Corporation
Work highlights
- Advised Barrick Gold Corporation (Barrick) in relation to the framework arrangements entered into between Barrick and the Government of Tanzania (the Government).
- Advising on a US$285m dispute concerning financing transactions entered into between CBNA/CGML and commodities trader Mercuria in respect of metal supposedly stored in warehouses at the Chinese ports of Qingdao and Penglai.
- Advised the agent, security agent and syndicate of lenders, including The Mauritius Commercial Bank, on pre-contentious issues regarding the delivery of pre-financed oil cargoes.
Employment > Pensions (non-contentious) Tier 2
Norton Rose Fulbright‘s team, praised for its ‘consistent quality and first-class professional advice‘, offers clients assistance in a variety of pensions matters, from transition to a master trust, buy-ins and buy-outs, to pensions-related transaction issues. ‘Highly experienced’ and ‘technical’ practitioner Lesley Browning heads the team and is particularly experienced in advising clients on underfunded schemes. Team member Shane O’Reilly is also a name to note, with recent work including advising clients on the implementation of GMP equalisations in addition to advising on the range of general pensions issues. The practice also offers assistance on the drafting of trust documentation as well as with investment issues, overpayment recovery, and de-risking matters.Practice head(s):
Lesley Browning
Other key lawyers:
Shane O’Reilly; Giannis Waymouth; Graeme Tricker
Testimonials
‘I have been using Norton Rose as legal advisors to our DB pension plan for many years. Even though the team has changed over the years, the experience throughout has been one of consistent quality and first-class professional advice – a firm that is always at the top of their game.’
‘I have worked with two different teams at Norton Rose and I can only say that every single person in those teams has been excellent. I think this can only be a reflection of the very high standards of the people at Norton Rose.’
‘They are more practical and commercial than most (if not all) of their competitors.’
‘Lesley Browning is highly experienced and practical.’
‘Lesley and Giannis Waymouth are very technical, very comprehensive, very user friendly and great value for money.’
‘A very strong and knowledgeable pensions practice – I have had dealings with the pensions sections of a number of firms and have found Norton Rose Fulbright LLP to be the best.’
‘Lesley Browning has an excellent understanding of pensions matters and provides her advice in a clear and straightforward way. She is totally reliable.’
‘I work with Shane O’Reilly and Graeme Tricker who demonstrate patience as well as extensive knowledge. This is the best team I work with.’
Key clients
Abellio Transport Holdings
AB Stena Finans
Accolade Wines Ltd
AES Corporation
AIG Life Limited
AmTrust International Limited
A. Schulman Limited
AXA UK plc
Bain Capital
Bank of Ireland
Barclays Bank plc
Bombardier Inc.
The Boston Consulting Group Limited
BMO Asset Management
BMO Financial Group
Canada Life Limited
Carnival plc
Carlsberg UK Limited
Carrier Pension Trustee Limited
Charles Taylor Limited
Chubb Services UK Limited
Civil Aviation Authority
Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation
Cobalt Energy Limited
Colgate-Palmolive (UK) Limited
Cooper Tyre & Rubber Co. Europe Limited
Countryside Partnerships plc
Crest Nicholson plc
Dalriada Trustees Limited
DHL International (Ireland) Ltd
Direct Line Group
Energizer Brands LLC
Financial Conduct Authority
FTI Consulting LLP
GFG Alliance
Grundfos Holding AS
Hayward Tyler Pension Plan Trustees
HSBC Global Asset Management (UK) Ltd
HSBC Master Trust Trustee Limited
HSBC Retirement Services Limited
Hydro Aluminium Deeside Ltd
Hydro Aluminium UK Limited
Hydro Building Systems UK Ltd
Hyperion Insurance Group Limited
IMI plc
ING Bank NV
Invensys Pension Trustee Limited
Irish Pensions Trust Limited
Kerry Group Plc
Lancaster Landmark Hotel Company Limited
Lyondell Chemical Europe Inc.
Maersk Line UK Limited
McLaren Technology Group Limited
Mercer Limited
MS Amlin plc
Munich Re
Nordea Bank
Norsk Hydro ASA
Northern Marine Management Ltd
Olympus Management Limited
Oxford Instruments Plc
P&O Ferries
Post Office Limited
QBE
RGA UK Services
RWE A G
Renishaw plc
Ross Trustees Services Limited
Rothesay Life
Royal Bank of Canada
Russell Investments Limited
RWE AG
Sandvik AB
SNC Lavalin
Stena Drilling Limited
Stena Line Limited
Sun Life of Canada
Teacher Retirement System of Texas
Trustee of the IPT Group Pension Plan
Trustee of the Oxford Instruments Pension Scheme
Trustee of the Steel Construction Institute Pension Scheme
Trustees of the Bayerische Landesbank Retirement and Death Benefits Plan
Trustees of the BBVA London Pension Plan
Trustees of the Crown Agents Superannuation Scheme
Trustees of the Dover Harbour Board Pension and Life Assurance Scheme (1973)
Trustees of the J.J. Churchill Ltd Executive Pension Plan
Trustees of the Marylebone Cricket Club Pension and Assurance Scheme
Trustees of the National Bank of Abu Dhabi Pension and Life Assurance Scheme
Trustees of the Shaw Group UK 1997 Pension Scheme
Trustees of the SITA Defined Benefit Pension Scheme
Trustees of the Thomson Pension Fund
Trustees of the West of England Ship Owners Insurance Services Ltd Retirement Benefits Scheme
USAA Limited
V. Ships UK Ltd
Vitality Life Limited
Vroon Offshore UK Limited
Wincanton Pension Scheme Trustees
Work highlights
- Advised Olympia Limited on a TUPE Transfer and its ongoing pensions obligations, together with advice on a Venture Management Agreement and a buy-out.
- Advised Stena Drilling Limited on the transition to a master trust.
- Advised Renishaw plc on complex negotiations with the scheme trustees on past pension overpayments.
Finance > Asset based lending Tier 2
Drawing upon 'deep industry knowledge', Norton Rose Fulbright provides 'very commercial' advice to funders, corporates and sponsors across a wide-range of ABL techniques, including in the context of bilateral and syndicated facilities. Under the guidance of the 'excellent' Michael Black, the team has forged a very successful practice handling domestic as well as big-ticket cross-border mandates. Much of the international work is for core lender client, Bank of America, which is appreciative of the firm's ability to provide complex structured advice which incorporates ABL facilities alongside other debt in the capital structure. Alex Dunn has 'extensive ABL knowledge on both UK and cross-border transactions', and is a key member of the team, as is counsel Helen Masri, who is noted for her 'exceptional technical ABL knowledge' and ability to provide 'thoughtful and creative solutions'.Practice head(s):
Michael Black
Other key lawyers:
Alex Dunn; Charlotte Hickman; Helen Masri; Alannah Frost
Testimonials
‘The team is commercial and will not negotiate for negotiations sake, they understand the key points of concern for me as a lender and are able to explain complex legal points in a simple manner.’
‘They have deep industry knowledge and we often utilise this expertise in the initial structuring of the facility.’
‘Alex Dunn has extensive ABL knowledge on both UK and cross-border transactions. Her understanding of more complex structures is second-to- none and her knowledge and input helps us to structure innovative solutions.’
‘Helen Masri has exceptional technical ABL knowledge and is able to break down complex points so that they are easily understood. She has a great ability to balance legal risk and will often come up with thoughtful and creative solutions.’
Key clients
Barclays Bank
Bank of America
JP Morgan
Wells Fargo Capital Finance (UK) Limited
PNC Bank, National Association
Aurelius Group
Bantry Bay Capital
Deutsche Bank AG
Goldman Sachs Bank USA
Macquarie Capital Funding LLC
Work highlights
- Advising Barclays Bank as arranger of a $500m asset-based lending facility to entities related to Clayton, Dubilier & Rice LLC in relation to the acquisition of LABL Acquisition Corporation from Platinum Equity.
- Advised Bank of America as arranger of a $250m syndicated asset-based lending facility for the global shoe retailer Clarks in relation to its trading in the UK and the USA.
- Acted for new client Aurelius Group on the financing of its acquisition of the Minova Group, a carve out from the Australian listed mining company Orica, for AUS$150m.
Finance > Debt capital markets Tier 2
At Norton Rose Fulbright, ‘the team is very efficient and responsive, and their communication is clear, concise, and easy to understand‘. Known for its emerging markets and sovereign bond expertise, the firm is also active in project bonds, debt restructuring, corporate trust matters, Islamic Finance and Canadian issuance. Practice head Peter Young handles debt offerings under both English and New York law, and he acted for the underwriters of Sweihan PV Power Company PJSC’s $700m senior secured amortizing green bonds offering. EMEA chair Farmida Bi is recognised as one of the most influential women in European finance. Peter Noble is best known for advising Canadian issuers and their dealers in the international debt markets. Highly regarded junior partner Kirstin Russell focuses on corporate trust transactions. She recently worked with Young on a ZAR7.3bn bond restructuring and refinancing for South Africa-based telecommunications operator Cell C, which involved holders of the company’s existing international notes agreeing to an exit consent. Counsel Andrew Coote is a notable practitioner for public structured debt transactions including project bonds and sukuk, while counsel Vishal Mawkin handles both English law- and New York law-governed cross-border debt financings.Practice head(s):
Peter Young
Other key lawyers:
Farmida Bi; Peter Noble; Kirstin Russell; Vishal Mawkin; Tommy Chew; Alison Hutchings
Testimonials
‘Norton Rose Fulbright has extensive knowledge of the industry and is often involved in complex cases requiring expertise across practices, and its advice considers a wider spectrum than the initial matter.’
‘The team is very efficient and responsive, and their communication is clear, concise, and easy to understand.’
‘Exceptionally experienced and prepared to take on the more interesting and quirky mandates. Address their minds to complex and novel situations very well.’
‘Kirstin Russell is an exceptional lawyer who provides superb legal advice. Is particularly adept at dealing with tricky legal concepts and is a trusted adviser. She has also worked on some interesting litigation we have been involved in, bringing her finance and trust knowledge to bear and working very well, with her litigation colleagues to provide very helpful advice and guidance.’
‘Peter Noble and his team have a deep understanding of our business. Our long-standing relationship with them and their willingness to always go the extra mile make them a trusted partner and we are always pleased to work with them.’
‘Peter Noble is a truly trusted pair of hands and has a deep and thorough knowledge of our business and our needs. Tommy Chew is thorough, committed and attentive and is always well organised and efficient on trades, as is Alison Hutchings. The team are a pleasure to work with.’
Key clients
Republic of Angola – Ministry of Finance
Ecobank Transnational Incorporated
Citi
Piraeus Bank
Eurobank
Deutsche Bank
Government of Pakistan, Ministry of Finance
Telenor ASA
Royal Bank of Canada
Unicredit
MUFG Securities
US Bank
Republic of Kazakhstan
Schlumberger
BNP Paribas
Law Debenture
BNY Mellon
Intertrust
JP Morgan
HSBC Bank plc
The Development bank of Southern Africa (DBSA)
Bank of Nova Scotia
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Work highlights
- Acted as US federal securities, New York, English and UAE law legal counsel advising the underwriters (led by Citi, HSBC and MUFG) in connection with the issuance by Sweihan PV Power Company PJSC (the Issuer) of US$700,800,000 3.625% senior secured amortizing green bonds due 2049.
- Acted as Canadian, English, US and Australian counsel to The Bank of Nova Scotia in connection with the updates of its Euro MTN and Global Covered Bond programmes and issues in multiple currencies and markets of over USD 15 billion equivalent thereunder. Included in such multiple issues was the Bank’s inaugural issue of NVCC tier 2 Subordinated Notes under its EMTN programme and the first by a Canadian bank outside of North America.
- Advising Kroll Trustee Services as noteholder representative and collateral agent on the €775 million secured notes issued by Phoenix Towers International, funding growth in Europe for the leading wireless communications infrastructure provider.
Finance > Derivatives and structured products Tier 2
Norton Rose Fulbright 'has built a strong derivatives and structured finance practice, drawing top talent away from the Magic Circle'. The firm undertakes both transactional and advisory work across a wide variety of asset classes, though it is best known for its work on repackaging transactions. Nigel Dickinson and up-and-coming partner Yusuf Battiwala are the standout practitioners. Dickinson 'occupies a league of his own in the market for complex asset repackaging, with unparalleled product and market knowledge'. He assisted JP Morgan with hedging transactions related to a static RMBS transaction backed by buy-to-let mortgage loans secured on UK properties. Battiwala recently acted for Goldman Sachs in multiple market access total return swap transactions that transactions provide counterparties with the ability to synthetically access local currency bonds in emerging market jurisdictions. Global head of financial services and regulation Jonathan Herbst, market infrastructure, derivatives and fintech specialist Hannah Mean, covered bond and structured finance partner David Shearer, and Peter Noble, who frequently acts for Canadian issuers in establishing structured securities programmes, are also central to the practice.Practice head(s):
Nigel Dickinson; Yusuf Battiwala
Other key lawyers:
Peter Young; David Shearer; Hannah Meakin; Jonathan Herbst; James Kent
Testimonials
‘Nigel Dickinson has built a strong derivatives and structured finance practice at NRF. I am impressed at how Nigel has developed and retained a deep bench of individuals: most of his associates have been with him for most if not all of their careers. In an increasingly talent-tight environment, this indicates the esteem in which Nigel is held in the market and what he is like to work with.’
‘We like how seamlessly Nigel Dickinson’s DSF team are able to leverage expertise from elsewhere in the firm when needed – e.g. we recently repackaged a complex loan for which Nigel involved an excellent banking partner: the level of teamwork was outstanding and was critical to our deal execution.’
‘Nigel Dickinson occupies a league of his own in the market for complex asset repackaging: unparalleled product and market knowledge, economically very sophisticated, and a master at running complicated and difficult transactions. Nigel is particularly available and responsive for a partner who heads up a large practice group, and this is invaluable when instructing NRF on complex document-heavy transactions with several parties.’
Key clients
JP Morgan
MUFG
Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Bank of Ireland
BNP Paribas
First Abu Dhabi Bank
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group
Natixis
Piraeus Bank
Prime Capital
Citigroup
Macquarie Bank
Goldman Sachs International
Standard Chartered Bank
Morgan Stanley
Work highlights
- Advised Citigroup Global Markets Ltd (CGML) on its participation in the inaugural financing transaction with the United Nations’ Liquidity and Sustainability Facility (LSF) announced on Saturday 12 November 2022 at COP27.
- Advised a group of international banks – Citigroup, NATIXIS and Macquarie – in relation to the hedging of a complex mining project-financing transaction including (i) secured commodity hedging (pre-close) entered into with Sandfire Resources (ES), S.L., which was then novated into Minas De Aguas Tenidas S.A. (“MATSA”) when the related acquisition completed and following this (ii) secured commodity, interest rate and FX hedging entered into with MATSA.
