The Legal 500

Within Corporate tax, tier 4

Rising in the ranking, the ‘strong team’ at Simmons & Simmons’ strengths include M&A and hedge fund work. The firm advised on the establishment of investment platforms for various hedge fund management clients including BlueCrest, RAB Capital and MKM Longboat, and also acted on Aon’s £850m acquisition of Benfield plc. Martin Shah is ‘an excellent all-rounder’, and Nick Cronkshaw is ‘very knowledgeable and sensible’.

Within Equity capital markets -UK capability, tier 5

Simmons & Simmons’ team was boosted by the arrival of Chris Horton from Lovells LLP. The ‘one-stop shop’ firm reports an increase in underwriter mandates, and received first-time instructions from JPMorgan Cazenove. Tim Field is recommended.

Within EU and competition , tier 4

Simmons & Simmons has celebrated traditions in this arena and continues to impress in a number of areas, including roles in judicial review, the life sciences environment, and heavily regulated sectors such has mail, water and energy. It also continued to advise the Kier Group in relation to the OFT’s investigation into bid-rigging in the construction sector. Martin Smith heads the international practice, which includes Tony Woodgate, Charles Bankes and Jenny Block in London.

Within Financial services, Simmons & Simmons is a third tier firm,

Simmons & Simmons has enviable investment banking and hedge fund clients. The practice advised clients with exposure to LBIE, and the contentious team advised Liberata Financial Services in connection with enforcement proceedings. Sarah Bowles is noted for cross-border market abuse issues, and Darren Fox and Charlotte Stalin are recommended for regulatory work. Richard Sims joined from the FSA’s Enforcement Division.

Within Flotations - small and mid-cap, Simmons & Simmons is a second tier firm,

Mark Curtis’ team at Simmons & Simmons was boosted by the arrival of Chris Horton from Lovells LLP. Recent highlights include advising Kentz Corporation and TGE Marine on their respective admissions (£134m and £158m). Other clients include Nufcor Uranium, Synchronica and Collins Stewart.

Within M&A - upper mid-market and premium deals, £250m+, tier 7

Energy, TMT, financial institutions and life sciences are key sectors for Simmons & Simmons, which completed 20 deals worth just under £100m each in 2008. Paul Exley’s work advising an energy company on the sale of two French refineries for a total of almost US$1.6bn was a highlight. Mark Curtis heads an 18-partner team.

Within Private equity , tier 6

Leading hedge fund adviser Simmons & Simmons offers a ‘well-led and effective’ private equity service, and strengthened its credentials by hiring Matt Rees from O’Melveny & Myers LLP.

Within VAT and indirect tax, tier 4

Also rising a tier, Simmons & Simmons ‘fields a strong team of tax lawyers’. It is advising Nationwide Building Society on the VAT issues relating to a new agreement for the supply of cash to its ATM machines in England and Wales. Paul Hale heads the VAT practice, and Nick Cronkshaw is ‘very knowledgeable and sensible’.

Within Fraud - commercial and regulatory investigations, Simmons & Simmons is a second tier firm,

Simmons & Simmons has some ‘very sensible’ fraud lawyers; Nick Benwell is ‘absolutely first class’, and Louise Delahunty is ‘technically very good’. The firm continues to act for Prince Jefri of Brunei in a claim alleging fraud by his legal advisers.

Within Fraud - crime , Simmons & Simmons is a third tier firm,

Simmons & Simmons continues its progress in criminal fraud work; the team, under money laundering expert Louise Delahunty, advised clients on seven SFO investigations in 2008.

Within Overview,

In response, City firms such as Simmons & Simmons are developing in-house criminal law capabilities. Conversely, traditional crime firms such as Peters & Peters are moving into corporate and civil law. Nonetheless, the market insists that traditional criminal fraud specialists are favoured for individuals seeking defence, particularly since individuals who have had assets frozen will have to seek legal aid to pay for legal services. The Fraud: commercial and regulatory investigations section covers firms experienced in civil fraud prosecutions and those that advise on compliance issues with regulators such as the FSA and the Securities Exchange Commission in the US.

