The Legal 500

Within Equity capital markets: UK capability, tier 6

Covington & Burling LLP’s team includes Paul Claydon, Natalie Diep, James Gubbins and James Halstead, following their move from Morrison & Foerster (UK) LLP. The firm advised on Vernalis plc’s £68.5m placing.

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Within Financial services, tier 5

Covington & Burling LLP is focused on non-contentious work for firms with an institutional client base, particularly in the investment management sector. Simon Currie is recommended.

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Within Flotations: small and mid-cap, Covington & Burling LLP is a third tier firm,

Paul Claydon’s team at Covington & Burling LLP includes Natalie Diep and James Gubbins, who advised Peel Hunt on a £25m placing for Tissue Regenix. Simon Amies, James Halstead and Peter Laveran-Stiebar are also well respected.

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Within M&A: mid-market, £50m-£250m,

Morrison & Foerster (UK) LLP stands out for its extensive technology and life sciences client base, and its London corporate team regularly has a hand in the larger deals generated by those sectors. In 2011 it advised Qatalyst Partners as lead financial adviser to Autonomy Corporation plc, in connection with the $10.2bn recommended offer made by Hewlett-Packard for Autonomy. Ed Lukins took over as head of corporate following the departure of Paul Claydon to Covington & Burling LLP.

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Within M&A: premium deals, £250m+, tier 7

Covington & Burling LLP moved to strengthen its M&A offering with the hire of a five-partner team from Morrison & Foerster (UK) LLP in May 2011, followed by Kristian Wiggert’s arrival in December 2011. The firm is particularly well known for its life sciences capability. Practice head Paul Claydon and Simon Amies are both recommended.

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Within Venture capital, Covington & Burling LLP is a third tier firm,

Its hire of a life sciences corporate team from Morrison & Foerster LLP in 2011 has transformed Covington & Burling LLP’s venture capital practice. James Gubbins is ‘one of the leading corporate lawyers specialising in healthcare in the UK industry’. Louise Nash focuses on cross-border mandates, and has advised SR One in a number of deals including its investment (as part of a consortium) in Austrian and UK-based biotech company FStar. Paul Claydon and James Halstead are also recommended.

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Within Fraud: civil, tier 5

Steptoe & Johnson is assisting numerous European companies in relation to compliance with EU economic sanctions and export control matters. Ray Werbicki heads the team. David Lorello is now at Covington & Burling LLP.

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Within Fraud: corporate crime, Covington & Burling LLP is a third tier firm,

Covington & Burling LLP’s John Rupp is well regarded, and has a ‘fantastic international practice’. Casey Cooper joined the team from Baker Botts (UK) LLP.

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Within Commercial litigation, tier 6

Covington & Burling LLP’s caseload includes complex disputes flowing from corporate transactions and commercial contracts, and insurance coverage, administrative law, competition law, IP, and product liability cases. Team head Roger Enock and John Rupp are recommended, and Richard Mattick ‘deals with urgent matters in a clear-headed way’.

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Within International arbitration, Covington & Burling LLP is a third tier firm,

Covington & Burling LLP’s European arbitration team is led by Gaëtan Verhoosel, and includes Roger Enock and Stephen Bond. It has a substantial investment treaty arbitration practice, and handles insurance coverage cases for policyholders. Senior associate Carmen Martínez López has experience in commercial and investor-state arbitration, particularly Latin America related.

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Within Investment funds, Covington & Burling LLP is a second tier firm,

Covington & Burling LLP’s private equity and venture capital team advised Pantheon-managed entities on restructuring and investments. Practice head Simon Goodworth is recommended.

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Within Employment: employers and senior executives, tier 7

The small but experienced team at Covington & Burling LLP advises the firm’s heavyweight clients on a variety of employment issues. Christopher Walter led advice to Merck & Co on the employment implications of the reverse merger with Schering-Plough, including collective redundancies.

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Within Insurance litigation: for policyholders, Covington & Burling LLP is a first tier firm,

Covington & Burling LLP team acts solely for policyholders, in relation to mass tort liabilities, catastrophic losses, property losses, and D&O and E&O exposures. Roger Enock heads the European policyholder practice, and ‘brings a wealth of insurance experience and sound judgement’. Of counsel Richard Mattick is a ‘first-rate lawyer with particular knowledge of asbestos claims’. The team has had success challenging solvent schemes of arrangement via judicial challenges, and has been representing ExxonMobil and others in opposing the Scottish Lion solvent scheme.

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Within Product liability: defendant, tier 4

Covington & Burling LLP has an ‘extensive knowledge resource flowing from the London, Washington and Brussels offices to provide joined-up advice’. It has notable expertise in food law regulation, led by ‘excellent analyst’ Brian Kelly.

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Within Public affairs, Covington & Burling LLP is a second tier firm,

Covington & Burling LLP’s ‘excellent and dedicated team’ is supported by specialists in areas such as information technology and financial services. The firm is advising the Business Software Alliance on EU patent proposals, and working with various companies on a strategy addressing China’s trade barriers. Other clients include Microsoft and Privacy international. Practice head Lisa Peets is recommended.

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Within Data protection, Covington & Burling LLP is a second tier firm,

Covington & Burling LLP provides ‘practical and business-savvy advice’ on international data privacy matters, and ‘there is no other firm out there that has the intersection of data protection and pharmaceutical industry experience’. Highlights included advising the World Anti-Doping Agency on complaints to the EC; assisting Microsoft on privacy issues regarding its acquisition of Skype; and advising pharmaceutical companies on BCR applications. Daniel Cooper is ‘extremely measured and practical’ in his advice on European privacy matters.

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Within Intellectual property, tier 4

Covington & Burling LLP provides ‘consistently solid advice’ on IP protection, licensing and enforcement matters, particularly regarding online technology and life sciences. Practice head Lisa Peets is advising Business Software Alliance on proposals regarding UK copyright legislation reform. Of counsel Morag Peberdy has both transactional and contentious experience.

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Within IT and telecoms, tier 5

Covington & Burling LLP’s Lisa Peets handles online-related regulatory and enforcement matters. Daniel Pavin handles licensing and commercial agreements. Clients include Microsoft, O2 and CBS Interactive.

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Within Media and entertainment, tier 5

Covington & Burling LLP advised multi-screen software innovator SeaChange International on the sale of On Demand Group to Avail-TVN. Practice head Lisa Peets is advising US sports leagues on the implications of the Karen Murphy Premier League case. Jane Anthony is particularly strong on content licensing deals. Michael Kingston advises sports broadcasters on internet monitoring. Managing partner Louise Nash advised Armani on its collaboration with Rihanna.

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Within Pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, Covington & Burling LLP is a first tier firm,

Covington & Burling LLP has ‘consistently exceptional expertise across its entire team’, with particular strength in corporate and commercial work. It advised Vernalis on a licensing agreement and related £68.5m IPO, and acted for Axis-Shield on its £235m public takeover by Alere. Lucinda Osborne, who is ‘an excellent communicator, client-centric, with great industry knowledge’, acts for clients such as Novartis Vaccines and Boehringer Ingelheim on commercial agreements. On the regulatory side, Grant Castle advised Novartis in judicial review proceedings against NHS care trusts, and Morag Peberdy advised on various IP agreements. The team continues to develop its anti-corruption practice, with Kristian Wiggert joining from Morrison & Foerster (UK) LLP in late 2011.

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Within Sport Sport

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