The Legal 500

Within Corporate tax, tier 5

McDermott Will & Emery UK LLP is ‘highly responsive and commercially knowledgeable’. It advises on a range of matters across transfer pricing, restructurings, and M&A, including acting for US companies seeking tax advice in other jurisdictions. Recommended tax head Peter Nias has close links with HMRC, and is ‘at the heart’ of any matter.

Within M&A: lower mid-market, £50m-£250m, McDermott Will & Emery LLP is a second tier firm,

‘Excellent across the board’, McDermott Will & Emery UK LLP made the significant lateral hire of Mats Sacklén from White & Case LLP to head up its European M&A team. The team draws on the wider firm’s experience in energy and commodities, recently advising on the $640m disposal of Shell’s downstream business to ST1 Group. Nicholas Azis is ‘able to straddle a variety of roles simultaneously’; and Hugh Nineham is also picked out by clients.

Within Commodities: physicals, McDermott Will & Emery LLP is a third tier firm,

‘One of the best in the business’ for sugar, metals and grain, McDermott Will & Emery UK LLP is notable for its regulatory advice to financial institutions, and also advises RWE Energy Trading and Gunvor. David Birchall provides ‘pragmatic advice, and is a joy to work with’, and recently advised JP Morgan on physicals aspects of its RBS Sempra Commodities acquisition.

Within Derivatives and structured products Leading individuals

Within Employment, tier 4

McDermott Will & Emery UK LLP has ‘one of the few employment departments in the City capable of competently running large pieces of High Court litigation’, as illustrated by its epic battle in the team-poaching case Tullet Prebon v BGC. The ‘very knowledgeable, superbly responsive, and no-nonsense’ Katie Clark recently assisted Barracuda plc in a discrimination case; and the newly promoted Sharon Tan, ‘a tremendously clever lawyer’, assisted Expedia in multi-party negotiations averting collective claims. Alison Wetherfield ‘will fight’ for clients.

Within Overview,

One area which has continued to show a high level of activity is litigation, in both the High Court and the employment tribunals. The number of trials relating to team moves, restrictive covenants, bonus schemes, and all kinds of discrimination has increased, with employees striving to maintain scarce jobs, and employers taking action to stem the flood of claims. Firms such as Linklaters LLP; McDermott Will & Emery UK LLP; Herbert Smith LLP; Farrer & Co; Fox Williams LLP and Simmons & Simmons have been at the forefront for finance houses and executives, and have witnessed the development of a new thread of litigation – data breaches and privacy issues in defections to competitors. Discrimination in all its forms has also been in the spotlight, with notable cases being fought by Leigh Day & Co; Bindmans LLP; and Russell Jones & Walker.

Within Personal tax, trusts and probate, tier 5

McDermott Will & Emery UK LLP has a good reputation in the US for its private client practice. The London offering has an emphasis on international work with cross-border issues, as well as providing advice on English law matters. The ‘supremely knowledgeable’ Martyn Gowar heads the UK team, which is ‘fast, efficient and ahead of all the questions’.

Within Infrastructure, tier 5

At McDermott Will & Emery UK LLP, Andrew Watson is advising Moreas on the £1.42bn Korinthos-Tripoli-Kalamata motorway project in Greece. Gas pipeline work is also a strong area.

Within Oil and gas, tier 4

McDermott Will & Emery UK LLP advised Shell on the $640m disposal of its downstream business in Sweden and Finland. It also continues to advise an oil major on the project financing of the $1bn Chad-Cameroon pipeline. Andrew Watson heads the team.

Within Power (including electricity, nuclear and renewables) , tier 5

Andrew Watson’s team at McDermott Will & Emery UK LLP was bolstered by the arrival of David Birchall in May 2010, from what is now SNR Denton. Birchall is recommended for his ‘longstanding expertise that results in tailor-made and pragmatic advice’.

Within Intellectual property, tier 4

Clients praise the ‘quality and timeliness’ of McDermott Will & Emery UK LLP’s ‘superb’ team. Much of its IP litigation is life sciences related, with Hiroshi Sheraton and Gary Moss advising Amgen and Cibavision. The ‘approachable, knowledgeable’ Rohan Massey, who focuses on commercial IP, advised online casino business 32Red in a major trade mark infringement dispute. New clients include thetrainline.com and Under Armour. Patent litigator Justin Hill moved in-house.

Within Overview,

The Legal Services Act and client demand for one-stop shops for IP law have driven convergence between law firms and PATMA firms, with some law firms, notably Olswang and Squire Sanders Hammonds, including patent and trade mark attorneys in their teams. PATMA firms are starting to hire lawyers, with D Young & Co LLP recruiting Ashurst LLP’s IP litigation team. Ipulse hired trade mark head Julius Stobbs from leading PATMA firm Boult Wade Tennant and, more recently, patent attorney Justin Hill from McDermott Will & Emery UK LLP.

Within Pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, tier 4

McDermott Will & Emery UK LLP’s ‘absolutely superb’ team is strong in patent litigation, and regulatory and transactional work. Practice head Hiroshi Sheraton is representing longstanding client Novartis against GSK Biologicals and SmithKline Beecham in patent litigation regarding vaccine production methods, and CibaVision against Johnson & Johnson. Gary Moss advised Amgen in two significant SPC cases. The ‘approachable, friendly and knowledgeable’ Rohan Massey has particular expertise in clinical trials. The team was strengthened by the arrival of Mats Sacklén from White & Case LLP.