- Advising Goldman Sachs on all of its Islamic repo to maturity transactions with various GCC and Turkish counterparties. The transactions are innovative whereby the repo to maturity features are packaged within a Sharia-compliant wrapper.
Finance > Securitisation Tier 2
Norton Rose Fulbright ‘has a decent amount of experience and expertise in the area of securitisation and is diligent in its work in order to achieve deadlines and timelines‘. The firm continues grow its capacity to handle RMBS, CMBS, covered bonds, trade receivables deals and much more on behalf of issuers, cash managers and trustees. Head of debt capital markets Peter Young and ‘approachable, trustworthy’ securitisation partner David Shearer oversee the practice, of which counsel Rae Parsons is a prominent member. The hire of Christian Lambie, formerly of Allen & Overy LLP and Morgan Stanley, is a boon to the practice as he brings 25 years’ experience in in advising advising sponsors, arrangers, investors, rating agencies and service providers on high-value transactions. Shearer recently acted as drafting counsel in a warehouse facility for New Wave Capital Limited. which involved the private issue of senior ranking notes to a US investment bank and of mezzanine notes to private investors based in the UK. Shearer and Parsons advised Eurobank on its €5bn covered bond programme, which provides external funding for its underlying Greek mortgage loan book.Practice head(s):
Peter Young; David Shearer
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The team has a decent amount of experience and expertise in the area of securitisation and is diligent in its work in order to achieve deadlines and timelines.’
‘David Shearer has a vast amount of experience and is an approachable and trustworthy individual to work with on complex matters.’
Key clients
New Wave Capital Limited
Eurobank S.A.
Barclays Capital
Royal Bank of Canada
The Bank of Nova Scotia
Piraeus Bank
NatWest
777 Partners
Equitable Bank
Work highlights
- Advised NWC in connection with amendments to the transaction documentation of an existing warehouse facility.
- Acted for Eurobank as issuer in connection with Eurobank’s €5BN Covered Bond Programme.
- Acted for Barclays as arranger and lead manager in connection with Piraeus Bank’s €5BN Covered Bond Programme.
Industry focus > Hospitality and leisure Tier 2
With a client roster featuring luxury hotels – including Claridge’s, the Connaught and the Berkeley hotels – the cross-disciplinary and international practice at Norton Rose Fulbright, which has offices throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, Canada, the US and the Middle East, regularly advises on all aspects of hotels and high-profile leisure projects. The team is well versed across the full spectrum of matters in this space, including construction and development, dispute resolution, financing, environment and safety, franchising, data protection, mergers and acquisitions, and operations. Team leader Wasim Khan also heads up the real estate team; his client roster includes many investors from the Middle East, and recent highlights have spanned development, advisory, and financing work. Another key lawyer in this field is corporate transactional specialist Chris Randall, who also specialises in advising cruise operators. Dan Kennedy and Sarah Cullen are particularly experienced in financing work in this sector. Planning law specialist Sarah Fitzpatrick has significant involvement and experience in leisure schemes.Practice head(s):
Wasim Khan
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
Maybourne Hotel Group
PPHE Hotel Group (Park Plaza)
British Racing Drivers Club Limited
Battersea Power Station
Emirates NBD Bank (P.J.S.C) London Branch
777 Partners LLC
AIG
57 Whitehall S.à.r.l.
A Premiership Football Club
Al Faisal Holding
United Overseas Bank
Yoo Capital
HSBC Bank plc
Olympus Property Holding Limited
Standard Chartered Bank
Hotchkiss Limited
Setha Canterbury Limited
The Grange Festival
Mr Jisheng Gao
Work highlights
- Advising the Maybourne Hotel Group on a variety of projects across Claridge’s, The Berkeley and The Connaught, including business as usual mandates.
- Advising Olympus Property Holding on the continuing £1.3bn London Olympia redevelopment scheme which will transform the iconic 133-year-old venue into a premier destination for the arts, entertainment, exhibitions and events and comprise two new hotels, as well as a cinema, theatre space, a performance centre, offices, retail space, restaurants and the existing exhibition space.
- Advising British Racing Drivers Club, the owners of the Silverstone motor racing circuit, on the development by Escapade Living of 60 new luxury holiday lodges and the delivery of a new Hilton hotel.
Industry focus > TMT Tier 2
Norton Rose Fulbright advises on legal, regulatory and commercial issues across the tech, telecoms, media and entertainment sectors. The tech team, led by Sean Murphy, advises on IT projects, joint ventures and supply chain matters. Madeline Bailey focuses on digital transformation and strategic change with extensive knowledge of disruptive technologies. Oliver Stacey specialises in privatisation and restructurings while James Russell handles outsourcing matters. Caroline Thomas is well-versed in competition law issues including merger control and state aid.Practice head(s):
Sean Murphy
Other key lawyers:
Madeline Bailey; Oliver Stacey; James Russell; Caroline Thomas; Clementine Hogarth; Thomas Widdows; Michael Stevens
Testimonials
‘Stand-out partners: Clementine Hogarth and Sean Murphy. Stand-out associates: Thomas Widdows and Michael Stevens.’
Key clients
Airband Community Internet Limited
AT&T
Cognizant
Community Fibre Limited
Coveo
Etisalat
Etrading Software
777 Partners LLC
Modern Times Group
National Digital Infrastructure Fund
Orange S.A
PayPal Inc.
Safaricom
TowerShare
Vodafone
Qualcomm
Work highlights
- Instructed by Qualcomm in defending an opt-out collective claim which has been brought against it in the Competition Appeal Tribunal on behalf of a class of consumers by the Consumer Association.
- Advised a consortium, led by Kenya’s Safaricom and including Vodafone, Vodacom, BII and Sumitomo, on its winning bid for Ethiopia’s first telecoms license for $850 million.
- Advised Cognizant on its agreement to acquire Mobica.
Insurance > Insurance and reinsurance litigation Tier 2
Experienced commercial disputes expert Michelle George heads up Norton Rose Fulbright‘s practice, which has a notable insurance and reinsurance offering in financial lines, property, general liability, professional indemnity D&O insurance and aviation; the latter is an area of particular strength for Tim Ingham. Senior consultant Adrian Mecz has considerable experience handling international fraud investigations, particularly those arising in financial institutions and commercial crime coverages, while Charlie Weston-Simons specialises in high-value warranty and indemnity claims, having also advised several clients on Covid-19 coverage issues. Senior associate Mike George‘s expertise further spans trade credit and political risk matters.Practice head(s):
Michelle George
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
AIG
Ward Hadaway LLP and its insurers
Charles Russell Speechlys, Speechly Bircham and their insurers
Bevan Brittan LLP and its insurers
ERGO Versicherung AG
AmTrust
AXA XL
Brit
Canopius
Marsh
Enstar
Liberty Specialty Markets
ERGO/Munich Re
QBE
Vitality
WR Berkley
Zurich
Resolute Management Services
Work highlights
- Advising AIG on the AIG CyberEdge cyber insurance product that gives insureds pan-European, UAE, South African and Indian data breach coverage for data breach response.
- Acted for Ward Hadaway LLP in the defence of a professional negligence claim brought by its former client, Tanfield Group plc, concerning a corporate transaction subject to AIM Rules.
- Acted for CRS in connection with High Court proceedings brought by two individuals who sold their IT business to a private equity house.
Insurance > Insurance: corporate and regulatory Tier 2
With strong capabilities across transactional, regulatory and advisory, and projects matters, Norton Rose Fulbright advises a number of high-profile players in the insurance market, assisting both major insurers and financial institutions in their insurance sector mandates. Drawing upon the wider firm’s international M&A capabilities, the team is well-placed to assist in complex cross-border M&A; such work is a focus of James Bateson, the global head of both insurance and financial institutions, as is complex restructures. Maria Ross‘s practice also encompasses such mandates as part of her wider specialisation in life insurance, and both Maria and James are equally capable in handling regulatory matters. Matthew Foster and Nicholas Berry both bring a similarly blended approach, with Matthew additionally leading the global warranty and indemnity practice and Nicholas having particular expertise in respect of insurtech. The firm also possesses in depth experience in the Lloyd’s market, with involvement in the development and structuring of third party syndicate arrangements, financing facilities, M&A, and legacy transactions. Bob Haken left the firm in December 2022 to join HFW.Practice head(s):
James Bateson
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Deep insurance market expertise.’
Key clients
777
AIG
AmTrust
Aquiline Capital Partners
Asta Managing Agency Limited
Bain Capital Credit LP
Catalina Holdings UK Limited
Charles Taylor Limited
Chubb
Howden Group
Markel
Marsh & McLennan
MS Amlin
Nexus Mutual
North of England P&I Association
PIB
Probitas Managing Agency Limited
QBE
RiverStone International
Travelers
Zego
Work highlights
- Advised RiverStone International on its acquisition of Endurance at Lloyd’s from Sompo International, together with associated reinsurance arrangements.
- Advised Brickell in relation to its proposed acquisition of Randall & Quilter Investment Holdings Ltd.
- Advised North P&I Club on its proposed merger with the Standard Club.
Insurance > Professional negligence Tier 2
Norton Rose Fulbright is a leading firm with an impressive client base, including many leaders in their respective fields, such as PwC, Lloyds Bank, and Markel. The department is experienced at the highest levels of the UK courts, and benefits from a vast global network which covers Europe, the US, Asia, Australia, Canada, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. Team lead Michelle George is a ‘highly experienced top-class lawyer’ with thirty years of experience in handling complex, high value commercial disputes. Helen Fairhead and Katie Stephen are key names within the department. Counsel Mike George, a ‘dedicated and client-focused lawyer with excellent attention to detail’, is frequently active on high value matters.Practice head(s):
Michelle George
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Experienced, pragmatic, analytical and commercial approach to claims.’
‘Michelle George is a highly experienced, top-class lawyer. She is unfazed by unexpected events, and strategic in her approach. She approaches her litigation with a realistic view of what can and cannot be achieved. Michelle is always conscious of any relevant commercial considerations which need to be taken into account.’
‘Norton Rose has a strong profile in professional negligence litigation, excellent and commercially astute lawyers and a client-focused and user-friendly approach.’
‘I would particularly recommend Michelle George and Mike George. Michelle George is an excellent and experienced strategic litigator, creative in her arguments and with first class judgment. Mike is a dedicated and client-focused lawyer with excellent attention to detail.’
Key clients
Ward Hadaway LLP and its insurers
Charles Russell Speechlys and Speechly Bircham and their insurers
Bevan Brittan LLP and its insurers
Hyperion
Lloyds Banking Group
Markel International Limited
XL Catlin
PwC
Neon
Osborne Clarke LLP and its insurers
Brit Insurance
Work highlights
- Acted for Ward Hadaway LLP in defence of a professional negligence claim brought by its former client, Tanfield Group plc in respect of legal advice relating to a corporate transaction subject to AIM Rules.
- Acted for CRS in connection with High Court proceedings brought by two individuals who sold their IT business to a private equity house and were subsequently held by the Court to have been wrongfully dismissed by the company.
- Acted for Bevan Brittan LLP and their insurers in defence of High Court proceedings brought by its former client, Cheltenham Borough Council. The case concerned a high profile plot in the centre of Cheltenham that the local authority planned to develop.
Investment fund formation and management > Listed funds Tier 2
Norton Rose Fulbright assists fund managers across the cycle of a fund, supporting fund formations and mergers in addition to advising on regulatory regimes. The firm specialises in advising managers investing in several asset classes, including energy and transport assets, alongside alternatives ranging from debt to insurance. Richard Sheen heads the team, handling fund formation, M&A, and equity capital markets (ECM) transactions. Ian Fox acts for both managers and sponsors in regard to IPOs and fundraisings, with a particular specialisation in property funds. Counsel Margaret Simcock handles the structuring and restructuring of listed funds.Practice head(s):
Richard Sheen
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Ian Fox is as good as it gets at this stuff.’
‘A very strong team with a wide breadth of experience.’
‘Always very responsive to requests.’
‘Ian Fox is a very experienced, hands-on practitioner.’
‘Ian Fox is always available with clear, sound and commercial advice.’
Key clients
Atrato Onsite Energy
BBGI Global Infrastructure SA
BlackRock Latin American Investment Trust
Bluefield Solar Income Fund Limited
Deutsche Bank AG, London branch
DP Aircraft 1 Limited
Ecofin US Renewables Infrastructure Trust PLC
F&C Investment Trust plc
Investec Bank plc
Jefferies International Limited
JP Morgan Cazenove
Liberum Capital Limited
Macau Property Opportunities Fund
Numis Securities Limited
RBC Capital Markets
Singer Capital Markets Limited
Starwood European Real Estate Finance Limited
Taylor Maritime Investments Limited
The Renewables Infrastructure Group Limited
Trian Investors 1 Limited
UIL Limited
UIL Finance Limited
Winterflood Securities Limited
Work highlights
- Advised Taylor Maritime Investments Limited on its recommended cash offer for Grindrod Shipping Holdings Limited, which values Grindrod at approximately $506m.
- Advised TRIG, a Guernsey incorporated closed-ended investment fund which invests in renewable energy assets on a non-pre-emptive tap issue of ordinary shares, comprising an institutional placing and retail offer through primary bid.
- Advised Trian Investors 1 Limited on the requisition to convene an extraordinary general meeting at which the requisitionists were proposing to change the majority of the board and seeking to wind-up the company.
Projects, energy and natural resources > Infrastructure: M&A and acquisition financing Tier 2
Spearheaded by Raj Karia, the team at Norton Rose Fulbright has ‘vast subject matter expertise and bench strength’, offering a strong competence across the full range of infrastructure and energy assets, with particular strength in digital infrastructure and transport. Given the global reach of the firm, the team advises on a litany of complex, cross border mandates, including key transactions such as tower deals, for major financial and industry players in Africa, Europe and the Middle East. Providing counsel to large global investment platforms alongside public limited companies, market veteran Stephen Rigby is a go-to for renewables work, with a particular focus on getting new capital into infrastructure. Christopher (Chris) Grieves has worked on a roster of big-ticket mandates and has been notably active on mining and oil deals in the United Arab Emirates, while Oliver Stacey‘s expertise includes telecoms and data centre transactions. At the more junior end, Andrew Davies and Mark Maurice have been exposed to a wide variety of work over the past twelve months and are recognised for their supporting roles on complex, multi-jurisdictional transactions. Nari Ertem has been instrumental to the practice’s deals centering around Africa and the Middle East.Practice head(s):
Raj Karia
Other key lawyers:
Stephen Rigby; Chris Grieves; Oliver Stacey; Andrew Davies; Mark Maurice; Nari Ertem
Testimonials
‘The team has vast subject matter expertise and bench strength. Having worked with our business for over a decade their knowledge of us and our challenges is excellent.’