Within Banking litigation, Simmons & Simmons is a second tier firm,

Also known for its big-case experience, Simmons & Simmons continued to represent WestLB in the high-profile Box Clever litigation in 2008, and acted for UBS in its case against HSH Nordbank, a rare example of a bank-on-bank dispute. Continuing to sit within the firm’s financial markets department, the team’s financial products knowledge is unrivalled. It is highly regarded for its ‘responsiveness’, ‘strategising’ and ‘commitment to the client’. The firm also heightened its retail banking expertise in 2008 through the hire of Marc Thorley from Clifford Chance. Jonathan Kelly and Colin Passmore are two of the most prominent banking litigators in the City, and work alongside Robert Turner, Christopher Braithwaite, Richard Bunce and William Rodger.

Within Commercial litigation, tier 4

Simmons & Simmons is especially well regarded for financial services and fraud-related disputes, a position that was bolstered by the recruitment of Marc Thorley from Clifford Chance and Richard Sims from the FSA. It has been representing Barclays Bank in the OFT’s bank charges case, and also advised Masri in its wide-reaching US$100m dispute over an interest in a Yemeni oilfield, which has involved the House of Lords and the ECHR. Ian Hammond heads the team, which includes highly rated partners Colin Passmore, Nick Benwell, Jonathan Kelly and Louise Delahunty.

Within International arbitration, tier 4

Jointly headed by Simon Morgan and the ‘hardworking, well-reputed, trustworthy and experienced’ David Sandy, Simmons & Simmons’ ‘superb’ team covers a wide range of areas, including energy, TMT, life sciences and financial services. Robert Turner has an ‘excellent feel for what is important tactically to get the best result’.

Within Overview,

Thus far, the main beneficiaries have been those firms with strong backgrounds in banking and commodities, sectors which were the first victims of the fallout of the credit crunch and the resultant downturn. The former category is largely made up of Magic Circle and major City firms, such as Allen & Overy LLP, Clifford Chance, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, Linklaters LLP, Herbert Smith LLP, Lovells LLP, Simmons & Simmons, and Slaughter and May, all of which have excellent track records in financial services related disputes. In the latter, firms with strong experience in areas such as shipping, including Clyde & Co LLP, Ince & Co, and Holman Fenwick Willan LLP, have benefited from an uptick in disputes, thanks largely to major fluctuations in commodities prices.

Within Acquisition finance, tier 4

Simmons & Simmons continues to recruit fresh blood into its banking group, with Alyson Lockett and Simon Fraser joining from Allen & Overy LLP and SJ Berwin LLP respectively. The team, under Mark Norris and Simon Middleton, advises various lenders, and the firm’s hedge fund expertise adds an extra dimension that may prove helpful in the distressed arena.

Within Asset finance and leasing, tier 4

Simmons & Simmons handles aircraft financing as part of its wider aviation practice, and receives praise for its ‘commercially oriented and timely advice’. Mark Moody ‘has all the expertise on ECA-supported aircraft financing transactions that we could ever need’, and led the team’s appointment to the European ECA panel for Airbus financings, as well as acting for Aviation Capital Group on the sale and leaseback of two Airbus A330 aircraft to Avianca. Practice head Kim Walkling has particular expertise on military projects, and continues to advise the MoD on a number of high-value PFI asset-based projects. Christopher Boresjo is also recommended.

Within Bank lending - investment grade debt and syndicated loans , tier 4

Simmons & Simmons provides a ‘very timely and responsive’ service to an impressive portfolio of banks and corporates including Bank of America, Barclays Bank, HSBC, British Land, HMV and Telefónica, and has been protected to some extent from the economic crisis by the diversity of its practice. It advised Barclays Capital on various emerging markets cross-border financings in Africa. Simon Middleton is a ‘good, solid, focused lawyer’, and recently advised HMV Group plc on a £220m credit facility.

