The Legal 500

Within Corporate tax, tier 5

Clients are impressed by the ‘combination of commercial acumen and legal technical expertise’ provided by the tax team at Mayer Brown International LLP, which has notable restructuring expertise alongside a strong transactional practice, and advised GMAC LLC on one of the largest debt reconstructions of 2008. Peter Steiner provides ‘highly relevant advice’, and Sandy Bhogal is also well regarded.

Within EU and competition , tier 6

Mayer Brown International LLP is consistently recognised for its work in the life sciences and pharmaceutical environments, and is praised for its ‘responsiveness’ and ‘industry knowledge’ in a range of sectors. In this respect Frances Murphy ‘stands head and shoulders above other competition law practitioners’, and is ‘good in a crisis’. In 2008, the firm represented Unilever in the OFT’s price-fixing investigation into the grocery market, and advised AstraZeneca on the European Commission’s investigation into the pharmaceutical sector. Gillian Sproul is the second partner in the team.

Within Financial services, tier 5

At Mayer Brown International LLP, Angela Hayes is noted for contentious matters; Ed Sautter for money laundering and fraud issues; and Peter Richards-Carpenter for non-contentious issues. The team advised a major global financial institution following investigations by US and European regulatory authorities.

Within Flotations - small and mid-cap, Mayer Brown is a third tier firm,

Mayer Brown International LLP advised Marwyn Materials on its £13.6m AIM IPO. Stephanie Bates and Robert Hamill are recommended.

Within M&A - upper mid-market and premium deals, £250m+, tier 6

The departure of senior partner and leading corporate star Paul Maher inevitably affects the look of Mayer Brown International LLP’s corporate offering in London, though there is still a strong lineup of partners, headed by Peter Dickinson and including Stephanie Bates and William Charnley. Industrial, pharmaceuticals and telecoms clients such as Unilever, Akzo Nobel and Dow Chemicals are a mainstay of the practice, which completed some 28 UK deals totalling £4.6bn last year.

Within M&A - US law capability, Mayer Brown is a third tier firm,

Pharmaceuticals and chemicals are among Mayer Brown International LLP’s sector strengths. Thefirm advised Fujitsu on its €450m acquisition ofSiemens’ 50% stake in the Fujitsu Siemens PC joint venture. Paul de Bernier and Jeffrey Gordon ‘have great reputations’.

Within Outsourcing and procurement, Mayer Brown is a second tier firm,

Mayer Brown International LLP continues to advise on multi-jurisdictional ITOs and BPOs. The team, led by the ‘dynamic’ Peter Dickinson, acted for Unilever on the high-value outsourcing of its international computer services. On the telecoms side, it is on the panel of several international providers and continues to handle significant outsourcing work for longstanding client AT&T.

Within Private equity , tier 6

Alistair Bird’s four-partner team at Mayer Brown International LLP benefits from the firm’s strong France and Germany presence and the ‘excellent commercial judgment’ of William Charnley.

Within VAT and indirect tax, tier 4

Mayer Brown International LLP offers ‘a good combination of commercial acumen and legal expertise’. Clients include Canary Wharf Group, Unilever, Allied Irish Bank and RBS. Peter Steiner is ‘a great personality, with a great depth of knowledge’.

Within Banking litigation, Mayer Brown is a third tier firm,

Mayer Brown International LLP’s London office has amassed a vastly impressive list of UK and transatlantic cases. The large London team has attracted a tremendous client portfolio of major investment banks, hedge funds and other financial institutions. It has also handled a series of major cases relating to SIVs and is supported by a leading financial regulatory team in the US, as well as contentious regulatory specialist Angela Hayes in London. Andrew Legg, Ian McDonald, Ed Sautter and David Allen have fine reputations.

Within Commercial litigation, tier 4

The ‘service is excellent’ at Mayer Brown International LLP, which is praised for its ‘very prompt response times and good business acumen’. The team acts for a spread of major corporates, financial institutions and Big Four accountants on a range of contentious issues. It is currently representing Ernst & Young on matters arising from its audits of investment funds that had dealings with Bernard Madoff Securities. David Allen heads the ‘good-value’ team, which is ‘excellent at liaising with the other side in a diplomatic manner in order not to up the antagonism’. Andrew Legg, Clare Canning and the ‘excellent’ Stuart Pickford are recommended.

Within Defamation and privacy

Within International arbitration, tier 4

Michael Regan’s team at Mayer Brown International LLP is noted for its ‘very good legal support and commercial orientation. They understand our desire to settle and obtain commercial objectives and are supportive of efforts to mediate at the earliest opportunity’. Philippa Charles is singled out as a ‘good strategic thinker with very strong written advocacy, which makes her an easy go-to lawyer’. Clients include Schering-Plough, Costain Oil and the Government of Jordan.