‘Stephen Rigby is exceptional’
Key clients
Absa Bank Limited
AMG Pension Fund
European Investment Bank
Quinbrook
Hellenic Republic Development Fund
Hermes Investment Management
John Laing Infrastructure
Africa Finance Corporation
Octopus Investments
Orange SA
Standard Bank
Standard Chartered Bank
The Renewable Infrastructure Group Limited
Nedbank
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
European Bank for International Development (EBRD)
Patina Rail
Schroders Greencoat
Greencoat UK Wind plc
Gore Street Capital
United Utilities
Work highlights
- Advised bp on its joint venture with EnBW in relation to the development of two new UK offshore wind farms under the UK Round 4 Crown Estate seabed leasing round
- Advised Patina Rail LLP and its shareholders on the merger of Eurostar International and Thalys.
- Advised Eastcastle Infrastructure, a newly-formed towers developer in Africa, and its subsidiary in the Democratic Republic of Congo in relation to a tower portfolio acquisition from Orange DRC and tower services agreements with Orange DRC, and advising Eastcastle Infrastructure DRC in relation in relation to debt arrangements to fund acquisitions, capex development and working capital in DRC.
Projects, energy and natural resources > Oil and gas Tier 2
Rob Marsh heads the long-standing energy, infrastructure and natural resources practice at Norton Rose Fulbright. The team represents oil majors, developers, investors and government bodies on the entire project lifecycle including M&A, capital markets raisings, project finance and dispute resolution in the space. Holly Stebbing is the go-to name for litigation and contentious matters, receiving praise as a ‘a first class lawyer, and a strategic thinker’.Practice head(s):
Rob Marsh
Other key lawyers:
Holly Stebbing; Charles Whitney; Alistair Black; Charez Golvala; Hussain Kubba
Testimonials
‘Commercially aware, excellent at communicating with clients and external advisors (counsel), technically strong. One of the best in London.’
‘Holly Stebbing is a first class lawyer, and a strategic thinker.’
‘Incredible range of knowledge across the energy sector combined with highly personable and emotionally intelligent individuals practising law at an exceptionally high and effective level in vastly complex legal/commercial settings.’
‘Charez Golvala: Unique combination of exceptional abilities to interrogate, understand and communicate complex issues in a structured and understandable fashion to non-specialists, unlimited passion for the law, incredible work ethic and close to 24-7 availability, superb analytical skills, vast network, patient, personable and above all an absolute pleasure to work with over a prolonged period.’
Key clients
QatarEnergy
Shell
bp
ExxonMobil
Petrofac
Eni
Pavilion Energy
National Bank of Greece S.A.
Sonangol
ExxonMobil
Petrofac
Marubeni
Africa Finance Corporation
IFC
MOL Group
Tullow Oil
Work highlights
- Advised Brightfield Trading on the structuring of a €570m syndicated repo facility led by Brightfield for Gunvor Group, focusing on natural gas storage across Europe.
- Advised the National Bank of Greece S.A. on the EUR 450 million financing of a floating storage and regasification terminal off the coast of Alexandroupolis in Northern Greece. The financing includes a EUR 283 million bond loan and a EUR 166 million state grant. It covers the construction of the floating storage and regasification terminal, which will regasify natural gas and transfer it onto Greece and other areas of south-eastern Europe.
- Acting for Esso Exploration and Production UK Limited as a co-defendant with Shell U.K. Limited and BP Exploration Operating Company Limited to Commercial Court proceedings brought by Apache North Sea Limited relating to Apache North Sea Limited’s provision of decommissioning security in respect of UKCS Blocks 21/9a, 21/.10a and 22/6a in the North Sea.
Projects, energy and natural resources > Power (including electricity, nuclear and renewables) Tier 2
The ‘diverse, long-standing and focused’ practice at Norton Rose Fulbright is headed up by Rob Marsh, who is vastly experienced in the financing of energy projects. The team ably advises both developers and lenders on the full gamut of energy work which spans an array of sectors, including solar, onshore wind and renewables. The team is well-equipped to handle complex matters at both domestic and international level. Charles Whitney, for example, has an incredible focus on a range of work in Uzbekistan, and is described as a standout practitioner.’ Christopher Down, noted as a ‘thoughtful and dedicated partner’ also has a specialism in this international work. ‘Exceptional operator’ Stephen Rigby has a focus on UK energy and natural resources-related corporate finance work, and Madhavi Gosavi, also finance-focused, is another name to note. Finance specialist Nicky Davies has bolstered the London team with her July 2022 internal relocation from the firm’s Singapore office. Matthew Hardwick and Daniel Giemajner both departed to Akin in September 2022.Practice head(s):
Rob Marsh
Other key lawyers:
Charles Whitney; Chris Down; Stephen Rigby; Madhavi Gosavi; Timothy Han; Nicky Davies; Ben Carrozzi
Testimonials
‘Norton Rose Fulbright has a diverse, long-standing and focused team that routinely leads on almost all significant large-scale and complex transactions in Uzbekistan. They have a great track-record of facing quite formidable issues in a challenging jurisdiction.’
‘Charles Whitney is a standout practitioner who leads on work in Uzbekistan. He is a seasoned professional who is familiar with intricacies and legal developments, committed to advising on the private side of investment and infrastructure transactions.’
‘Chris Down is a thoughtful and dedicated partner who spends his time on many energy deals in Uzbekistan. He is very reasonable, delicate and diplomatic when negotiating with the government and he knows how to persuade the public side to accept the client’s concerns and challenges.’
‘Timothy Han is an attentive and scrupulous associate. He leads on the key workstreams and manages well what is hardly manageable when a complex transaction develops in several directions.’
‘The team has real strength-in-depth and a vast knowledge of our sector and our business.’
‘Stephen Rigby is an exceptional operator – he knows our business inside-out and provides invaluable support.’
‘The team is very experienced in the Uzbekistan market. They have worked both for the developers and the lenders and know the ins-and-outs of the energy sector and its issues. They are always commercially-oriented and pragmatic, their value-for-money is exceptional.’
‘Charles Whitney and Chris Down are highly professional gentlemen. Chris Down is a great expert in project documentation, he knows his stuff, is very attentive to details and is quick in understanding even the most complex Uzbek-law matters. Charles Whitney gets his client the best deals, is very pragmatic and always keeps the bigger picture in his mind.’
Key clients
MUFG
bp
Lightsource bp
Brookfield
Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar)
ExxonMobil
Greencoat UK Wind plc
IFC
Marubeni
Ministry of Finance of Angola
Neoen
Shell
Oceanwinds
CIBC
Santander
Société Générale
CA-CIB
Quinbrook
Work highlights
- Advising the sponsors on the circa. £1.9bn on Moray West offshore wind farm in the Moray Firth, Scotland.
- Represented Masdar in relation to the financing of a 500MW onshore wind farm located in the Navoi region of Uzbekistan.
- Advised a consortium comprising KEPCO, Kyushu and EDF on its combined 40% stake, developing and operating the transmission system for 35 years alongside ADNOC and TAQA.
Real estate > Commercial property: development Tier 2
Leveraging support from the firm’s international work, the ‘knowledgeable and commercial team’ at Norton Rose Fulbright is geared to handle domestic and international real estate development mandates. The practice is also well-regarded for its expertise in energy and infrastructure projects, inward investment, as well as large-scale social housing investment and financing. Head of real estate Wasim Khan and Charlie Pinkerton are knowledgeable of significant office moves, while the former also has know-how of the rationalisation of their space requirements. David Hawkins is adept in landlord and tenant matters, while Louisa Roe excels in leasing transactions. Dan Wagerfield often advises Asian investors and Juliette Kelly is informed in property financing. David Sinclair departed to Stephenson Harwood in December 2022.Practice head(s):
Wasim Khan
Other key lawyers:
Charlie Pinkerton; David Hawkins; Dan Wagerfield; Juliette Kelly; Helen Finnis
Testimonials
‘Dan Wagerfield expertly provided the overarching partner guidance to deliver on a number of projects.’
Key clients
Stena Line BV
Haitong Bank Investment Ireland plc and Haitong Bank S.A.
bp
Caleus Capital Investors
Rugeley Power Limited
MUFG Bank
DP World London Gateway
British Racing Drivers Club
Resolution Property IM LLP
Europa Capital
Commerz Real
Prudential plc
Olympia London
57 Whitehall S.à.r.l. (Old War Office)
Bank ABC
Schroder Real Estate Investment Management
Bank of Montréal
Employees Provident Fund
Ørsted Energy (formerly Dong Energy)
WELPUT
Ashby Capital
SOFAZ
ICBC plc
Hobart Partners
Sidra Capital
Ivanhoé Cambridge
Barnard’s Inn Unit Trust
IMI plc (Truflo Marine Ltd)
National Westminster Bank plc
BMW
Civitas Social Housing/Civitas Investment Management
Setha Canterbury Limited
A Premiership Football Club
Work highlights
- Advised 57 Whitehall S.à.r.l. on the continued and extensive redevelopment of the Old War Office in the heart of London.
- Advised on the ongoing investment and £1.3bn redevelopment of London Olympia.
- Advised Silverstone Racing Circuit on the development of the Silverstone motor racing circuit.
Real estate > Construction: non-contentious Tier 2
Norton Rose Fulbright has earned a reputation for its expert advice to project owners, developers, contractors, financiers, and more, across all areas of the construction industry. It is distinguished for its sectoral focus encompassing energy, infrastructure, and natural resources, particularly in projects involving roads, rail, mines, and power generation facilities. The firm’s proficiency extends to advising on alternative procurement models, contract negotiation and preparation, as well as handling supply chain issues. Under the leadership of Donald Warnock, the department includes Andrew Buisson, renowned for his expertise in PFI/PPP concession arrangements, and Chris Down, who offers broad experience in the development and financing of construction projects. Recently relocated from Singapore to London, Nicky Davies brings her speciality in financing and construction aspects of major infrastructure projects, particularly in negotiating concession agreements and associated project and finance documentation.Practice head(s):
Donald Warnock
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘A very strong team in the construction and projects space.’
Key clients
Assured Guaranty
Balfour Beatty
Bouygues UK
DP World
Hyde Housing
Eco World
European Investment Bank (EIB)
Eurasian Resources Group
Full Circle Generation Limited
Masdar
GuarantCo
Hochtief
INA-INDUSTRIJA NAFTE, d.d. (INA)
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Marubeni Corporation
National Grid
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
TAV HAVALIMANLARI Holdings A.S.
Thales
TotalEnergies
Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi
Work highlights
- Advised Masdar on multiple renewable projects in Uzbekistan. Advised and led on the drafting and negotiation of split EPC contracts for the engineering, procurement and construction components.
- Advised a joint venture of institutional investors on the £1.3bn redevelopment of Olympia London, a 130 year old exhibition and events business.
- Advised Red Sea Global in connection with the negotiation and execution of a design, consultancy services, management, operation and maintenance contract with daa International relating to the Red Sea Airport located on the west coast of Saudi Arabia along the Red Sea.
Real estate > Environment Tier 2
Norton Rose Fulbright‘s practice, noted for its ‘great technical strength and depth’ is highly regarded for its ability to advise on a broad range of environmental work across various geographies. Sustainability and ESG is a key area of focus for the team. Special counsel Lucy Bruce Jones, noted as being ‘really sensible, with good judgement’, is particularly adept to handle matters in this regard, and provides related advice on key property transactions; infrastructure, development and renewables projects; and on regulatory compliance issues more broadly. It also has experience advising on contentious work. Head of environment, health and safety across EMEA Caroline May, who ‘stands out as a leader not only of her practice but within the legal sector’, heads up the practice alongside planning and environment specialist Sarah Fitzpatrick and projects and renewables expert Laura Kiwelu.Practice head(s):
Caroline May; Sarah Fitzpatrick; Laura Kiwelu
Other key lawyers:
Lucy Bruce Jones; Suncica Miletic
Testimonials
‘The team work together, are a pleasure to work with, are extremely hands-on, provide excellent client care and champion diversity – leaders in the field.’
‘Lucy Bruce Jones is great to work with and hardworking whilst Caroline May has strong leadership skills and is notably savvy.’
‘An easy to use, dynamic team.’
‘Caroline May consistently impresses with her environmental knowledge and commercial skill.’
‘Caroline May is a market leader in sustainability. Lucy Bruce Jones is excellent.’
‘Caroline May is very experienced and counsel Lucy Bruce Jones is great – really sensible with good judgement.’
‘The climate change and sustainability practice has great technical strength and depth, combined with experience across a wide-range of sectors and geographies. As part of the global practice they can provide multi-jurisdictional subject matter advice to clients.’
‘Caroline May stands out as a leader not only of her practice but within the legal sector. She co-authored the Law Society’s Guidance on the Impact of Climate Change on Solicitors recently, which has been well-received. She’s a popular panellist and speaker at sustainable finance conferences and also finds time to host networking roundtables.’
Key clients
AIG Asset Management (Europe)
AT&T Corp.
BMW (UK) Limited
BNP Paribas
CF Industries Holdings Inc
Crest Nicholson Plc
DP World/London Gateway Port Limited
Europa Capital LLP – Dagenham Dock Limited
ExxonMobil International Limited
General Motors Company
GlaxoSmithKline LLC
Gore Street Energy Storage Fund Plc
Greencoat UK Wind Plc
Greenergy International Ltd.
Greenlink Interconnector Limited
HSBC Global Asset Management (UK)
HSBC UK Bank plc
Kerry Group Plc
Laing O’Rourke Plc
Macquarie Group Limited
Numis Securities Limited
Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners
Sandvik Mining & Construction Tools AB
Setha Canterbury Limited
Shell International Limited
Silicon Valley Bank
Tees Eco Energy Limited
Tiger Infrastructure Partners LP
Vodafone Group Services Limited
Work highlights
- Acting for the lead contractor on Phase One of HS2 project in supporting defence of an injunction and judicial review application brought by environmental protestors.
- Advising a consortium of banks on the nationally significant infrastructure project “Greenlink”, an electricity interconnector between Ireland and Wales.
- Advising a newly incorporated UK investment trust, on ESG disclosure frameworks in relation to its initial public offering and the admission to LSE trading.
Risk advisory > Corporate governance Tier 2
Norton Rose Fulbright acts for high-profile corporate and financial services clients on disclosure, reporting obligations, shareholder issues and board-level matters, and often handles governance work stemming from its corporate investigations practice. Jon Perry and David Harris head the team, with Perry handling a range of corporate-related governance matters in the commodities, mining and financial services sectors, and Harris being a name for contentious financial services matters and cross-border investigations. Claire O’Donnell advises on transactional matters, and governance and business ethics, Jonathan Herbst handles financial regulatory and anti-corruption matters, and Katie Stephen is a name for money laundering, investigations and enforcement issues. In January 2023, Stuart Neely and Matthew Gregory were promoted to partner; Neely offers expertise in human rights and modern slavery issues, while Gregory is another name for financial services regulatory issues.Practice head(s):
Jon Perry; David Harris
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Work is distributed at the right level.’