Within Commodities and futures - futures, Simmons & Simmons is a first tier firm,

‘Excellent - a market leader’, Simmons & Simmons’ comprehensive futures practice handles contentious and non-contentious matters, including advising on futures funds. It advised new client Fortis Bank on US-UK commodity derivatives trading; assisted clients with post-Lehman futures exposures; and is representing Marex Financial in US$100m default and closeout proceedings against a Brazilian sugar trader. Practice head Jonathan Melrose is ‘ideal for complex issues’; litigator Robert Turner is ‘excellent both in court and arbitration’; and Darren Fox and Charlotte Stalin are also recommended.

Within Corporate restructuring and insolvency, tier 6

Headed by the ‘estimable’ Peter Manning, Simmons & Simmons’ three-partner team has seen some interesting mandates arising out of the collapse of Lehman Brothers. Tapping into the firm’s vast hedge fund expertise, the team represented the Managed Funds Association (the US hedge fund industry body) in lobbying activities following the collapse of the bank, and also advised over 90 hedge funds seeking to recover assets from LBIE.

Within Debt capital markets, tier 4

Simmons & Simmons got some MTN programmes away in late 2008, with Ian Sideris advising arranger JPMorgan Chase on one of the first FDIC-guaranteed bonds. The firm also advised managers including RBS on notes under Centrica’s US$4bn EMTN programme, and advised on the Republic of Lithuania’s sovereign issue. Clients appreciate the high level of partner involvement, with Jonathan Hammond noted for his work for banks as arrangers and trustees, and David Roylance for his experience in hybrids.

Within Derivatives and structured products, Simmons & Simmons is a second tier firm,

David Roylance’s specialist derivatives practice makes Simmons & Simmons ‘a go-to firm for investment banks and buy-side clients in a time of crisis’, and many hedge fund clients have been seeking its help on Lehman Brothers exposures and regulatory developments. Sean Bulmer is busy with equity derivatives; the commercially minded Alan Yip, who joined from Bear Stearns, brings ‘great industry knowledge and acumen’; and Antony Bryceson is praised for his depth of knowledge. The firm has some experienced derivatives litigators, and Jonathan Melrose stands out for his regulatory skills.

Within Emerging markets, tier 4

Philip Abbott is recommended at Simmons & Simmons.

Within Hedge funds, Simmons & Simmons is a first tier firm,

Simmons & Simmons’ superb practice continues to have the edge over the competition. The standalone team offers a first-class, cradle-to-grave service, including day-to-day advice, regulatory work, fund formation, and restructuring, which has become increasingly relevant in today’s market. The firm is advising close to 100 funds on issues relating to the collapse of Lehman Brothers, and also advised Altima on the restructuring and relaunch of several of its funds. Steven Whittaker, Richard Perry, Neil Simmonds and Iain Cullen all come highly recommended.

Within Investment funds, Simmons & Simmons is a third tier firm,

Simmons & Simmons is ‘a first-rate investment funds firm’ that delivers ‘high-quality and user-friendly advice’, and has ‘excellent know-how’. The team is unrivalled for its expertise in hedge funds, and is increasingly active on private equity and regulated funds. A recent highlight was advising Brevan Howard on the launch of its first regulated fund vehicle, Brevan Howard Investment Fund. Andre Allee and Ian Meade have been promoted to partner, and the firm has also recruited Allan Yip as a partner from Bear Stearns.

Within Islamic finance, tier 4

Simmons & Simmons leverages its funds practice to advise on shari’ah-compliant structures, with Muneer Khan heading the Islamic finance group. Clients include Allianz and BLME.

Within Overview,

High-ranking practices outside the Magic Circle include Ashurst LLP, for acquisition finance and derivatives; Denton Wilde Sapte LLP, for restructuring, asset finance and trade finance; Lovells LLP, for Islamic and trade finance; Norton Rose LLP, for asset finance and Islamic finance; SJ Berwin LLP for investment funds; and Simmons & Simmons, for hedge funds and derivatives. Clyde & Co LLP, Holman Fenwick Willan LLP, Ince & Co and Reed Smith account for the top tier of the commodities ranking, a practice area which relies heavily on a complementary shipping practice.