Within Overview,

In the main litigation categories, the top tiers are largely made up of UK firms, or US firms with large UK offices, such as Mayer Brown International LLP, Reed Smith, Baker & McKenzie LLP, and White & Case LLP; these all have the strong full-service capabilities necessary to support successful litigation teams. The one exception is in tax litigation, where US firm Dorsey & Whitney is a clear market leader, despite its relatively small London presence.

Within Acquisition finance, tier 5

Mayer Brown International LLP’s focus on the asset-based lending sphere and ‘top-notch service’ are helping it cement relationships with major banks.

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

Although it is fed to some extent from its pre-eminent US practice, Mayer Brown International LLP’s increasingly established London offering has built up some ‘strong and deeply entrenched banking relationships’ with the likes of RBS, Allied Irish and Nationwide. The team is regularly involved in deals requiring cross-departmental and multi-office input, and acted for GMAC on its complex US$60bn refinancing and restructuring. Ian Coles is ‘very experienced and pragmatic’, and senior associate Richard Todd ‘has excellent market knowledge and provides sound advice’.

Within Corporate restructuring and insolvency, tier 6

Benefiting from a broad international footprint and also able to tap into significant expertise in complementary finance areas, Mayer Brown International LLP is an increasingly visible player in the London market, particularly for its banking clients. Praised for its ability to ‘understand complicated legal issues and provide common-sense advice’, the team’s recent highlights include advising GMAC on its US$60bn multi-jurisdictional restructuring. The team is led by the ‘solid and calm’ Ian McDonald, and includes key partners Devi Shah (‘a safe pair of hands’); Ashley Katz (‘very bright and dedicated’); and David Morrison (‘excellent on non- contentious work’).

Within Debt capital markets, tier 6

Mayer Brown International LLP’s Drew Salvest advised Technikabank on the first international offering by an Azerbaijani issuer. The team is noted for its responsiveness, with the ‘personable, polite, calm and good humoured’ John Taylor standing out.

Within Derivatives and structured products, Mayer Brown is a third tier firm,

‘The most responsive and client-orientated firm’, Mayer Brown International LLP’s team is ‘smart, honest, more realistic and pragmatic than others’. Ed Parker embodies its ‘fair, objective and rigorous approach’, and is well liked throughout the industry, and recently authored a key work on managing credit events. Clients praise Elana Hahn’s ‘consistent high quality of work in complex transactions’, and Stephen Day, who ‘ensures a smooth and secure outcome’.

Within Emerging markets, Mayer Brown is a third tier firm,

Mayer Brown International LLP’s practice is headed by Drew Salvest, a partner with ‘vast experience’ that complements the practice’s reach across the CIS and CEE. ‘Thoughtful and thorough’ project finance head Ian Coles has been key to the development of the practice in Africa.

Within Hedge funds, tier 5

Mayer Brown International LLP has a strong reputation on the transactional side, thanks to the expertise of William Charnley. Active clients include Laxey Partners, Mason Capital and Polygon.

Within Investment funds, tier 5

Mayer Brown International LLP’s active team is experienced in private equity, infrastructure and real estate funds. A major highlight was advising UBS Global Asset Management on the US$1.5bn capital raising for its UBS International Infrastructure Fund. Tim Nosworthy is recommended.

Within Securitisation, Mayer Brown is a third tier firm,

Mayer Brown International LLP’s Elana Hahn became ‘a market phenomenon’ with large deals in 2008, notably significant CDOs for the likes of Natixis, and Dominic Griffiths advised ABN AMRO and RBS on an £8bn global covered bond programme. The firm has also been busy with restructuring deals and SIVs, with Stephen Day and now Ashley Katz (who joined from Allen & Overy LLP) prominent. The firm advises the European Securitisation Forum on its industry guidelines, now endorsed by the UK government for meeting transparency expectations for its RMBS Guarantee Scheme. Bruce Bloomingdale – now the firm's London head of finance – has an outstanding record in the area.

Within Employment, Mayer Brown is a third tier firm,

At Mayer Brown International LLP, Christopher Fisher and Bernadette Daley deliver ‘pragmatic solutions and real business advice’. In 2008 it advised EMI Group on a restructuring following its acquisition by Terra Firma, and also advised EMI/Terra Firma on the appointment of a new senior management team. Nicholas Robertson is recommended for his ‘sound, astute and practical advice, coupled with a great awareness of business drivers’. Julian Roskill stepped down as a partner at the end of 2008, although he remains with the group on a part-time advisory basis.