Key clients
BMO
British International Investment
Carlsberg
Civitas Social Housing
Ecora plc
Global Partnership for Ethiopia B.V.
IMI
M&G
Purplebricks
Reach
Safaricom PLC
Secure Trust Bank
Sumitomo Corporation
Thomson Reuters Founders Share Company
Vodacom Group Limited
VodaFamily Ethiopia Holding Company Limited
Vodafone Group Plc
Risk advisory > Data protection, privacy and cybersecurity Tier 2
Jointly headed by Marcus Evans and Ffion Flockhart, Norton Rose Fulbright’s data protection, privacy, and cybersecurity team acts for large corporate and government clients in the financial services, life sciences, telecoms, and tech sectors. Evans leads the firm’s data privacy offering, handling multi-jurisdictional privacy issues across the spectrum of compliance, strategy, and regulatory response issues with a focus on emerging technologies. Cybersecurity is a notable strength of the firm, headed by Flockhart who has significant experience advising on the various aspects of risk management, global crisis response coordination, and incident response and impact mitigation. Working alongside them is Lara White, who is recommended for her expertise advising retail and consumer clients in relation to privacy obligations. At the senior associate level, Shiv Daddar and Fiona Bundy-Clarke act on cross-border data protection and compliance projects.Practice head(s):
Marcus Evans; Ffion Flockhart
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The team is very knowledgeable and work together well. They have all relevant data privacy specialisms and always provide pragmatic, business and solution-orientated advice.’
‘I have worked with Lara White and her colleagues Fiona Bundy Clarke and Olivia Wint. I have had a very good working relationship with all of them. They are all efficient, experienced, and experts in their fields.’
‘Shiv Daddar is generally responsive and pragmatic when it comes to ensuring that our global and highly regulated business is able to satisfy European data privacy requirements.’
Risk advisory > Regulatory investigations and corporate crime (advice to corporates) Tier 2
Norton Rose Fulbright regularly advises corporates on complex cross-border criminal investigations conducted by domestic and international authorities, including the SFO, FCA, and US DOJ. The practice demonstrates significant strength in the sanctions field, and advises corporates and financial institutions on US, EU, and UK regulation, export controls, and bribery laws, along with ESG compliance programmes. Co-heads Patrick Bourke and Neil O’ May bring vast expertise handling multi-jurisdictional white-collar crime prosecutions to the team, whilst the ‘unflappable’ Pamela Reddy is an expert on cross-border bribery, fraud, and money laundering matters. David Harris has experience dealing with financial sanctions issues, and Katie Stephen focuses on AML . Ruth Cowley concentrates on complex litigation, with Andrew Reeves regularly acting for banks and major corporates on a range of matters. Stuart Neely was promoted to partner in January 2023, with Claudia Culley also recommended.Practice head(s):
Patrick Bourke; Neil O’May
Other key lawyers:
Pamela Reddy; David Harris; Katie Stephen; Ruth Cowley; Andrew Reeves; Stuart Neely; Katie McDougall; Claudia Culley; Thomas Hubbard; Annie Birch; Naomi Miles
Testimonials
‘Pamela Reddy – now a veteran of representing corporates – is unflappable.’
‘Highly versatile team with incredibly high bandwidth to take on sanctions-related work across industry sectors.’
‘David Harris: incredibly calm demeanor and perfectly calibrated advice, despite being under significant pressure due to the vast changes to Sanctions laws affecting many clients over the past year.’
‘Norton Rose’s white collar crime team, headed by partners Neil O’May and Pam Reddy and supported by Andrew Reeves and Tom Hubbard, offers an excellent service. The team is highly experienced and each of its lawyers is an asset, providing sound advice and excellent strategic direction.’
‘Neil O’May is excellent: highly experienced in this field, he thinks about every angle of a case and how best his client can be served by its legal advisers at any given moment. Pam Reddy also has a wealth of experience in this field. She is first rate. Andrew Reeves is calm, measured and tactically astute. A real asset to the firm. Tom Hubbard is also extremely good. His legal analysis is excellent and his strategic judgement very good.’
Key clients
Multiple P&O Ferries companies
Work highlights
TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > IT and telecoms Tier 2
Norton Rose Fulbright has demonstrable experience advising on large-scale innovative IT projects, such as technology joint ventures, consortia and collaborations involving emerging and disruptive technologies. The practice is also well-versed in M&A, technology-related disputes and competition matters. Sean Murphy, who assists clients on the development and deployment of financial services technology, jointly leads the team alongside Oliver Stacey and James Russell, who specialises in outsourcing and IP. Finance expert Daniel Metcalfe advises on cross-border transactions involving towers, cable and data centers, while Marcus Evans handles data protection, privacy and cyber security mandates.Practice head(s):
Sean Murphy; Oliver Stacey; James Russell
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Capability to keep looking for solutions despite pressure.’
Key clients
Airband Community Internet Limited
AT&T
BNP Paribas
Cognizant
Community Fibre Limited
Coventry Building Society
Coveo
Etisalat
Goldman Sachs
HSBC
Modern Times Group
National Digital Infrastructure Fund (Amber Infrastructure)
Orange S.A
PayPal Inc.
Safaricom
TowerShare
Vodacom / Vodafone
Qualcomm
Work highlights
- Instructed by Qualcomm in defending an opt-out collective claim which has been brought against it in the Competition Appeal Tribunal on behalf of a class of consumers by the Consumer Association, Which?
- Advised a consortium, led by Kenya’s Safaricom and including Vodafone, Vodacom, BII and Sumitomo, on its winning bid for Ethiopia’s first telecoms license for $850 million, following a competitive, two-year auction process.
- Advising Cognizant on its agreement to acquire Mobica, an Internet of Things (IoT) software engineering services provider.
Transport > Rail Tier 2
Andrew Buisson heads the offering at Norton Rose Fulbright. It has a broad client base which includes governments, rail companies, transport authorities, rolling stock owning companies, financiers and train operating companies. In addition, the group is able to draw on a pool of rail specialists from across its other offices globally. The London team has been busy working on various rail and infrastructure projects in the UK, and has also been extensively involved in a number of international projects. Susanna Rogers is another key figure who regularly provides regulatory advice to a variety of stakeholders in the rail sector. Counsel Louise Auty is an asset finance lawyer with extensive rail experience.Practice head(s):
Andrew Buisson
Other key lawyers:
Louise Auty; Susanna Rogers
Testimonials
‘Global reach in all components – procurement, funding, financing, structuring – from the perspective of both the public sector and private sector’.
‘Covers experience with critical technical matters such as rolling stock procurement and the complex integration with train control system suppliers’.
‘Experience also includes both brownfield and greenfield projects’.
‘Depth of experience, high commercial acumen (not just legal), responsive and organised, meets their deliverable commitments and often drives others to do so. Deep bench of precedent transaction experience brings best practices and lessons learned to the project’.
Key clients
Arise Integrated Industrial Platforms Limited
Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinee
NS Groep NV
DB Cargo (UK) Limited
DB Cargo International Limited
GB Railfrieght
Concesionaria Ferrea de Occidente S.A.S.
The City of Ottawa
The Department for Transport (DfT)
Lagos State Government
Metrolinx (Greater Toronto Transportation Authority)
Work highlights
- Advising Arise Integrated Industrial Platforms Limited on the preparation and negotiation of a suitable rail and port concession agreement for taking over the existing rail and port infrastructure in Sierra Leone.
- Advising DBC on compensation and mitigation strategies.
- Advising NS Group NV on the divestment of its UK owned transport business, held through its wholly owned subsidiary, Abellio Transport Group Limited.
Corporate and commercial > Corporate tax Tier 3
Norton Rose Fulbright‘s full service practice is noted for its global reach, with a strong record of complex cross-border transactions. The department is jointly led by global head of tax Dominic Stuttaford, and London head Matthew Hodkin. Stuttaford specialises in M&A transactions and corporate reorganisations, while Hodkin has particular expertise in the establishment of funds and joint ventures. Other core team members include Michael Alliston, who advises on the full range of transactional taxes, and Julia Lloyd, whose focus is the tax elements of real estate transactions and funds.Practice head(s):
Dominic Stuttaford; Matthew Hodkin
Other key lawyers:
Michael Alliston; Julia Lloyd; Matthew Findley
Testimonials
‘Deep knowledge at partner level. Always keen to understand the commercial drivers and tailor advice accordingly.’
‘Dominic Stuttaford – deeply knowledgeable, friendly and keen to get to grips with any given issue.’
‘Michael Alliston – incredibly detail-orientated, easy to work with and efficient in getting to the right answer.’
‘The firm’s technical knowledge is exceptional in the field we operate in.’
‘Approachable, responsive, supportive, but more importantly, they understand our business and can give advice that is useful.’
Key clients
EasyJet
Lloyds Banking Group
Barclays Bank Plc
Orange SA
Goldman Sachs
HSBC
Roofoods Ltd (Deliveroo)
AXA XL
BentallGreenOak
Louis Dreyfus
Total
Morgan Stanley
Deutsche Finance International
London Gateway Port Limited
Commerz Real Investmentgesellschaft mb
Stena AB
Credit Agricole
Societe Generale
Civitas Investment Management
Bibby Financial Services
Bombardier
Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners
Centrica
Gatehouse Bank
Santander
Vodafone/Vodacom Group
the West End of London Property Unit Trust
Oxford Industries Inc.
Kaefer Group
Carnival Corporation & plc
CitiGroup
Toronto-Dominion Bank
Trian Fund Management, L.P.
Terra Firma
AIG
Liberty Insurance
Euclid Transactional
Chubb
Greencoat UK Wind
BMO Financial Group (Operating name for Bank of Montreal)
Modern Times Group
Sonangol
JP Morgan
Charles Stanley
Ritchie Bros
Africa Greenco
Aquiline
Atrato
Taylor Maritime
Patrizia AG
Infopro Digital Holding (UK)
Chubb
Greencoat UK Wind
BMO Financial Group (Operating name for Bank of Montreal)
Modern Times Group
Sonangol
JP Morgan
Charles Stanley
Ritchie Bros
Africa Greenco
Aquiline
Atrato
Taylor Maritime
Patrizia AG
Infopro Digital Holding (UK)
Work highlights
- Advised Royal Bank of Canada on its £1.6bn recommended cash offer for Brewin Dolphin Holdings plc.
- Advised Countryside Partnerships on its £1.2bn recommended cash and shares combination with Vistry Group plc.
- Advised an ad hoc group of secured creditors on the US$6bn debt restructuring of the world’s largest regional aircraft leasing company, Nordic Aviation Capital DAC implemented through a pre-arranged Chapter 11 process in the US Bankruptcy Court.
Corporate and commercial > EU and competition Tier 3
The competition group at Norton Rose Fulbright is praised by clients for its ‘global reach, skills and knowledge’. Possessing the capabilities to assist clients on the full spectrum of competition matters, the team has a particular focus on the technology, financial, transport and energy sectors. Ian Giles and Mark Simpson respectively head the firm’s EMEA and London practices. Giles covers a range of antitrust and competition law areas, with a specific focus on merger control and cartels. Simpson, described as ‘fantastic’ and ‘very dedicated’, has advised on a number of price control appeals before the CMA. The ‘highly commercial’ Mark Tricker is noted for his expertise in merger control clearances, cartel investigations and market investigations. The team has been strengthened by the arrival of Miranda Cole, who joined from Covington & Burling LLP, and Alexandra Rogers, who joined from White & Case LLP.Practice head(s):
Ian Giles; Mark Simpson
Other key lawyers:
Peter Scott; Caroline Thomas; Mark Tricker; Susanna Rogers; Miranda Cole; Alexandra Rogers; Helen Fairhead
Testimonials
‘Solid team, with great energy sector knowledge. Can adapt and excel in almost any issue.’
‘I have worked with Mark Simpson and Helen Fairhead for approximately 4.5 years on various matters. Consistent service.’
‘Helen is incredibly hard-working and switched on. She’s really sharp and strategic and never stops thinking about how to get the client where it wants to be.’
‘Mark is super-quick and immediately picks up new points and sees angles and potential outcomes that other people haven’t seen. He is fantastic at cases with difficult tactical interplays between points.’
‘Norton Rose have a very dedicated and impressive team in competition litigation that punches well above its weight.’
‘Caroline Thomas has impeccable judgment and is truly an impressive lawyer and individual. Mark Simpson is a very well known figure, greatly experienced, liked and respected in the field. Helen Fairhead is very popular with clients and a future star.’
‘The team has strength in its global reach, skills and knowledge.’
‘Mark Tricker, Partner, is one of the best external lawyers with whom I have had the pleasure of working. He is approachable and always makes time for our organisation. He knows his subject matter inside and out, and is able to explain complicated concepts with ease. Mark is also highly commercial.’
Key clients
Qualcomm
Microsoft
BMW
Bloomberg
bp plc
Bristol Water plc
CAE
Carlsberg
Coca-Cola Europacific Partners
Delta Air Lines
Exxon Mobil
HSBC
Jet2
National Grid
Orange
PayPal
PayPoint plc
Qatar Energy
Ritchie Bros.
Shell
SONI Limited
Stena Line
Stuart
SkyShowtime
Work highlights
- Acting for Qualcomm defending an estimated £480m opt-out collective abuse of dominance claim brought against it in the Competition Appeal Tribunal.
- Advising BMW AG and BMW (UK) Limited on a CMA investigation into whether there has been a Chapter I infringement regarding recycling of end-of-life vehicles.
- Advising HSBC on defending claims by 171 fund claimants before the Competition Appeal Tribunal claiming damages arising out of conduct investigated by various authorities (including the European Commission) concerning the alleged fixing of Forex rates and related spreads.
Corporate and commercial > VAT and indirect tax Tier 3
The tax team at Norton Rose Fulbright provides a range of clients with advice on various indirect and VAT matters, including the tax implications of major restructurings and M&A. The group is also active in contentious mandates. Dominic Stuttaford heads up the firm’s global tax department with a strong focus on the tax aspects of corporate finance in the insurance and technology sectors, while Chris Bates leads the firm’s European VAT group, which enables the practice to provide cross-border support to its clients. Matthew Hodkin is also notable for his advice on VAT regarding the energy generation and supply industry.Practice head(s):
Dominic Stuttaford
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
Barclays Bank Plc
Bibby Financial Services
Bombardier
Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners
Centrica
Civitas Social Housing PLC
Commerz Real Investmentgesellschaft mb
Credit Agricole
France Telecom
Gatehouse Bank
Goldman Sachs
HSBC
Lloyds Banking Group
London Gateway Port Limited
Mubadala Investment Company PJSC
Santander
Statoil
UBM
Vodacom Group
WELPUT
Al Rayan Bank PLC
DP World
Crime, fraud and licensing > Fraud: white-collar crime (advice to individuals) Tier 3
Maintaining a strong track record representing senior executives and UHNW individuals, Norton Rose Fulbright’s practice covers all aspects of financial crime, showing strength negotiating DPAs and defending fraud investigations. The team is well-equipped to handle proceedings conducted by overseas enforcement agencies, as well as displaying consistent involvement in major SFO and FCA related affairs. The group is jointly led by Patrick Bourke and Neil O’May, with the latter specialising in criminal and regulatory law matters. The ‘calm and astute’ Pamela Reddy has 25 years’ experience advising clients in domestic and international fraud, corruption, and money laundering investigations. while David Harris concentrates on cross-border internal investigations and criminal prosecutions. Katie Stephen is highly knowledgeable on AML and market abuse issues, Andrew Reeves is an expert on bribery and corruption, while Annie Birch, Claudia Culley and Thomas Hubbard are also highly regarded within the team at non-partner level.Practice head(s):
Patrick Bourke; Neil O’May
Other key lawyers:
Pamela Reddy; David Harris; Ruth Cowley; Katie Stephen; Andrew Reeves; Annie Birch; Claudia Culley; Thomas Hubbard
Testimonials
‘Focused, attention to details and honest advice.’