Within Securitisation, Simmons & Simmons is a third tier firm,

Stephen Moller, Simon Schiff and James Bresslaw stand out at Simmons & Simmons, which in 2008 advised Morgan Stanley on the expansion of its global trade payables platform, and new client Standard Bank on its Blue Granite securitisation programme. The firm also advises hedge funds on securitisation of distressed debt. RBS, JPMorgan and Fitch Ratings are among itskey clients.

Within Employee share schemes, tier 5

Monica Ma at Simmons & Simmons is ‘prompt and proactive’.

Within Employment, Simmons & Simmons is a first tier firm,

Offering ‘thorough and technical knowledge’, Simmons & Simmons has seen recent instructions on cross-border and multi-jurisdictional restructurings. High-profile contentious work includes acting for Natixis Corporate & Investment Bank on a £3m whistleblowing claim, and Associated British Ports on multiple unfair dismissals claims. Clients single out Julian Taylor as ‘fantastic and user friendly’, and Philip Bartlett and Simon Watson are recommended for their ‘exhaustive technical knowledge’.

Within Health and safety, Simmons & Simmons is a second tier firm,

Simmons & Simmons advises on a mix of contentious, non-contentious and regulatory issues for power, mining and petrochemical companies. Jacqui O’Keeffe heads the practice and is recommended along with James Taylor.

Within Pensions (incl pensions dispute resolution), Simmons & Simmons is a third tier firm,

Many also predict a growth in litigation around defined contribution pensions. But at present the bulk of pensions litigation revolves around rectification issues, equalisation, employer debt and insolvency cases, and professional negligence claims. Almost all professional negligence claims can be relied on to settle. The most substantial pensions cases of the year were Foster Wheeler and Pilots, and the conclusion of the current phase of the Sea Containers case. Addleshaw Goddard LLP, Linklaters LLP, Lovells LLP, Pinsent Masons LLP, Sacker & Partners LLP and Simmons & Simmons all have litigation partners who spend all or a majority of their time on pensions disputes, but for the most part our rankings for contentious work reflect the ability of the pensions department to run a case in cooperation with colleagues from the commercial litigation team.

Within Pensions (incl pensions dispute resolution), Simmons & Simmons is a third tier firm,

At Simmons & Simmons, Michael Wyman’s ‘thorough and painstaking’ advice to schemes he has ‘taken the trouble to understand’ inspires ‘total confidence’. Together with partner Monica Ma, Wyman represents an offering that is ‘responsive’, ‘personal’, and draws on ‘genuinely broad knowledge of the pensions sector’. Ian Hammond is a ‘clear’, ‘thorough’ and ‘strategically sound’ advocate. Caroline Hunter-Yeats is an excellent choice for complex disputes, including cases where actuarial advice is at issue.

Within Insurance - corporate and regulatory, tier 4

At Simmons & Simmons, Jennifer Donohue’s forte lies in longevity swaps and insurance-linked securities. She also has considerable experience in the application of cross-border European Commission directives in the insurance single European market. Christopher Braithwaite heads the department. Key clients include Royal London.

Within Insurance and reinsurance litigation, tier 5

Simmons & Simmons is acting for the architects in the defence of claims brought by Brookfield relating to the construction of the new Wembley stadium. Key figures include practice head Christopher Braithwaite and James Pollock. In addition to its coverage work, the practice handles a range of high-end claims work spanning D&O, product liability, financial institutions, professional liability and reinsurance.

Within Product liability - defendant, tier 4

Simmons & Simmons’ strengths include the consumer goods, IT, telecommunications and retail sectors. Miles Alexander has broad experience in defending multi-party claims across various jurisdictions, and Mark Dewar specialises in consumer products and services relating to risk management strategy.

Within Professional negligence, tier 4

Noted for its ‘no-nonsense approach’, Simmons & Simmons’ four-partner team is led by Colin Passmore, who is praised for his ‘excellent response times and accessibility to clients’. The recommended Caroline Hunter-Yeats was promoted to partner in 2008, and Ian Hammond is singled out by clients.

