The Legal 500

Within Corporate tax, tier 5

Mayer Brown International LLP is ‘attentive, commercial, and able’, with recommended individuals including Peter Steiner (‘very innovative’), Sandy Bhogal (‘personable and commercially astute’), and James Hill. It advised JP Morgan Chase on the acquisition and refurbishment of 25 Bank Street from the Canary Wharf Group; and also acted for the five selling shareholders, including Cadbury and Royal Mail, on the sale of Camelot Group to Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan.

Within EU and competition , tier 6

Mayer Brown International LLP’s team has become much leaner in recent years, but retains a strong client base and acts on some significant litigation matters. Highlights included advising BASF in its defence of litigation in the High Court and CAT arising out of the European Commission’s decision in the vitamins cartel; and winning a 94% reduction of the OFT’s fine imposed on John Sisk & Son and parent company Sicon Limited for alleged participation in the construction cartel. Practice head Gillian Sproul has ‘very good knowledge and delivers advice concisely and clearly’.

Within Financial services, tier 4

At Mayer Brown International LLP, regulatory investigation expert Marc Cohen joined the team from the firm’s Washington, DC office on a three-year secondment, and Mark Compton arrived from BP. Cohen’s ‘ability to make things happen, particularly in foreign regulatory matters, is difficult to match’. Angela Hayes has ‘good knowledge’, and Ed Sautter is also highly rated.

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

Providing ‘contextual and concise’ advice, Mayer Brown International LLP has substantial experience in the oil and gas sector. ‘Best in class for the price range’, the team advised Entertainment One in its move from AIM to a standard listing on the London Stock Exchange, and also advised Imperial Innovations in a £140m rights issue. ‘Excellent in every way’, Robert Hamill is a ‘sector specialist in global energy’. Kate Ball-Dodd has a ‘solid grasp on the minutiae’, and Stephanie Bates and William Charnley are also recommended.

Within M&A: upper mid-market and premium deals, 250m+, tier 5

Mayer Brown International LLP is ‘especially adept at identifying commercial strategies as well as purely legal advice’. The team, headed by Peter Dickinson, acted on 35 deals in 2010, and gained clients including Caterpillar and the Royal Mail. It advised the five selling shareholders on the sale of Camelot to Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan for £389m. Jeffrey Gordon is singled out as ‘the standout lawyer in the practice’, and William Charnley is noted for his ‘strong commercial skills’. Kate Ball-Dodd, Richard Page and Andrew Stewart all attract praise from clients.

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

Mayer Brown International LLP has a dedicated five-lawyer US team, in which Paul de Bernier is the lead partner. It advised Scott Wilson Group on its £286m takeover by a subsidiary of Californian-based URS Corporation.

Within Private equity: transactions , tier 6

Mayer Brown International LLP advised the management of RBS’ global payments processing unit on the £1.7bn buyout of the business by Advent and Bain Capital. The ‘responsive and practical’ Michael Wallin is the ‘ideal lead counsel for a cross-border transaction’, and the ‘very well-connected’ William Charnley is also recommended.

Within VAT and indirect tax, tier 4

The ‘standout, personable, and commercially astute’ Sandy Bhogal is recommended at Mayer Brown International LLP.

Within Venture capital, tier 5

Co-headed by David Bates and Stephen Beales, Mayer Brown International LLP’s venture capital team has been particularly active in the secondaries market for the likes of Azini Capital Partners, which it advised on the acquisition of a portfolio of 20 venture capital investments from Apax Partners.

Within Banking litigation: investment and retail, Mayer Brown is a second tier firm,

Mayer Brown International LLP has a focused and well-structured practice, attracting major domestic and international mandates. The team recently devised an innovative settlement structure for Golden Key Ltd following a series of major disputes regarding its complex SIV restructuring. Andrew Legg leads the team and is highly recommended, and Ian McDonald is a ‘very capable banking litigation lawyer – calm, thorough, experienced and with excellent judgement’.

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

Mayer Brown International LLP ‘combines the best elements of a Magic Circle practice with those of a US firm’. David Allen is joint head of the global litigation team; Ian McDonald heads the London commercial dispute resolution practice; and the ‘experienced and sensible’ Andrew Legg heads the finance dispute resolution team. Clare Canning ‘combines steely resolve, intellectual rigour, and conscientiousness’, and Miles Robinson’s ‘attention to detail is second to none’. The team advised the HM Treasury’s independent valuer in assessing compensation due to former Northern Rock shareholders following the bank’s nationalisation.