‘Open and frank discussion, good analytical capability, and ability to look at things from multiple angles.’
‘Neil O’May is strategic. If there is a point for his client worth taking, he will take it and run with it.’
‘A strong team with a powerful commercial hinterland.’
‘Neil O’May is a very reassuring presence.’
‘Neil O’May and Pam Reddy run a tight ship. Very well organised.’
‘Pam Reddy is very calm and astute. she has a very disarming manner and is good with clients; she gives sensible advise.’
Key clients
Senior executive at Petrofac
Work highlights
Dispute resolution > Banking litigation: investment and retail Tier 3
Norton Rose Fulbright has a ‘highly experienced financial services regulatory team combined with astute commercial litigators’, acting for major banks on contentious regulatory matters, corporate crime investigations, and a range of high-profile banking mandates. Patrick Bourke is the head of the team that consists of Harriet Jones-Fenleigh, who is ‘highly recommended for her legal skills and commercial approach’, ‘model litigator’ Radford Goodman, and the ‘understated and very effective’ James Lockwood. At associate level the ‘particularly impressive’ Aditya Badami is recognised, along with the ‘insightful’ Samson Spanier.Practice head(s):
Patrick Bourke
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Radford Goodman is calm, thoughtful, rigorous, and focused – the model litigator. James Lockwood is a brilliant up-and-coming partner – understated and very effective.’
‘Aditya Badami is particularly impressive. He works incredibly hard, while displaying constant good humour. In the midst of a heavy dispute, he shows consistently excellent judgment and perfect understanding of procedural tactics.’
‘Highly experienced financial services regulatory team combined with astute commercial litigators.’
‘Harriet Jones-Fenleigh and James Lockwood are both very smart and also pleasant to work with. Radford Goodman is reliable, experienced, personable and a very safe pair of hands.’
‘What stands out about NRF is the accessibility, the immediate feedback regardless of the time and their friendliness and pragmatic thinking.’
‘The team we work with are excellent and work exceptionally well with their colleagues in capital markets to provide well thought through advice.’
‘Samson Spanier operates at the level of a partner in my view, is insightful and provides thoughtful and clear advice. He is also able to articulate very difficult concepts and issues in a straight forward and clear way, which is incredibly helpful.’
‘ is an outstanding partner – highly recommended for her legal skills and commercial approach.’
Key clients
HSBC
Republic of Angola
Citibank, N.A. and Citigroup Global Markets Limited
Citicorp Trustee Company Ltd
Bank of Scotland plc, which is part of Lloyds Banking Group
Société Générale
Goldman Sachs
Barclays
BNP Paribas
Emirates NBD Bank
Work highlights
Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: premium Tier 3
Norton Rose Fulbright’s ‘first-class, top-quality team’ act on disputes for major blue-chip clients across all key industries of the firm, including financial institutions, energy, infrastructure, transport, tech, life sciences, and healthcare. Mandates acted on by the firm are often high-value, complex, and cross-border, and involve the likes of HSBC and Shell. Patrick Bourke and Ruth Cowley form the leadership of the practice, both with expansive domestic and international experience. Key to the team is Harriet Jones-Fenleigh, who ‘offers unparalleled strategic insight’, ‘top class litigation heavyweight’ Antony Corsi, and ‘hardworking and pragmatic’ Holly Stebbing.Practice head(s):
Patrick Bourke; Ruth Cowley
Other key lawyers:
Harriet Jones-Fenleigh; Antony Corsi; Holly Stebbing; Andrew Judkins; India Furse; Jonathan Hawkins;
Testimonials
‘A first-class, top-quality team. Clever lawyers, committed to getting the best outcome for their clients. Always commercially aware.’
‘Holly Stebbing is hardworking, pragmatic, and gives clear advice.’
‘Harriet Jones-Fenleigh offers unparalleled strategic insight, with support from an excellent team of associates.’
‘Anthony Corsi – a top class litigation heavyweight’
‘The top of the ticket individuals at Norton Rose are highly impressive, user-friendly and a delight to work with. I have worked with Antony Corsi’s team for nearly five years and the senior associates have always been top class. In my view this is key to good work product and running disputes efficiently.’
‘Harriet Jones-Fenleigh is a strong litigator with a mediatory style.’
Andrew Judkins is a stand-out senior associate and at Norton Rose. Absolute workhorse, clever, very close to the detail and full of good ideas. He will go far.’
‘Harriet Jones-Fenleigh and Antony Corsi are simply brilliant practitioners who bring sharp legal minds, commercial acumen and client focused advice.’
Key clients
Orange SA
HSBC
Orange Liberia
ExxonMobil
Qatar Airways
Takeda
Shell
Mercuria Energy Trading
Save the Children
Fenchurch Advisory Partners
Liberty Industries France Pte Limited and Liberty France Aluminium HoldCo
Work highlights
- Successfully advised Orange Liberia on a complex, high value, international commercial court litigation.
Dispute resolution > Competition litigation Tier 3
The team at Norton Rose Fulbright regularly represents clients in CMA investigations, follow-on damages claims concerning EU Commission infringement decisions, and interventions. Ian Giles and the ‘very sharp' Mark Simpson jointly lead the practice, with Simpson having a great deal of expertise in acting in EU cartel investigations and price control appeals before the CMA. Susanna Rogers primarily advises clients within the regulated utilities sector; whilst Helen Fairhead exhibits a ‘formidable skillset‘, acting for both claimants and defendants in collective proceedings and cartel damages claims. Caroline Thomas is ‘massively impressive', and maintains a tech-focused practice, often acting in class actions. Acting as managing partner of the firm, Peter Scott has broad expertise in arbitrations and often appears before the High Court in disputes.Practice head(s):
Ian Giles; Mark Simpson
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The stand-out members of this team are, first, the massively impressive Caroline Thomas, and Helen Fairhead, who is incredibly astute and wears her formidable skillset lightly.’
‘I would recommend Mark Simpson and Helen Fairhead very highly.’
‘Helen is super hard-working and extremely strategic. She thinks consistently about how to press forward her clients’ interests.’
‘Mark is very sharp and quick to grapple with new concepts, seeing their implications. I’d be delighted to work with him on any case that required the team to be quick on their feet and react to a changing situation.’
‘They do not take a scattergun approach to litigation, choosing instead to select their shots and ensure that those shots land. I would have no hesitation in recommending their services to any large client facing heavy litigation.’
‘Highly experience and insightful team who quickly are able to understand the clients issues and effectively advise.’
‘Susanna Rogers stands out from my perspective as a leader in her field was substantial experience and deep insight shared with clients.’
‘A formidable team of hardworking, collaborative, client-focused solicitors who are tireless in their efforts, sensible in their approach and commercially astute.’
Key clients
Qualcomm
HSBC
Vodafone
BP
Shell
Delta Air Lines
Carlsberg
Stena
BMW
Orange
PayPal
Easyjet
Centrica
EirGrid
Thales
Coca Cola Europacific Partners
Liverpool Victoria
Standard Chartered Bank
Electricity North West Limited
IFPI
Paypoint Plc
SONI Limited
National Grid
Stark Limited
Bristol Water
Energy Networks Association
Work highlights
- Advising HSBC on defending claims by 171 fund claimants before the CAT claiming damages arising out of conduct investigated by various authorities (including the European Commission) concerning the alleged fixing of Forex rates and related spreads.
- Representing Orange SA in its defence against claims brought in the High Court against the mobile network operators by the Administrators of Phones4U.
- Acting for Qualcomm, defending an estimated £480m opt-out collective claim brought against it in the Competition Appeal Tribunal on behalf of a class of consumers by the Consumer Association, Which?, asserting that purchasers of certain Apple and Samsung phones overpaid for those devices as a result of Qualcomm’s anti-competitive behaviour (abuse of dominance).
Dispute resolution > International arbitration Tier 3
Norton Rose Fulbright routinely acts across several jurisdictions from the outset of disputes. The team also assists at award enforcement stages. Paul Stothard recently relocated to London from Dubai, where he was disputes head; Holly Stebbing is 'a real arbitration specialist'; and Patrick Bourke is a Middle East expert. Senior associate Joseph Bentley has 'a phenomenal ability to understand complexity'. Former partners Matthew Buckle and James Rogers have left the firm, the latter at Jenner & Block LLP since February 2023.Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Norton Rose Fulbright is a true market leader in international arbitration. They really know what they are talking about, whether it be ad hoc or institutional arbitrations.’
‘They have a team of extremely good partners and associates, and are always well-resourced, with good partner and associate availability.’
‘Holly Stebbing is incredibly bright, hardworking and tactically astute.’
‘Holly Stebbing is a real arbitration specialist – able to take on the really big complex and technical cases and win them.’
‘Outstanding individuals at every level. Paul Stothard is an incredibly powerful legal analyst, who can see all the main drivers in any case, as well as the levers available to his client.’
‘Joseph Bentley has a phenomenal ability to understand complexity and detail, whilst also being able to evaluate these in the context of the bigger picture, including advising on both the legal and commercial tactics to use to encourage resolution of the dispute.’
Key clients
BP
Shell
Sonangol PP
Barrick
Oil and Natural Gas Corporation of India
Dispute resolution > Tax litigation and investigations Tier 3
Norton Rose Fulbright‘s tax team has key strength in international tax disputes, such as matters related to tax residence, challenges to international group structures, and the interpretation of double tax treaties. Global head of tax Dominic Stuttaford leads the team and advises domestic and international clients on a diverse range of contentious tax matters. Matthew Hodkin, who is head of the London tax team, advises on disputes with tax authorities, in addition to a broad non-contentious practice. Ruth Cowley has notable expertise in conducting external and internal investigations.Practice head(s):
Dominic Stuttaford
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Dominic Stuttaford: He has a brain the size of a planet, and what he doesn’t know about tax law isn’t worth knowing. It’s impossible not to feel in awe when he explains a complex tax statute or authority with such ease and simplicity. He’s a stunningly impressive tax practitioner.’
Key clients
HSBC
Takeda
Royal Bank of Canada
Work highlights
- Acted for HSBC in a restitution claim in the Franked Investment Income Group Litigation Order.
- Acted for Takeda (formerly Shire) in a restitution claim in the Stamp Taxes Group Litigation Order relating to Stamp Duty Reserve Tax.
- Acted for Royal Bank of Canada in relation to a dispute with HMRC concerning the taxation of North Sea Oil royalties.
Employment > Employee share schemes Tier 3
Norton Rose Fulbright exhibits ‘great breadth of knowledge across the team’, often handling complex advisory projects and international M&A matters for both public and private clients. The team also has longstanding experience of designing incentive plans for unlisted companies, frequently advising fintech clients. Matthew Findley leads the team; his varied case load includes advising on the investor relations issues associated with executive incentives. He is frequently supported by Barbara Gaffey who is singled out for her expertise in the global roll-out of employee share plans.Practice head(s):
Matthew Findley
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘I worked with Norton Rose, they are responsive, extremely knowledgeable and work well together.
‘There was a great breadth of knowledge across the team and I found the technical expertise and knowledge around share schemes impressive. ’
‘Norton Rose were very collaborative and very much contributed to feeling like we were all delivering an outcome together.’
‘The team gives practical advice and has a deep understanding of the tax and share scheme world.’
‘Matthew Findlay is a standout partner who invariably has all the answers the first time you call.’
‘They provide commercial commonsense solutions.’
‘Matt Findley is an excellent share scheme lawyer with great technical skills and a broad commercial perspective of the real world in which share plans are operated.’
Key clients
Countryside Partnerships plc
Royal Bank of Canada
Allica Bank Limited
McGill and Partners Group Ltd
IMI plc
Centamin Plc
Beamery Inc.
Siteimprove A/S
KNEIP Management S.A
MTG Gaming AB
Crest Nicholson
Altus Strategies
Work highlights
- Advised Countryside on all share plan and executive remuneration matters arising in relation to the takeover by Vistry.
- Advised Allica Bank Limited on revisions to its executive incentive plan and employee benefit trust arrangements.
- Advising Crest Nicholson on all employee share plan and executive remuneration issues.
Employment > Health and safety Tier 3
Norton Rose Fulbright is well-regarded for its ‘talent at all levels of seniority’, and is led by ‘consummate professional’ Caroline May, who has experience handling both contentious and non-contentious energy, transport and construction issues. The team is regularly handles matters involving corporate manslaughter allegations and multiple fatalities. Associate Andrew Swarbrick who joined the team in May 2022 from Kennedys is noted as having ‘experience beyond his years’. Litigation expert Neil O’May is a key member of the team, and is well-equipped to advise clients on investigations and prosecutions following accidents.Practice head(s):
Caroline May
Other key lawyers:
Neil O’May; Lucy Bruce Jones; Holly Stebbing; Andrew Swarbrick
Testimonials
‘The team combines almost-unrivalled experience of contentious litigation in the field; talent at all levels of seniority; excellent resourcing; and a concerted focus on their clients’ particular needs.’
‘Caroline May has market-leading expertise in the fields of both environmental law and health and safety law, coupled with almost unrivalled experience of civil and criminal litigation in both. She is a consummate professional.’
‘Andrew Swarbrick has experience beyond his years. He has a strong grounding in criminal litigation, identifies the key issues in a case quickly, and understands the strategies necessary to obtain good results in high-stakes health and safety prosecutions.’
‘The team is ably led by Caroline May, and has been strengthened by the addition of Andrew Swarbrick. Clients just trust them and for very good reason. They are a cut above the other firms in this practice area, which is niche by their own standards.’
‘Caroline May is a force of nature who is master of her practice areas in safety health and environment. She is the go-to partner with some excellent associates and trainees.’
‘The team is very knowledgeable, highly proficient and has a justified confidence in own abilities.’
‘A major international law firm which carries considerable weight when undertaking regulatory crime cases.’
‘Neil O’May is a very impressive solicitor with a long track record of success.’