Within Infrastructure, tier 4

Simmons & Simmons retains a strong focus on the defence, waste and transport sectors, and this pays dividends in an enviable client list; the team counts MoD, the Waste Recycling Group and Network Rail as key clients. Its solid Middle East network also reaps rewards, with recent highlights including continuing to advise the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority on the Dubai Metro project. Team head Juliet Reingold and ‘responsive’ partner Richard Dyton are both recommended.

Within Mining and minerals, Simmons & Simmons is a third tier firm,

Simmons & Simmons continues to advise International Power as sponsor on the revised Mmamabula power and mining project in Botswana and South Africa. Corporate finance partner Richard May is singled out for his ‘useful insight into the mining market’.

Within Oil and gas, Simmons & Simmons is a third tier firm,

Simmons & Simmons has experience across the full gamut of up, mid and downstream oil and gas, with a focus on LNG projects. The high-profile Nabucco pipeline is a notable recent matter; the firm is advising the project company on the €5bn Turkey-to-Austria gas pipeline.

Within Power (including electricity, nuclear and renewables) , tier 4

Simmons & Simmons advised Carbon Trust Enterprises on the landmark £500m Partnerships for Renewables project, a joint venture with HSBC Environmental Infrastructure Fund. Clients praise partners for ‘their depth of experience, maturity and pragmatism’, with Julian Nichol highly regarded.

Within Private finance initiative(PFI) , Simmons & Simmons is a second tier firm,

Simmons & Simmons’ PFI team is jointly headed by Richard Dyton and Juliet Reingold and has a strong reputation for defence work. Among recent matters, it is advising the MoD on the £13bn Defence Training Review Rationalisation Project - the UK Government’s largest-remaining PFI in procurement. The Dubai Roads & Transport Authority, Network Rail and Viridor are also clients.

Within Water, tier 4

Simmons & Simmons has lawyers with ‘all-round viewpoints and serious experience’. Highlights include advising major industrial water user Iggesund Paperboard on a large non-potable water supply agreement.

Within Administrative and public law, Simmons & Simmons is a second tier firm,

Simmons & Simmons is a ‘strong firm for public law’, led by Jenny Block and Philip Vaughan, who displays ‘impressive analytical skills’. The practice spans financial services, life sciences, energy and infrastructure, and technology, media and telecoms. The team advised Virgin Media and O2 on commercial and regulatory matters, as well as the Civil Aviation Authority and Transport for London (TfL).

Within Commercial property, tier 4

Simmons & Simmons showed its strength in the development sector when it advised Network Rail in the £1bn redevelopment of Euston Station. The team is also recommended for investment and fund work, and acted for Deka on the £550m acquisition of a series of central London properties. Alan Butler, John Sirs and Carol Hewson are all recommended.

Within Construction, tier 5

Simmons & Simmons combines City skills with a practical knowledge of construction, under Richard Dyton. The practice is primarily geared to support the firm’s wider strengths in PFI/PPP, waste management, transport and energy, but James Pollock adds PI expertise, representing clients such as Mitsui Sumitomo and QBE. The team is representing the architects in relation to Wembley Stadium’s construction, a matter that recently involved TCC litigation.

Within Environment, tier 4

Simmons & Simmons’ team, led by the ‘extremely competent’ Jacqui O’Keeffe, provides ‘excellent advice in difficult circumstances’, and has developed nuclear energy expertise. The group regularly provides PFI-related advice for clients including Veolia. Its contentious capabilities include environmental criminal investigations.

Within Property finance, Simmons & Simmons is a third tier firm,

Simmons & Simmons’ recent work includes advising banks on recovery strategies, and it also advised The Great Capital Partnership on a £225m facility secured against prime London properties. The group strengthened its resources with the arrival of Philip Beer from Herbert Smith LLP and Rachel Francis-Lang from Eversheds LLP. Richard Hughes leads the team.