Within Defamation and privacy Defamation and privacy

Within International arbitration, tier 5

Mayer Brown International LLP’s construction arbitration practice remains strong. In addition to having transatlantic strengths, the practice works closely with the firm’s Asian offices on mandates for global financial institutions and manufacturing entities. Michael Regan heads the team; Philippa Charles focuses on disputes arising out of cross-border contracts; and Rani Mina was promoted to partner.

Within Professional discipline, tier 4

The ‘first-class’ team at Mayer Brown International LLP is led by Clare Canning, who is ‘good at focusing on the big picture’, and ‘excellent at dealing with clients’.

Within Acquisition finance, tier 6

Although it recently saw the departure of Lee Cullinane and Jacqueline Evans to White & Case LLP, Mayer Brown International LLP continues to focus on the leveraged market, recently welcoming Neil Caddy from Allen & Overy LLP. Caddy ‘demonstrates a detailed knowledge of banking law’, and advised Wilmington Trust on the restructuring of the leveraged finance facilities of the Almatis Group.

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

Mayer Brown International LLP has an excellent reputation advising the likes of RBS on cross-border mandates involving sophisticated securitised and ABL structures, with the ‘very considered and accommodating’ Graham Wedlake a key figure. The team is also active for borrowers and lenders in more traditional, commoditised work, and recently represented Trafigura Beheer on a $2.3bn multi-tranche syndicated facility. The ‘hugely talented and professional’ Dominic Griffiths heads the firm’s London banking and finance practice.

Within Corporate restructuring and insolvency, Mayer Brown is a third tier firm,

The ‘extremely effective’ team at Mayer Brown International LLP is ‘committed to the job and to coming up with innovative solutions’. It was boosted by the addition of Neil Caddy from Allen & Overy LLP and the promotion of Kristy Zander, who ‘has excellent technical knowledge and applies it to the client’s business goals’. The firm is active in post-Lehman work, but landed a number of other significant instructions, including acting for both Great American Group and administrators Zolfo Cooper on the administration of retailer Suits You. Ashley Katz is ‘extremely bright and creative, and has sound business judgement’. Ian McDonald leads the team, which also includes Devi Shah.

Within Debt capital markets, tier 4

In some areas Mayer Brown International LLP is ‘on a par with Magic Circle firms; partners are accessible, advice is commercial and value for money is excellent’. ‘Seasoned hand’ Drew Salvest ‘knows his subject inside out’; Paul de Bernier ‘excels in tough negotiations’; and John Taylor is ‘an excellent practitioner with a soft touch’. Recent deals include JSC Kazkommertsbank’s $2bn debt programme.

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

At Mayer Brown International LLP, ‘fees are competitive and the quality of work very high – a rare combination’. Ed Parker is ‘willing to go the extra mile and gives clear, commercially focused advice’; and the ‘really bright and technically excellent’ Chris Arnold is a significant lateral hire from Allen & Overy LLP. The firm is ‘a credible alternative to the derivatives heavyweights’, and a market leader in distressed derivatives. It advises on all credit events affecting Citi’s structured products portfolio.

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

Mayer Brown International LLP acted for a lending group of eight institutions on the $823m project financing to Baja Mining Corp, led by Ian Coles. Drew Salvest is also recommended.

Within Investment funds, Mayer Brown is a third tier firm,

Mayer Brown International LLP’s expertise encompasses real estate, private equity, hedge and listed funds, although its recent work has focused more on investments and asset transactions than on fund formation. Clients include BNY Mellon, Future Fund Board of Guardians, and UBS Global Asset Management. Practice head Tim Nosworthy is ‘thoughtful and very responsive’; and hedge fund expert William Charnley and regulatory specialist Angela Hayes are also recommended.

Within Securitisation, Mayer Brown is a second tier firm,

Mayer Brown International LLP climbs in the ranking, partly in recognition of its active practice in private deals. The ‘very experienced’ Bruce Bloomingdale heads a popular team that includes Stephen Day and Kevin Hawken, who advised Deloitte as receivers of the Golden Key SIV; and the ‘innovative and creative’ Jeremiah Wagner, who is ‘a valuable asset, and remains calm and focused under pressure’. ‘A safe pair of hands, giving succinct and considered advice’, Drew Salvest is the only member of the team handling term securitisations.