Key clients
BP plc
CF Industries Holdings Inc
DP World, London Gateway
Gildan Activewear Inc
GlaxoSmithKline LLC
IMI Plc
Kerry Group plc
Sandvik Mining & Construction Tools AB
Yara International ASA
Finance > Bank lending: investment grade debt and syndicated loans Tier 3
The ‘practical and innovative’ team at Norton Rose Fulbright has gained a particularly strong reputation advising lenders and corporates on syndicated emerging markets deals, where it is able to provide a value-add service through the effective use of legal tech and partnering with lawyers across the firm’s vast international network. Neha Khosla leads on much of this work from London and has built up a strong reputation for her collaborative approach and strength at advising on multi-source financings. As well as his role as global IBOR transition head, Davide Barzilai has ‘wide experience in different areas of bank lending’, including ECA-supported mandates, ABL and Islamic finance, ensuring that he is a popular choice on complex international syndicated mandates. ABL expert Michael Black heads up the general London banking team, while Madhavi Gosavi is head of banking and finance for the EMEA region.Practice head(s):
Madhavi Gosavi; Michael Black
Other key lawyers:
Neha Khosla; Michael Ings; James Dunnett; Davide Barzilai; Alex Zekkos; Grace Carpenter; Moyna Grubb
Testimonials
‘Always a very safe pair of hands, and show fantastic attention to detail.’
‘The practical and innovative team provides an efficient service.’
‘They are able to manage big projects cost effectively by using a mix of tech solutions, staff in a regional “lower cost” offices and more senior lawyers from their main offices.’
‘Neha Khosla has the ability to argue points strongly while fostering and maintaining a collaborative environment to get the deal done.’
‘Davide Barzilai stands out for his excellent business sense, his wide experience in different areas of bank lending and his general availability on deals in which he is involved.’
Key clients
ABN Amro
Absa Bank
Africa Finance Corporation
African Development Bank
Aurelius
Bank of America
Bank of China
Bantry Bay
Barclays Bank
DBS
Deutsche Bank
DNB Bank
EBRD
Export Development Canada
Goldman Sachs
Hamburg Commercial Bank
HCC International Insurance Company plc
HSBC
IFC
ING Bank
Japan International Cooperation Agency
JP Morgan Chase Bank
Liberty Mutual Insurance Europe
Macquarie
Mizuho
MUFG Bank
Natixis
Natwest
PNC, National Association
Shell International Eastern Trading
SMBC Bank
Stanbic Uganda
Standard Bank of South Africa
Standard Chartered
Swiss Re
The Bank of East Asia
Wells Fargo Capital Finance
Alleima Treasury AB
Aurelius
Bausch Health Companies Inc.
Chaucer Group
Coca-Cola HBC Finance BV
Countryside Partnerships Plc
Dialight Plc
Domino’s Pizza Group Plc
ED&F Man Treasury Plc
IMI Group Limited
Mortgage Advice Bureau (Holdings) Plc
Reach Plc
RWS Holdings Plc
Sandvik Treasury AB
Titan Trust Bank Limited
Work highlights
- Advised Sandvik Treasury AB on its SEK11bn (c. £870 million) syndicated, sustainability-linked multi-currency revolving credit facilities incorporating a SEK500m swingline facility and a SEK2bn accordion facility.
- Advised MUFG as arranger in relation to a c.$755m dual currency bridge loan facility to Africa Finance Corporation.
- Advised new client ED&F Man Treasury Management Plc and other group companies in relation to its refinancing and renegotiation of its $120m borrowing base facilities agreement with a syndicate of lenders, on a new margin line facility and trade line facility.
Real estate > Commercial property: investment Tier 3
Leveraging support from the firm’s international work, the ‘knowledgeable and commercial team’ at Norton Rose Fulbright is geared to handle domestic and international real estate development mandates. The practice is also well-regarded for its expertise in energy and infrastructure projects, inward investment, as well as large-scale social housing investment and financing. Head of real estate Wasim Khan and Charlie Pinkerton are knowledgeable of significant office moves, while the former also has know-how of the rationalisation of their space requirements. David Hawkins is adept in landlord and tenant matters, while Louisa Roe excels in leasing transactions. Dan Wagerfield often advises Asian investors and Juliette Kelly is informed in property financing. David Sinclair departed to Stephenson Harwood in December 2022.Practice head(s):
Wasim Khan
Other key lawyers:
Charlie Pinkerton; David Hawkins; Dan Wagerfield; Juliette Kelly; Helen Finnis
Testimonials
‘A knowledgeable and commercial team, who take an enthusiastic and proactive approach.’
Key clients
Countryside Partnerships Plc
British Racing Drivers Club (Silverstone)
Prime London Ventures Partnership Limited
LRC Management Europe Limited
L1 UK Property Investment Pty Ltd
Ocubis Limited
Caleus Capital Investors
Greenergy International Ltd
Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers Ltd
NatWest
Greencoat UK Wind
AIG
Bank of London and the Middle East Plc
GLL Real Estate Partners
United Overseas Bank Limited
ICBC plc
RWE AG
Resolution Property IM LLP
Europa Capital
Civitas Social Housing/Civitas Investment Management
Work highlights
- Advised Civitas Investment Management on its investment to acquire specialist care properties from CareTech.
- Advised RWE on its acquisition of a solar and battery storage portfolio.
- Advised on the investment and redevelopment of Olympia London into a major cultural and entertainment destination.
Real estate > Construction: contentious Tier 3
Norton Rose Fulbright demonstrates extensive experience advising a broad spectrum of clients in the construction industry, from project owners and developers to financiers and consultants. Its scope of practice spans contentious matters including early warning strategy, negotiation of commercial issues on live projects, dispute resolution drafting, and enforcement challenges. The co-heads of the team, Donald Warnock and Simon Ramsden, specialise in advising on construction and engineering aspects of major projects and focusing on dispute resolution in various sectors, respectively. Counsel Amy Armitage has industry-wide experience, having acted for contractors, subcontractors, employers, insurers, and funders across Europe, Africa, South America and the Middle East. Associate Sarah Gosling contributes her knowledge of construction and engineering disputes in the energy sector and commercial international arbitration, with particular experience across Asia-Pacific.Practice head(s):
Donald Warnock; Simon Ramsden
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Collaboration was high, and the team were responsive – often at short notice. It felt like they were invested in the outcome. Technical capability is a given at this level, but approachability and availability are not always.’
‘The team at Norton Rose Fulbright were very easy to deal with and promptly provided the documents, evidence and directions. They were able to understand the technical complexities of the case and how that related to my expert evidence.’
‘Amy Armitage is excellent. She has very good commercial awareness and a good understanding of construction law and the issues to which it gives rise.’
‘Sarah Gosling was a delight to work with. She is very capable and personable in explaining the legal position of complex interactions and how this might require alternatives to be considered for my expert report(s).’
‘They are a really good team. Lovely to work with.’
‘Simon Ramsden and Amy Armitage are great.’
‘Very good grounding across the subspecialties of construction law. Hands-on partner input. Good client base.’
‘I find the NRF team very responsive and very approachable. With their breadth of experience, it’s difficult to find a challenge where they haven’t grappled with something similar, and can quickly get to work on finding a resolution.’
Key clients
Assured Guaranty
Balfour Beatty
Bechtel
Bouygues UK
DP World
Eco World
Engie
European Investment Bank (EIB)
Eurasian Resources Group
Equans
Masdar
Equitix
GuarantCo
Hochtief
Hyde Group
INA-INDUSTRIJA NAFTE, d.d. (INA)
Infraco Africa
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
JCM Power
Marubeni Corporation
National Grid
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation
TAV HAVALIMANLARI Holdings A.S.
Thales
TotalEnergies
Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi
Work highlights
- Acting for Martlet Homes Limited as claimant, in relation to a claim of over £7m damages in respect of a number of design and workmanship defects in the cladding system installed by the defendant at four high-rise residential tower blocks in Havant.
- Acting for Hyde Vale Ltd in defence of a series of claims arising out of defective fire safety works relating to Bellville House.
Real estate > Property finance Tier 3
Norton Rose Fulbright ‘has extensive capability across all corporate finance matters’, notably in mezzanine structures, development financings, forward fundings, Opco/Propco structures, and sale and leasebacks. ‘Standout’ Sarah Cullen leads the team, and is active in hotel financings, loan portfolio sales and distressed debt restructuring. Banking partner Dan Kennedy is sought after for development financings of large-scale mixed-use regeneration projects. Structured finance expert Jennie Dorsaint and senior associate Jessy Makdessi are also of note.Practice head(s):
Sarah Cullen
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘We have worked with Norton Rose on a range of deals for many years, and what makes them stand out is the availability of and attention from partners and senior lawyers through the deal life cycle. The firm is good at distilling the key issues which the client should be focusing.’
‘Dan Kennedy is a nice guy, very experienced, and stays engaged throughout the deal.’
‘The team has extensive capability across all corporate finance matters. They stand out from other firms because of their calm, reasoned approach to all problems, they always listen to the client and find the best solutions and outcomes. They are a pleasure to work with and are exactly who you need by your side in tough situations.’
‘Sarah Cullen is a standout partner, extremely knowledgable, very easy to get along with and always available.
‘Jessy Makdessi is a superb senior associate and ably steps into complex and tricky situations. Jessy’s proactive, intelligent approach and adept style dealing with challenging counterparties makes her a critical part of any of our transactions. A true star partner of the future.’
‘Sarah Cullen and Colin Kwok – outstanding. They go above and beyond for us.’
‘Jennie Dorsaint takes great care and provides a top-notch and seamless service to clients.’
‘Sarah Cullen is the partner on our engagement. Her depth of knowledge, commercial awareness and skill in managing discussions/negotiations have made her an invaluable asset to us.
Key clients
AIG Asset Management
Bangkok Bank
Battersea Power Station
Centurion Corporation Limited
Crest Nicholson Plc
DBS Bank
DFI European Value Add Fund
Haitong Bank, S.A.
HSBC
Industrial and Commercial Bank of China
InterGlobe (Empire 3 Investment S.à r.l.)
Ivanhoe Cambridge
Macquarie Capital Principal Finance
Münchener Hypothekenbank eG
National Westminster Bank Plc
Picton Property Income
Qatar National Bank
Residential Land
Standard Chartered Bank
Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield Group
United Overseas Bank
West End of London Property Unit Trust (WELPUT)
Westminster Development Services
Yoo Capital
Lloyds
BNPP
PPHE (Park Plaza)
Bank Leumi
DPK Real Estate
SMBC
Emirates Bank
Nedbank Limited
Work highlights
- Advised WELPUT in connection with a £400 million financing (as part of a £1 billion investment) provided in part by Allianz Real Estate for the redevelopment of 105 Victoria Street into an office, retail and leisure development owned by 105VSUT.
- Advised Westminster Development Services Limited as Borrower in relation to two new facilities including a bank guarantee facility totalling £113.72 million from a syndicate of lenders led by State Bank of India, London Branch as part of the existing £813.72 million development financing for the £1.2 billion development of the Old War Office in Whitehall.
- Advised Macquarie Capital Principal Finance on its €123.4 million senior secured loan to DL Invest Group, secured against 10 modern logistics assets in Europe.
Corporate and commercial > M&A: Upper Mid-Market And Premium Deals, £750m+ Tier 4
Praised by clients as a ‘top international law firm with an outstanding ability,’ the corporate, M&A and securities team at Norton Rose Fulbright handles cross-border M&A transactions for clients in sectors such as financial services, technology, energy and healthcare. Practice head Raj Karia is well-placed to advise international corporations and investment banks on M&A, joint ventures and restructuring in the natural resources and energy sectors. Paul Whitelock who co-chairs the public M&A group, and Kit McCarthy are recommended for expertise in Main Market and AIM takeovers, and both of whom were previously seconded to the Takeover Panel. Corporate practitioner Alan Bainbridge specialises in advising banks and other financial institutions. Handling listed company work across a range of sectors is Fiona Millington , while Christopher (Chris) Grieves, a joint venture and public and private M&A expert, demonstrates particular capabilities in emerging markets and energy, infrastructure, mining and industrials. Stephen Rigby is another name to note, highly regarded for his equity investment and M&A advice in the energy, infrastructure and utilities sectors. Associate Zahra Sachedina is also recommended.Practice head(s):
Raj Karia
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘NRF is a top international law firm with an outstanding ability to provide legal advice aiming to achieve the client’s goals. They have a strategic view and are very aligned to dealmakers. Their team is very technical and have a high sense of collaboration.’
Key clients
AIG
Bank of Montreal
Barrick Gold
BHP Billiton
BMW
BP plc
Brookfield
CME Group
Delta Air Lines
HSBC
Lloyds Banking Group
Centamin
Orange SA
Rio Tinto
Santander
SNC-Lavalin Group
Teliasonera AB
Terra Firma Capital Partners
Vodafone
3M
Bombardier
DVB Bank
Modern Times Group (MTG)
Enerflex Ltd
Mr. Jisheng Gao
BMO Financial Group
Equatorial Energia SA
Coca-Cola HBC
Kerry Group plc
Citi
Shell
Sandvik AB
Goldman Sachs & J.P. Morgan
B of A Securities
RBC Capital Markets
Investec
Charles Stanley Group plc
Restore plc
Good Energy
Work highlights
Corporate and commercial > Private equity: transactions - mid-market deals (up to £250m) Tier 4
With significant international resources at its disposal, the team at Norton Rose Fulbright – noted for its work in the insurance sector – handles a mix of in-bound investments, acquisitions, and sell-side processes for a range of sponsor clients, particularly in emerging markets. The practice is jointly chaired by Bayo Odubeko, a seasoned PE and VC partner whose recent engagements include fundraising transactions in West Africa, and Sophie O’Connor, who – along with Nicholas Berry – anchors the team’s capabilities in the financial services and insurance sectors. Berry focuses exclusively on insurance transactions, heading up the London office’s InsurTech practice in addition to handling various cross-border deals. Matthew Eccles is noted for his focus on emerging markets.Practice head(s):
Bayo Odubeko; Sophie O’Connor
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘High quality deliverables to agreed timelines. They understood what was important to us and proactively informed us of these items.’
‘Sophie O’Connor brought a calm demeanour that helped create a more constructive atmosphere during the negotiations. She had the perfect balance of firmness and flexibility in the negotiations, including advice to us on negotiating tactics. Always available when needed. She understood what was important to us and what could be negotiated away.’
Key clients
Etrading Software Limited
Calisen Group Holdings
Kerry Group plc
Aquiline Capital Partners LLC
Management of WFS
Tiger Infrastructure Partners
Appian Capital Advisory LLP
Carne Group
777 Partners
Carlyle
Development Partners International
Bain Capital
Brookfield Private Equity
Work highlights
- Advised Etrading Software Limited and its shareholders in relation to an investment by Lloyds Development Capital into Etrading Software.
- Advised Aquiline Capital Partners LLC on its acquisition of a controlling stake in Ripe Insurance.
- Advised Tiger Infrastructure Partners on its control investment of £75 million in Rural Broadband Solutions Holdings Limited.