Within Property litigation, tier 4

Simmons & Simmons acts for Bank of America among others, and has seen an upsurge of instructions from Network Rail in relation to station redevelopments.

Within Intellectual property, Simmons & Simmons is a third tier firm,

Simmons & Simmons’ ‘gold-standard’ practice has been boosted by the hire of trade mark litigation partner David Stone - who provides ‘cutting-edge advice and gives superb client service’ - and his team of three from Howrey LLP. Stone adds his trade mark filing and brands practice - which brings clients including Coca-Cola - to that of Adrian Smith, whose clients include Bacardi. Senior associate Paul Inman has left to join Howrey LLP, while partner Jeremy Morton is now at Fasken Martineau LLP. Kevin Mooney led the advice to Lundbeck in the high-profile House of Lords patent dispute with Generics (UK).

Within Intellectual property, Simmons & Simmons is a third tier firm,

Howrey LLP wins promotion in the ranking due to the strong reputations of the ‘excellent’ Richard Willoughby, the ‘top-drawer’ Mark Hodgson - who has just become the firm’s London managing partner - and the ‘very highly regarded’ Marjan Noor. The firm recently won a groundbreaking patent case for Eli Lilly after the High Court handed down its first-ever judgment on the patentability of human genes. Trade mark partner David Stone moved to Simmons & Simmons, while patent litigation partner Paul Inman, formerly a senior associate at Simmons & Simmons, joined the office. Inman’s track record includes the Lundbeck case in the House of Lords, work in which he co-acted with his former firm after his move.

Within IT and telecoms, Simmons & Simmons is a third tier firm,

Simmons & Simmons acted for several major public sector clients this year. The ‘proactive and truly adaptable’ team, headed by Michael Sinclair, also advised Virgin Media and TfL on its congestion charging project.

Within Overview,

Among the City law firms, Herbert Smith LLP in particular has a growing reputation in the TMT sector, and has notable patent litigation prowess. Allen & Overy LLP is also strong in IP, while Lovells LLP and Birmingham-based Wragge & Co LLP both have an international dimension to their practices. Simmons & Simmons has a genuine specialist interest in the TMT sector, while very few firms are able to compete with Baker & McKenzie LLP for its level of expertise on issues surrounding the convergence of telecoms and IT services. DLA Piper UK LLP has strong all-round IP strength, while SJ Berwin LLP is also highly regarded despite closing its top-tier film finance department.

Within Overview,

The move of John Olsen and his team is only one manifestation of a high degree of lateral movement of partners in the market. Other high-profile moves include that of trade mark partner Simon Tracey, who joined Mishcon de Reya from Davenport Lyons, and David Stone, who is now a trade mark partner at Simmons & Simmons, following his move from Howrey LLP.

Within Pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, Simmons & Simmons is a first tier firm,

Simmons & Simmons’ Richard Binns heads an ‘excellent’ team. He is active on licensing and regulatory work, and his key clients for clinical trials agreements include Takeda. Gavin Weir’s corporate work in the sector has recently included advising Alliance Medical - with which the firm has maintained its longstanding relationship following its acquisition by Dubai International Capital last year - on four acquisitions of companies which own diagnostic centres.

Within Aviation, Simmons & Simmons is a third tier firm,

Simmons & Simmons’ aviation practice is particularly well known for its inter-governmental work, with lead partner and regulatory expert Kim Walkling advising on the MoD’s UK Flying Training System Project, involving novel regulatory issues locally and internationally. Regulatory and insurance specialist Chris Boresjo has been advising Finnair on currency and fuel hedging arrangements, while litigation expert Nick Benwell has been heavily involved in repossession and maintenance disputes.

Within Rail, Simmons & Simmons is a third tier firm,

Simmons & Simmons’ rail team sits within its broader projects practice, providing it with a strong international platform to complement its PPP sector work within the UK. Headed by Juliet Reingold, the team is on Network Rail’s legal panel, providing it with ongoing infrastructure and regulatory advice, and continues to act for the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority on the Dubai Metro Project.