Within Pensions (incl pensions dispute resolution), Mayer Brown is a first tier firm,

Client testimony confirms that the spot left vacant at Mayer Brown International LLP by the retirement of two eminent pensions partners in recent years has been more than compensated for by the presence of partners Anna Rogers, Philippa James, Martin Scott, Ian Wright and Beverly Cox. From ‘top to bottom’ the team is ‘incredibly knowledgeable and always helpful’. Advice is ‘innovative’, ‘concise’ and ‘very commercial’, for employers and trustees alike. The practice is working especially closely with colleagues in the firm’s finance department, and on the disputes side Deborah Latimer is ‘collegiate’ and ‘practical’ whilst retaining ‘an eye for detail’.

Within Insurance - corporate and regulatory, tier 4

LG advised Arthur J. Gallagher on its acquisition of Oxygen Insurance Managers. A year of change at a senior level saw the arrival of Richard Everett from the FSA, and the departure of Martin Mankabady to Mayer Brown International LLP. NFU Mutual and Generali are clients.

Within Insurance - corporate and regulatory, tier 4

Karen Abbott heads the insurance and reinsurance group at Mayer Brown International LLP, which was strengthened by the arrival of Martin Mankabady. It advised Argo Acquisitions, a subsidiary of Argo Group International Holdings, on its £136m acquisition of Heritage Underwriting Agency.

Within Insurance - insolvency and restructuring, Mayer Brown is a second tier firm,

Mayer Brown International LLP’s teams in Europe, the Americas and Asia have been combining to advise a sizeable number of companies on a large multi-jurisdictional transaction dealing with proposed solvent schemes of arrangements to be followed by Chapter 15 applications. Devi Shah and Ian McKenna jointly head the department in London, and Martin Mankabady is recommended. Significant clients include AXA Group, Quest Group and Begbies Traynor.

Within Insurance and reinsurance litigation, Mayer Brown is a first tier firm,

Mayer Brown International LLP’s team ‘looks for solutions to potential problems rather than purely being reactive to issues’. Head of department Karen Abbott is ‘focused on ensuring that the client is satisfied’; and Sean Connolly and Lindsay McQuillian are ‘pleasant and sensible to deal with’. David Chadwick is recommended for political risk insurance, and Wendy Allen-Rodney has the ability to ‘manage claims in the best possible way’. The firm has strategic roles for insurers in Madoff-related matters, and also in relation to the collapse of Icelandic banks. Major reported victories for clients include the Dunlop Hayward v Nationwide case, and team has also been advising on reinsurance issues relating to the California bush fires and Hurricanes Rita and Katrina.

Within Overview,

London is a global hub for the insurance/reinsurance industry. Some lawyers are reaping the benefits of the challenging economic conditions; the upheaval in the financial markets has led to significant claims activity and insurance companies are now more likely to contest an insurance claim. While there has been a slow down in deal activity, strategic deals are still being done, with Part VII transfers continuing to dominate this area. On the regulatory side, Clifford Chance, Lovells LLP and Reynolds Porter Chamberlain LLP are among the leading firms. Barlow Lyde & Gilbert LLP, Clyde & Co LLP and Ince & Co remain strong on the insurance/reinsurance litigation front, with Herbert Smith LLP and Mayer Brown International LLP also having made considerable strides in this sector. The separate table for policyholder work reflects the fact that some law firms have a dedicated practice representing corporate entities on insurance matters.

Within Product liability - defendant, tier 5

Karen Abbott is the new head of insurance and reinsurance at Mayer Brown International LLP, with the team also featuring Ingrid Hobbs, Miles Robinson and Chris Langford. It continues to advise Selfridges on commercial and product safety.

Within Professional negligence, Mayer Brown is a second tier firm,

Providing clients with ‘pragmatic advice’ and an ‘excellent level of service’, Mayer Brown International LLP’s 29-partner practice is led by Karen Abbott who is noted for her ‘excellent market knowledge’. The practice spans the financial, insurance, legal, technology and construction sectors. The team has a ‘get-it-done attitude’ and includes the ‘excellent’ Clare Canning, the ‘superb’ William Glassey, Lindsay McQuillian, Matthew Lawson, Simon Willis and Jim Oulton. Michael Regan leads the construction group, closely supported by Sally Davies; it continues to act for insurers in relation to claims arising out of Wembley Stadium.

Within Infrastructure, tier 5

Mayer Brown International LLP demonstrates ‘the ability to provide complex legal advice’, and is always ‘responsive and within budget’. In 2008, the firm acted as procurement counsel to the Panama Canal Authority on the construction of the US$5.2bn Panama Canal Expansion Program, and also handled matters for UBS Global Asset Management and Kappa Energy Holdings. Nick Henchie is of ‘the highest grade of professionalism and efficiency’.

Within Mining and minerals, Mayer Brown is a first tier firm,

Mayer Brown International LLP’s mining team is ‘results driven’, with peers dubbing team head Ian Coles ‘King Cole’ for his ‘excellent ability and sensible approach’, while clients praise his ‘unrivalled expertise regarding mining industry specifics’. The preferred firm for project financings in this area, recent mandates include advising the finance parties on the US$320m financing for the construction and development of the Talvivaara nickel project in Finland. Rachel Speight is ‘extremely experienced, level-headed and commercial’.