Employment > Employers Tier 4
Norton Rose Fulbright provides advice on boardroom disputes, non-competition clauses and employment alternative dispute resolution. The team is led by the tech sector-focussed Paul Griffin, who has expertise in restrictive covenant disputes, whistleblowing, discrimination, TUPE, outsourcing and employment-related data protection. Further key names in the team include pharmaceuticals industry specialist Nick Howard and the transactions and restructuring-focussed Catrina Smith.Practice head(s):
Paul Griffin
Other key lawyers:
Catrina Smith; Nick Howard
Testimonials
‘I know there will be quality attached to the services provided by this firm.’
‘I recommend them for their availability, quality in service and work rendered.’
‘There was a great breadth of knowledge across the team. Each team member had their respective areas of expertise but they worked together to share information and deliver outcomes.’
‘We were working on a number of projects with Norton Rose. Each member of the Norton Rose team had their respective areas of expertise but they all worked collaboratively together. Norton Rose always delivered no matter how short notice the request!’
‘Personable and knowledgeable team.’
Key clients
ABC Bank
Adoptmarket UK LTD
Battersea Power Station
Bechtel Corporation
BMW
Bombardier
Boston Consulting Group
Credit Agricole
Emerald Kalama
GFG Alliance
IMI Plc
Kerry Group
Lyondel Basell
Maybourne Hotels Limited
Nedbank
Royal Bank of Canada
SiriusPoint International (previously Sirius International)
Société Générale
Standard Chartered Bank
Starr Insurance Companies
Wyelands Capital
Work highlights
- Advised SiriusPoint on the employment law aspects of its proposed sale of SiriusPoint International Managing Agency at Lloyds to Mosaic.
- Advised Countryside Partnerships on its £1.2bn recommended cash and shares combination with Vistry Group plc.
- Acting for a FTSE listed entity, advising on the defence of an employment tribunal claim brought by a former senior employee against both the company and two named individual senior employees with regards to whistleblowing detriment and breach of contract.
Employment > Pensions: dispute resolution Tier 4
Norton Rose Fulbright‘s pensions litigation team sits within the firm’s broader dispute resolution team, which is led by the firm's EMEA-lead Patrick Bourke. The practice routinely advises employers and trustees on issues such as investigations initiated by the pensions regulator, internal complaints, and professional negligence cases. Key contacts within the team include the ‘hugely bright' Lesley Browning and associate Suzie Kemp.Practice head(s):
Patrick Bourke
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Clearly, the individuals are very knowledgeable in the area and have assisted where we were unable to undertake the tasks ourselves.’
‘Friendly and responsive and always give practical advice.’
‘Proactive, service-minded, experienced and value-adding with an ability to really focus on key issues.’
‘Lesley Browning is hugely bright, and one of the best pensions lawyers in the UK.’
‘Good understanding of our industry sector and global presence.’
‘Good stability with partner retention which proves invaluable when disputes arise in long-tail issues related to pension liabilities.’
‘A top-end firm dealing with a wide-range of pensions law issues.’
‘Lesley Browning is hugely bright, and one of the best pensions lawyers in the UK.’
Key clients
Trustee of the West of England Ship Owners’ Insurance Services Ltd Retirement Benefits Scheme
Work highlights
- Advised the Trustee of the West of England Ship Owners’ Insurance Services Ltd Retirement Benefits Scheme in relation to its administrator’s member transfer process and scams response, ensuring that our client’s overall processes meet the new legal requirements and are robust but proportionate.
Real estate > Planning Tier 4
With its ‘extraordinary bank of legal knowledge and powerhouse lawyers’, the planning team at Norton Rose Fulbright offers advice on a wide range of matters. The firm has a particular focus on London-based redevelopment and compulsory purchases, but it is also experienced in mixed-use schemes and constrained or brownfield development projects. The team also handles contentious matters, and has an active enforcement practice. Practice head Sarah Fitzpatrick has developed the team since her arrival at the firm in 2020, with ‘top tier judgment born of long experience in the field’, and she is supported by ‘standout’ associate Carina Wentzel.Practice head(s):
Sarah Fitzpatrick
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Undoubtedly one of the best City law firms for planning.’
‘Has that rare combination of humanity and ultra efficiency. An extraordinary bank of legal knowledge and powerhouse lawyers who work incredibly hard to get the best possible result and are always a genuine pleasure to deal with.’
‘Partner Sarah Fitzpatrick has top-tier judgment born of long experience in the field. She is able to provide advice at the drop of a hat and also to marshall evidence from an impressive team of experts when necessary.’
‘Standout junior Carina Wentzel is one of the best planning associates. She is a joy to work with adored by client and barrister alike. Her capacity for hard work is matched only by her endless enthusiasm.’
‘The practice was unique in having experts in a very specific area of discretionary purchase and were able to pull together the various aspects of that expertise within the organisation.’
‘Carina Wentzel was my point of contact, and she was extremely diligent and both knowledgeable and professional.’
Key clients
Setha Canterbury Limited
Bellaview Properties Limited
Hampstead Asset Management Limited
Ocubis Limited
ATS Euromaster Limited
ABC International Bank plc
DB Cargo (UK) Limited
DB Cargo International Limited
AIG Asset Management
Arcabas Limited
Berliet Limited
Hotchkiss Limited
Brookfield Asset Management Inc.
Centurion Corporation Limited
Linea Homes Group
St George City Ltd
Dome Assets Limited
Greenergy International Limited
Haitong Bank S.A.
Civitas Social Housing PLC
Industrial Commercial Bank of China
National Westminster Bank PLC
Prime London Ventures Limited
Standard Chartered Bank
VMM Limited
Suez Recycling and Recovery UK Ltd
PPR Estates
Builder Depot Ltd
Kenmin (HP) Limited
Residential Land
Aedifica Limited
Samson Capital Southern Limited
Bellway Homes Limited
Funding Affordable Homes Housing Association Limited
Work highlights
- Advising Berliet Limited on the redevelopment of four linked sites to provide a residential led scheme of 550 residential units.
- Advising DB Cargo (UK) Limited and DB Cargo International Limited on multiple high-value compulsory purchase compensation claims concerning HS2 and a highway DCO, as well as opposing a CPO being promoted by the Environment Agency.
- Advised Setha Canterbury Limited on a complex town centre redevelopment in Canterbury, with significant heritage, ecclesiastical, and nutrient neutrality aspects.
Real estate > Property litigation Tier 4
Norton Rose Fulbright acts for leading investors and developers in both the local and international market on contentious aspects of their UK investments and development projects, including rights of light and security of tenure disputes. Practice head David Stevens advises clients on the full-range of property litigation matters with a particular focus on development constraints, rights of light and vacant possession strategies. He is supported by Greg Rouse.Practice head(s):
David Stevens
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘An international firm with the substantial resources needed for heavyweight litigation.’
‘David Stevens is a great pleasure to work with.’
‘Extremely commercial, with sound judgment and knowledge of the market and client needs.’
‘David Stevens combines wide legal knowledge with sound commercial judgement.’
‘David Stevens and Greg Rouse are efficient, courteous, have good judgement, and are a joy to work with.’
‘I have never come across another litigator with the skill of David Stevens.’
Key clients
57 Whitehall S.A.R.L.
BMO Asset Management
BMW (UK) Limited
BNP Paribas Real Estate
Canada Pension Plan Investment
Canterbury Christ Church University
Castle Exchange Building Limited
Centrica PLC
Civitas Social Housing plc
Commerz Real
ERGO Versicherung AG, UK Branch
IMI plc
Ivanhoe Cambridge/Residential Land
Olympia Limited
Purplebricks Group Plc
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
Schroder Real Estate
Shell UK plc
Thales Properties Limited
WELPUT (a Schroders property fund managed by BentallGreenOak)
Work highlights
- Advising in respect of the development constraints and potentially contentious aspects of the high-profile redevelopment of the Old War office in Whitehall, including rights of light aspects.
- Dealing with all the management work relating to this high-value portfolio of London property assets, including any disputes with tenants, rent reviews, lease renewals, break clauses, contentious consents, possession issues and any development aspects.
- Acting for BMW in respect of 1954 Act lease renewal proceedings in relation to its flagship 70 Park Lane car salesroom premises in Mayfair, adjacent to Hyde Park.
TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Intellectual property: trade marks, copyright and design Tier 4
Boasting a diverse client roster, with demonstrable experience in the energy, financial services and technology sectors, Norton Rose Fulbright routinely advises on the acquisition, exploitation, use and enforcement of IP rights. The firm has also recently undertaken work for clients in the automotive industry. Commercial IP specialist Mike Knapper steers the team, often advising clients on the IP aspects of M&A, joint venture transactions and IPOs. Jonathan Ball returned to the team in June 2022, departing from Gowling WLG. Ball strengthens the practice with his focus on the technology and life sciences sector. Abida Chaudri is another key contact in the group.Practice head(s):
Mike Knapper
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
Accenture
ByBit
Hertz
Fair Isaac Corporation
Accolade Wines
Kerry Group plc
BNP Paribas
Shell
Save the Children
Sonangol Group
BP
Work highlights
- Advising Kerry Group Plc on the sale of its sweets ingredients business to Advent International, the private equity group, involving the transfer of patents, manufacturing processes and brands and the licensing of brands and technology.
Transport > Shipping Tier 4
With the support of a strong ship finance team, Norton Rose Fulbright acts across a broad spread of maritime matters. Shipbuilding and offshore disputes are as much part of the practice’s key areas as advising on sanctions and decarbonisation issues. Practice head Philip Roche is noted for his experience in dealing with insurance-related work and the offshore energy sector, and Katie McDougall concentrates on financial and trade sanctions. Litigation, in particular in relation to asset finance work, is a favoured area of activity for Charlotte Winter.Practice head(s):
Philip Roche
Other key lawyers:
Charlotte Winter; Katie McDougall; Ieronymos Bikakis
Testimonials
‘The team I’ve worked with are very motivated to close deals.’
‘Norton Rose has a long history in shipping and is today one of the few full-service firms to offer a shipping practice.’
‘A recent public event defined shipping as involving anything that floats or is fixed to the seabed and Norton Rose addresses all the modern aspects of shipping.’
‘Charlotte Winter: Seasoned practitioner in true Norton Rose pedigree.’
‘Philip Roche and Ieronymos Bikakis bring legal and business expertise to the table; they make the client comfortable and confident.’
‘Fast and accurate responses, they know all about the business.’
Key clients
Carnival Corporation
Costamare Inc.
Dubai Ports World
DVB
Japan P&I Club
KfW
Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK Group)
P&O Ferries
RBS
Rio Tinto
Standard Chartered Bank
Stena
Taylor Maritime Investments Limited
Total
Trinity House
Work highlights
- Advised P&O Ferries on a number of disputes with PD Teesport arising from charges under the long-term services agreement with the port.
- Advised the Coordinating Committee of Secured Lenders and Agents (CoCom) on the restructuring and emergence of Altera Infrastructure L.P. from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on January 6, 2023.
- Advised Costamare Inc. and certain of its subsidiaries in relation to the establishment of a new dry bulk operating platform through agencies in Copenhagen, Hamburg and Singapore.
Corporate and commercial > Venture capital Tier 5
The 'very diligent and hard working' team at Norton Rose Fulbright is increasingly focused on venture capital work as an offshoot of its corporate finance and private equity practices. Leveraging the firm's strong regulatory offering, the team has developed a particular niche advising on fintech-related matters, including as it relates to blockchain and crypto-currency. The 'very pragmatic and forward thinking' Victoria Birch has been central to the firm's success in the space, which has been built on repeat instructions for both investors and investees, as well as very effective use of legal technology to streamline the investor experience (including the firm's nascent strategic minority investment product, which has proved very popular among the venture arms of financial institutions and corporates). Sophie O’Connor also handles a significant volume of venture mandates, and alongside Birch was instrumental to the development of the aforementioned product.Practice head(s):
Victoria Birch; Sophie O’Connor
Other key lawyers:
Oliver Stacey; Oliver Stacey; Bayo Odubeko; Matthew Findley; Stephen Rigby; Nicholas Berry; Mark Maurice; Victoria Scopes; Juliet Gordon
Testimonials
‘The very personable team has superb strength in depth in the team, and is very diligent and hard working.’
‘Victoria Birch is very pragmatic and forward thinking. She goes above and beyond to help her clients achieve their objectives.’
‘Nico Berry – one of the best, if not the best corporate lawyer I have worked with. Knowledgeable both in terms of legal knowledge and sector, commercial and manages a great and reliable team. I would work with him every time if I could (and recommend him to the right kind of clients when the opportunity arises).’
Key clients
Bactobio Limited
COWA
Biolevel
NEAR Inc
Starling Bank
Funding Xchange
OCGI Climate Investments
Telus Communications
Paga Group Ltd
Green Africa
Revenio Capital
Zego
Stena Drilling Limited
Work highlights
- Preparing Bactobio Limited, a biotechnology company that creates a safer and greener world by harvesting valuable metabolites from biological dark matter, for its Series A Funding Round and advising on the consolidation of its corporate governance structures.
- Acting for COWA, a bitcoin mining company focussing on the use of sustainable energy in its processes, on its $100m Series A funding round and follow on debt and equity rounds.
- Advised NEAR Foundation – the foundation behind the NEAR Protocol, the carbon-neutral layer-1 blockchain network – on their early stage investment into Calimero Limited by way of advanced subscription agreement and token warrant arrangements.
Finance > Acquisition finance Tier 5
At Norton Rose Fulbright, the ‘responsive and knowledgeable’ finance team handles a considerable volume of acquisition finance work for its creditor-focused client base. Michael Black , who co-heads the team alongside energy and infrastructure finance expert Madhavi Gosavi , has broad knowledge across myriad finance products, including a market-leading ABL offering, which he regularly deploys as a key part of the finance package to facilitate large-scale cross-border acquisition finance deals. The firm’s emerging markets prowess also regularly elicits acquisition and event-driven finance mandates for commercial and development banks.Practice head(s):
Madhavi Gosavi; Michael Black
Other key lawyers:
Neha Khosla; Michael Ings; James Dunnett; Alex Zekkos
Testimonials
‘The responsive and knowledgeable team provides excellent market insights.’
‘They get what you need and how you think and become an extension of the business while they support you. Also very good at converting technical legal language into commercial realities and consequences.’
‘Neha Khosla is very practical, attentive and technically strong.’
Key clients
ABN Amro
Absa Bank
Africa Finance Corporation
African Development Bank
Aurelius
Bank of America
Bank of China
Bantry Bay
Barclays Bank
DBS
Deutsche Bank
DNB Bank
EBRD
Export Development Canada
Goldman Sachs
Hamburg Commercial Bank
HCC International Insurance Company plc
HSBC
IFC
ING Bank
Japan International Cooperation Agency
JP Morgan Chase Bank
Liberty Mutual Insurance Europe
Macquarie
Mizuho
MUFG Bank
Natixis
Natwest
PNC, National Association
Shell International Eastern Trading
SMBC Bank
Stanbic Uganda
Standard Bank of South Africa
Standard Chartered
Swiss Re
The Bank of East Asia
Wells Fargo Capital Finance
Alleima Treasury AB
Aurelius
Bausch Health Companies Inc.