Within Employee share schemes, tier 5

Mayer Brown International LLP’s Andrew Stanger is noted for his international expertise.

Within Employment, Mayer Brown is a third tier firm,

The variety of instructions received by Mayer Brown International LLP in 2010 is indicative of the depth of Nicholas Robertson’s team: a bonus claim case worth several million pounds; several senior-level board exits, including three for the same brand-leading company; and the £1.7bn buyout of the RBS WorldPay business. Bernadette Daley ‘approaches every legal challenge in a pragmatic way’, and Robertson shows ‘all-round excellence’.

Within Pensions, Mayer Brown is a second tier firm,

Mayer Brown International LLP is ‘able to recruit exceptional individuals and tailor their service to suit the client’. Its clients include EDF Energy Group, Littlewoods, Merchant Navy Ratings Pension Fund and Prudential Staff Pensions Limited. Practice head Anna Rogers ‘provides authoritative, considered and pragmatic guidance’; Ian Wright is ‘good at problem solving’; and Martin Scott is a ‘good communicator’. Pensions litigation head Philippa James’ ‘cheerful character conceals a resolute determination to ensure that the best interests of her clients are being served’; and Stuart Pickford has ‘a thorough understanding of pensions law and practice’.

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

Mayer Brown International LLP is well regarded for its strengths in the political risk, D&O and financial institution insurance sectors, and valued for its international presence. It successfully represented two insurers in multimillion-dollar political risk LCIA arbitrations; advised clients on coverage issues regarding claims arising from the Icelandic banking collapse; and acted in a billion-dollar reinsurance arbitration. Clients include Chartis, AXA, ACE and QBE. Jim Oulton has ‘a brilliant legal mind but is also aware of the commercial ramifications’; group head David Chadwick is ‘able to handle high-value complex disputes’; Ingrid Hobbs is ‘commercial and very effective’; and Lindsay McQuillian is ‘leading the way in sanction work’.

Within Insurance: corporate and regulatory, Mayer Brown is a third tier firm,

Mayer Brown International LLP’s London corporate insurance and regulatory group forms part of the firm’s global insurance practice, giving it access to substantial cross-border resources. Recent work includes advising on a multimillion-dollar brokerage business acquisition, and on several business disposals. Martin Mankabady is ‘very good, and knows his stuff’.

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

Mayer Brown International LLP’s global presence underpins its practice in London. The team, which is co-headed by Devi Shah and Ian McKenna, is advising the Australian liquidator of New Cap Reinsurance on an application under section 426 of the Insolvency Act. Other clients include QBE Reinsurance, PwC and Société Générale.

Within Product liability: defendant, tier 4

Mayer Brown International LLP’s clients include Omega Pharma and Selfridges. The ‘charming’ Ingrid Hobbs ‘pulls out all the stops for her clients’ and leads the insurance practice, while Miles Robinson leads on non-insurance matters.

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

Mayer Brown International LLP’s ‘practical and innovative’ 15-partner team provides clients with an ‘excellent level of service’. Clients include ACE, Beazley, AIG/Chartis, QBE, Dual Corporate Risks, Knight Frank, and BNP Paribas Real Estate. The renowned Clare Canning is ‘one of the best’, Sean Connolly is ‘excellent’, and William Glassey ‘continues to excel’ with ‘novel and compelling approaches to complex matters’. Jim Oulton is ‘able to cut across complex legal argument to explain in a succinct and intelligible manner’. Michael Regan, Matthew Lawson, Simon Willis, Lindsay McQuillian and Sally Davies are also recommended. Ian Roberts and Angus Duncan recently made partner.

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

Mayer Brown International LLP is a ‘project finance powerhouse’ on the mining side, with Ian Coles highlighted as ‘probably the most experienced lawyer in this space’, and Rachel Speight recommended as ‘concise, reasoned in her analysis, and commercial’. The firm advised the lenders on an $823m project financing to fund the construction and development of the Boleo project in Mexico.

Within Oil and gas, tier 6

Mayer Brown International LLP’s team, led by Robert Hamill, advised Fulcrum Utility Services on its reverse takeover of the Fulcrum Group from National Grid and subsequent IPO.