Within Commercial property, tier 4

Mayer Brown International LLP is ‘completely professional, front-ended and solution-focused’. Many of its mandates are international, with highlights including acting for AT&T on the opening of its first data centre in India. Other clients included DekaBank, CBRE and Digital Realty Trust. Iain Thomas is ‘a very diligent project manager’, while Peter Sugden is ‘an extremely capable guy, personable, and very much a deal-doer’. James Dodsworth offers ‘legal advice that is second to none’, and team leader Jeremy Clay is ‘an excellent negotiator and transaction manager’.

Within Construction, Mayer Brown is a second tier firm,

Mayer Brown International LLP’s reputation for contentious work under practice head Michael Regan has yielded repeat business. Recent highlights include a case for an insurer and developer in relation to £150m worth of claims over defects in the design and construction of a retail-centre car park. Regan remains lead procurement counsel to the Panama Canal Authority regarding its planned eight-year US$5.2bn extension programme. Clients are ‘very satisfied’ with the firm’s ‘high level of service’ and ‘commercial realism’.

Within Environment, Mayer Brown is a third tier firm,

Mayer Brown International LLP advises on transactional matters, assisting new clients Akzo Nobel and Vion on environmental issues relating to M&A and restructuring. The practice has advised clients such as The Dow Chemical Company and Unilever on new environmental laws, including the Carbon Reduction Commitment and REACH. Michael Hutchinson is the senior member of the practice, after the departure of former practice head Cate Sharp in mid-2009.

Within Property finance, tier 4

Mayer Brown International LLP has a good balance of borrower and lender clients, and has experienced an increase in its volume of restructuring and refinancing work for key clients such as Nationwide Building Society and Allied Irish Bank. Borrower representations include Frogmore and Losan. The practice recently advised Arminius on commercial mortgage-backed debt purchases. Iain Thomas and Nigel White are leading individuals in the group.

Within Property litigation, tier 5

Mayer Brown International LLP’s Andrew Legg acted for Persimmon in a reported case concerning the construction of a covenant. Michele Freyne departed for Howard Kennedy.

Within Brand management, Mayer Brown is a third tier firm,

Mayer Brown International LLP’s Mary Bagnall is ‘very knowledgeable and thorough’, and has been working for Electronic Arts and TINYL Productions, the owners of the This Is Your Life brand.

Within Intellectual property, tier 6

Mayer Brown International LLP gives an ‘excellent service’ and has a cross-border IP practice, where Ian Wood has been very active on patent litigation, including defending wholesale voice carrier WaveCrest in High Court technology patent litigation. Mary Bagnall is ‘fantastically intelligent’. The trade marks practice has particular expertise in colour marks.

Within IT and telecoms, Mayer Brown is a second tier firm,

Global IT and telecoms outsourcing remains a specialism of the London team at Mayer Brown International LLP. 2008 saw it advise AT&T on multibillion-dollar telecoms outsourcing deals with Shell and IBM. Peter Dickinson, who heads the telecoms practice, advised on both deals, as well as handling complex supplier-side regulatory mandates. A ‘first-class’ provider of ‘high-quality work’, outsourcing head Mark Prinsley led the firm’s activity in the international ITO space, and also handled some notable large-scale technology advisory work.

Within Media and entertainment, Mayer Brown is a third tier firm,

At Mayer Brown International LLP, Sarah Byrt’s publishing clients include Hachette Livre, Elsevier and Little Brown. She handles disputes relating to ‘misery memoirs’, and non-contentious matters including contracts for handheld electronic book readers. Mary Bagnall advises Chambers Harrap regarding the Ameliaranne children’s stories, and Electronic Arts on brand protection and clearance. Stephen Gare handles securitisation deals, other transactions and litigation for EMI, RBS and new client Terra Firma.

Within Overview,

Many of the US firms have also been growing their IT and telecoms practices. These include Latham & Watkins - also building its media and entertainment team; Morrison & Foerster (UK) LLP - also a leader for life sciences corporate work; and Mayer Brown International LLP - which has lost music industry veteran Robert Allan to niche media firm Michael Simkins LLP. Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP remains very strong at providing IT and telecoms outsourcing advice; and Weil, Gotshal & Manges and Covington & Burling LLP - which is extremely strong in life sciences - have been building their media and entertainment practices.

Within Pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, tier 4

At Mayer Brown International LLP, competition partner Frances Murphy gives an ‘outstanding performance’, and ‘stands head and shoulders above other competition law practitioners in the pharma field, has in-depth understanding of the issues facing the industry, first-rate contacts in the Commission and a formidable intellect’. She advised AstraZeneca on an appeal to the European Court of First Instance.