Chaucer Group
Coca-Cola HBC Finance BV
Countryside Partnerships Plc
Dialight Plc
Domino’s Pizza Group Plc
ED&F Man Treasury Plc
IMI Group Limited
Mortgage Advice Bureau (Holdings) Plc
Reach Plc
RWS Holdings Plc
Sandvik Treasury AB
Titan Trust Bank Limited
Work highlights
- Advised Titan Trust Bank Limited on its acquisition finance facilities for the acquisition of NGX-listed Union Bank of Nigeria PLC. The debt facilities of $300m were provided by Afrexim as Lender, and disbursed under its Intra-African Investment Financing Facility.
- Advised Export Development Canada on the multi-currency acquisition financing facilities made available to Clearpier Acquisitions Corp, a subsidiary of Clearpier Inc., for the acquisitions of KPM Technologies Ltd, Cygobel Media Ltd, Hang My Ads, Lda and Pesto Harel Shemesh Ltd. (PubPlus).
- Advised Barclays Bank as arranger of a $500m asset-based lending facility to entities related to Clayton, Dubilier & Rice LLC in relation to the acquisition of LABL Acquisition Corporation from Platinum Equity.
Finance > Corporate restructuring & insolvency Tier 5
Able to access resources throughout the firm's vast international network of offices, the 'brilliant' team at Norton Rose Fulbright excels in advising creditors and debtors engaged in cross-border restructurings/insolvencies in firmwide areas of sector strength including transport, energy and financial services. Team head James Stonebridge regularly works alongside the firm's market-leading asset finance team to provide restructuring expertise in relation to large-scale distressed shipping matters. Mark Craggs combines a deep knowledge of a variety of restructuring tools (including CVAs and schemes of arrangement) with transactional nous, ensuring that stakeholders are most appropriately advised, including in relation to distressed situations in highly regulated sectors.Practice head(s):
James Stonebridge
Other key lawyers:
Mark Craggs; Radford Goodman; Dan Kennedy; Matthew Thorn; Gemma Long; Jack Mead; Manhal Zaman
Testimonials
‘The firm has a brilliant corporate restructuring and insolvency practice.’
‘Dan Kennedy is simply brilliant.’
‘Technical ability and collaboration – seamless delivery.’
‘James Stonebridge is technically strong in dealing with complex matters’
Key clients
Nordic Aviation Capital
Citibank
Scandinavian Airline System
ABN Amro
DNB
ING Bank
SMBC
Danmarks Skibskredit
LATAM
Regulator of Social Housing
Work highlights
- Advised KfW IPEX-Bank and other lenders of Genting Hong Kong on the insolvency of the Genting Hong Kong Group of cruise companies.
- Advised the Co-ordinating Committee comprised of financial institutions and export credit agencies representing over $500m in debt, secured by certain of Altera’s vessels.
- Acted for Heytex, a German manufacturer, in relation to an unpaid letter of credit issued by Unity Trade Capital Limited.
TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Intellectual property: patents (contentious and non-contentious) Tier 6
Norton Rose Fulbright’s patent practice advises clients from a multitude of sectors, from energy to technology. The team is led by Mike Knapper, contributing his considerable strength in the life sciences, energy and technology sectors to the practice. Jonathan Ball rejoined the practice from Gowling WLG in June 2022, enhancing the team with his expertise in patent litigation. Other notable names include Jane Caskey and counsel Farah Mukaddam.Practice head(s):
Mike Knapper
Other key lawyers:
Jonathan Ball; Jane Caskey; Farah Mukaddam; Alex Redbourne; Verity Quartermain
Testimonials
‘A quality IP practice.’
‘Jonathan Ball is dedicated to getting the right result for the client, has a good idea for the detail and is great to work with.’
Key clients
Shell
Kerry Foods
Accolade Wines
BNP Paribas
Accenture
Sandvik
Japan Tobacco Inc.
Work highlights
- Advising Shell on a patent infringement claim brought by Ensygnia IP Limited in the Patents Court, UK High Court in relation to the alleged infringement of Ensygnia’s patent by a number of Shell entities in relation to Pay at Pump technology.
- Advising Kerry Group Plc on the sale of its sweets ingredients business to Advent International, the private equity group.
- Advising JTI and its subsidiary Nordic Snus AB on patent and know-how licence relating to delivery systems for tobacco alternative technology worldwide.
TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Sport Tier 6
Norton Rose Fulbright‘s sports law team, led by corporate and M&A specialist Stephen Rigby, regularly advises clients on M&A and private equity-driven investment transactions in sports teams and leagues, namely basketball and football. Corporate practitioner Claire O’Donnell is noted for her focus on corporate governance, investment and regulatory advice for clients in motorsports.Practice head(s):
Stephen Rigby
Other key lawyers:
Claire O’Donnell
Key clients
Envision Virgin Racing
British Racing Drivers Club Limited
Crusaders Cricket Australia Inc.
Southampton FC
London Development Agency
Société Générale
777 Partners LLC
Modern Times Group
Work highlights
- Advised 777 Partners LLC on the acquisition of a majority stake in Hertha BSC GmbH & Co.
Singapore > Projects: foreign firms
The projects team at Norton Rose Fulbright has extensive experience advising on projects from an array of sectors. Alongside power, oil and gas, and infrastructure, the firm has seen an increase in work from the renewable energy sector. Solar, wind, and energy storage projects have been prominent in the group’s recent workload. The client base includes lenders, sponsors, financial institutions, commercial and development banks, sovereign entities, and ECAs. Practice head Nick Merritt has an excellent reputation in advising on the development, financing and acquisition of infrastructure, energy and mining projects. Andrew Digges has over two decades of experience in handling power, resources and infrastructure matters, while Stephen Begley is a key contact on cross-border renewable energy mandates. Counsels Aditya Rebbapragada and Laurie Pearson are also key names to note.Practice head(s):
Nick Merritt
Other key lawyers:
Andrew Digges; Stephen Begley; Aditya Rebbapragada; Laurie Pearson; Kent Phillips
Testimonials
‘International lawyers with extensive experience working on deals in Asia.’
‘An extensive network and good collaboration across borders. Prepared to meet clients’ needs by offering a range of solutions – nice to see this creative thinking to support clients in different and innovative ways.’
‘Nick Merritt: Well-known across the market. Connected and genuinely interested in clients’ plans and activities. Personable and professional.’
Key clients
ACWA Power
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
Bangkok Bank
Citibank
Électricité de France (EDF)
Edra Energy
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
PacificLight
Rabobank
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC)
Work highlights
- Advised a syndicate of 12 lenders on the INR 77,600,000,000 facility agreement concerning the financing, construction and operation of ReNew Power’s “Round the Clock” Project in India.
- Advised a consortium of lenders on the US$750 million green loan facility to PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara.
- Acted for Bangkok Bank Public Company Limited on the US$655 million debt financing to Star Energy Group Holdings Pte. Ltd.
United Arab Emirates > Construction
Norton Rose Fulbright's construction practice is led by Nicholas Kramer, whose recent caseload includes airport, district cooling, PPP, and wind development projects. Mark Berry is knowledgeable of the natural resources sector, notably mining construction and infrastructure, while Anastasia Kastelskaya is active in oil and gas matters. Knowhee Myung is also a key team member.Practice head(s):
Nicholas Kramer
Other key lawyers:
Mark Berry; Anastasia Kastelskaya; Knowhee Myung; Aarti Thadani; Ahmed Bobat
Key clients
Emirates
Emirates District Cooling (Emicool) LLC
Deyaar
Change Foods
Boston Consulting Group
Abu Dhabi Ports
Ochre
Aldar
ACWA Power
IFC
HSBC
Emirates National Investment
Tibah Airports Development Company Limited (Tibah)
Metito
Marafiq
Work highlights
- Advising Emirates on the drafting of contract documents for the design and construction of a new engineering and maintenance facility at Dubai World Central Airport.
- Advising Emicool on its master concession agreement with Dubai World Trade Centre for the provision of district cooling services for Dubai EXPO.
- Advising Deyaar on the drafting of a full suite of standard form contracts.
Norton Rose Fulbright > Firm Profile
Our London office delivers domestic and multi-jurisdictional legal services to corporates, financial institutions, governments and other public sector organizations. We excel across a range of legal practices, including corporate, M&A and securities, banking and finance, FinTech, litigation and disputes, insurance, real estate, antitrust and competition, tax, employment and labor, intellectual property, regulation and investigations and risk advisory.
We also advise on US law and we have a world-leading Islamic finance practice. We are particularly well-known for our focus on industry sectors and are strong in financial institutions, including insurance; energy, infrastructure and resources; transport; technology; life sciences and healthcare; and consumer markets.
Main Contacts
Department | Name | Telephone | |
---|---|---|---|
Managing Partner, Europe, Middle East and Asia | Peter Scott | peter.scott@nortonrosefulbright.com |
Lawyer Profiles
Solicitor Profiles
Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
---|---|---|---|
Charlie Pinkerton | https://www.nortonrosefulbright.com/en/people/121668 | View Profile | |
Louisa Roe | View Profile |
Student (Future Lawyers )
The Legal 500 Future Lawyers Verdict
Norton Rose Fulbright is a ‘very international firm – lots of firms claim to be international, but we have 58 overseas offices, so the work here tends to be global and high profile’, said respondents. A remarkable overseas secondment offering has earned the firm a Future Lawyers Winner medal in this category. Trainees receive ‘good exposure across key sectors’, such as ‘energy and project finance’ and work with ‘clients of an excellent calibre’. In terms of environment, the firm is ‘known for having a kind workplace culture’, with some respondents calling NRF the ‘friendliest law firm in the City’. Training, in some teams at least, is ‘structured, which helps ease trainees into the work’. What’s more, ‘all supervisors are partners (unlike at most firms of a similar size), which allows trainees to feel truly integrated into their teams’ and ‘naturally facilitates a better learning environment’. Beyond the impressive work opportunities, NRF also has a 'great location’ and ‘spectacular views over Tower Bridge and The Shard’. On the flip side, ‘working hour expectations are intense, despite being on the better side for a City law firm’ and some recruits feel that ‘internal communication could be improved’. Trainees did not enjoy ‘the transition from seat-to-seat, which can be ‘quite jarring, especially when the team being joined is busy. This is to some extent part of the job, but it can feel quite discouraging’, ‘feelings of burn out’, nor ‘working with a supervisor who was difficult to talk to’. But ‘attending the Project Finance International Awards with a client’, ‘experiencing the negotiation of a power purchase agreement from the instruction to the signing’, and ‘being told the team would love to have me back at the end of my seats - it made me feel like my hard work had paid off’ more than made up for the low points. For a firm with a ‘truly global network’, a ‘distinct sector focus’, and colleagues who are ‘friendly, welcoming and open’, take a closer look at Norton Rose Fulbright.Legal Briefings
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Establishing an open, mature and resilient insurance market in China
Since China’s accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in 2001, China has been making significant efforts to comply with its WTO commitments and has been progressively opening the Chinese insurance market to the world. Since 2017, China has been the world’s second largest insurance market, only next to the United States. Official data shows …
Comparative Guides
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France: Lending & Secured Finance
Published: April 2023
Authors: Alexandre Roth
This country-specific Q&A provides an overview of Lending & Secured Finance laws and regulations applicable in France.
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United States: International Arbitration
Published: November 2023
Authors: Matthew H. KirtlandKatie ConnollyEsha KambojEddie SkolnickErnesto M. Hernández
This country-specific Q&A provides an overview of International Arbitration laws and regulations applicable in United States.
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South Africa: Pharmaceutical Advertising
Published: December 2023
Authors: Natasha Naidoo
This country-specific Q&A provides an overview of Pharmaceutical Advertising laws and regulations applicable in South Africa.
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United Kingdom: Banking & Finance
Published: March 2024
Authors: Hannah Meakin Matthew GregorySimon Lovegrove Uzmah Yunis Lizzie Cox Hishaam Khan
This country-specific Q&A provides an overview of Banking & Finance laws and regulations applicable in United Kingdom.
- Corporate and commercial > Equity capital markets – small-mid cap
- Finance > Islamic finance
- Finance > Trade finance
- Finance > Transport finance and leasing
- Industry focus > Emerging markets
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Infrastructure: Project finance and development
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Mining and minerals
- Real estate > Commercial property: corporate occupiers
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Fintech
- Transport > Aviation
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Corporate and commercial > Equity capital markets – mid-large cap
- Corporate and commercial > Financial services: contentious
- Corporate and commercial > Financial services: non-contentious/regulatory
- Crime, fraud and licensing > Fraud: civil
- Dispute resolution > Commodities disputes
- Employment > Pensions (non-contentious)
- Finance > Asset based lending
- Finance > Debt capital markets
- Finance > Derivatives and structured products
- Finance > Securitisation
- Industry focus > Hospitality and leisure
- Industry focus > TMT
- Insurance > Insurance and reinsurance litigation
- Insurance > Insurance: corporate and regulatory
- Insurance > Professional negligence
- Investment fund formation and management > Listed funds
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Infrastructure: M&A and acquisition financing
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Oil and gas
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Power (including electricity, nuclear and renewables)
- Real estate > Commercial property: development
- Real estate > Construction: non-contentious
- Real estate > Environment
- Risk advisory > Corporate governance
- Risk advisory > Data protection, privacy and cybersecurity
- Risk advisory > Regulatory investigations and corporate crime (advice to corporates)
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > IT and telecoms
- Transport > Rail
Firm Rankings
- Corporate and commercial > Corporate tax
- Corporate and commercial > EU and competition
- Corporate and commercial > VAT and indirect tax
- Crime, fraud and licensing > Fraud: white-collar crime (advice to individuals)
- Dispute resolution > Banking litigation: investment and retail
- Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: premium
- Dispute resolution > Competition litigation
- Dispute resolution > International arbitration
- Dispute resolution > Tax litigation and investigations
- Employment > Employee share schemes
- Employment > Health and safety
- Finance > Bank lending: investment grade debt and syndicated loans
- Real estate > Commercial property: investment
- Real estate > Construction: contentious
- Real estate > Property finance
- Corporate and commercial > M&A: Upper Mid-Market And Premium Deals, £750m+
- Corporate and commercial > Private equity: transactions - mid-market deals (up to £250m)
- Employment > Employers
- Employment > Pensions: dispute resolution
- Real estate > Planning
- Real estate > Property litigation
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Intellectual property: trade marks, copyright and design
- Transport > Shipping
- Corporate and commercial > Venture capital
- Finance > Acquisition finance
- Finance > Corporate restructuring & insolvency