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

Mayer Brown International LLP’s group is led by Robert Hamill, and is distinguished by its ‘excellent quality of service’. The team advised Ex-Im Bank on a $580m solar power project.

Within Commercial property, tier 4

Mayer Brown International LLP is appreciated for its ‘really good service and good people’ who give ‘pragmatic and sensible advice with an ability to get things done quickly and without fuss’. It advised JPMorgan on acquiring a new 999-year lease of 25 Bank Street, Canary Wharf. Key focuses for the practice are data centres, and the hotel and leisure sector. Peter Sugden is ‘a first-class act with wide-reaching knowledge and experience’, Jeremy Clay and James Dodsworth are ‘excellent in all aspects’, Anita Jones is ‘very responsive and knowledgeable’, and Caroline Humble is ‘a rising star’.

Within Construction, Mayer Brown is a third tier firm,

Mayer Brown International LLP provides ‘rapid, competent and robust responses’, and receives instructions in the energy sector and across a broad range of international arbitrations. Michael Regan heads the group. Nick Henchie left for Vinson & Elkins RLLP.

Within Environment, Mayer Brown is a third tier firm,

Mayer Brown International LLP provides ‘creative solutions’. Recent instructions include advising Klesch & Co on acquiring Shell’s German oil refinery business. Other clients include Unilever, AT&T and The Dow Chemical Company. Practice head Michael Hutchinson is ‘pragmatic, and has excellent commercial acumen’.

Within Property finance, Mayer Brown is a third tier firm,

Mayer Brown International LLP acted for Reignwood on the £105m financing by Siam Commercial Bank to acquire Ten Trinity Square in the City. Other clients include Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and Landesbank Berlin. The team’s ‘industry is knowledge impressive; they know their market inside out’. Nigel White is recommended, as is Stephen Walsh, who is ‘one of the best’, and Andrew Hepner, who is ‘proficient and motivated; nothing appears too much trouble’.

Within Property litigation, tier 4

The small team at Mayer Brown International LLP recently advised JPMorgan on insolvency issues arising from the former Lehman Brothers HQ in Canary Wharf. ‘Very bright’ senior associate Simon Hartley is the main contact.

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

Mayer Brown International LLP has niche expertise in the operation of loyalty card schemes. It recruited Jonathan Radcliffe from Nabarro LLP, but lost Mary Bagnall to Charles Russell LLP.

Within Intellectual property, tier 5

Mark Prinsley’s team at Mayer Brown International LLP wins plaudits for its ‘clarity, organisation, and brief writing’, and is supported by the firm’s global practice. Recently promoted partner Sangeeta Puran represented Sandvik in patent infringement proceedings, and Sarah Byrt handles commercial transactions. Patent litigator Jonathan Radcliffe, a recent hire from Nabarro LLP, is ‘responsive and savvy to business realities’. Mary Bagnall and Ian Wood joined Charles Russell LLP.

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

At Mayer Brown International LLP, IP and IT group head Mark Prinsley advised the National Stock Exchange of India on the real-time cross-listing of stock exchange index prices. James Dodsworth advised new client Colt Telecommunications on a £49m data centre acquisition. Other clients include Alcatel-Lucent, AT&T, Fujitsu and Nokia. Telecoms practice head Peter Dickinson and Richard Page are also recommended.

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

Miles Robinson leads Mayer Brown International LLP’s ‘excellent’ cross-practice team, which acted for key client EMI in its high-profile litigation with Pink Floyd in 2010, as well as on several online acquisitions. Sarah Byrt’s publishing team advised longstanding client Hachette on a new agency agreement with Amazon. Cadbury and Vue Entertainment are also clients. Corporate partners Stephanie Bates and Andrew Stewart are recommended for M&A. Mary Bagnall joined Charles Russell LLP.

Within Pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, tier 4

Recent work for Nabarro LLP includes representing Abbott and the European-based inventors of biologic blockbuster drug Humira in the world’s largest patent action. Guy Heath wins praise for his ‘excellent negotiation skills and subject matter expertise’, and recently promoted partner Eesheta Shah is also recommended. Other clients include ratiopharm and GlaxoSmithKline. Patent litigator Jonathan Radcliffe joined Mayer Brown International LLP.