The Legal 500

Within Commercial contracts, Morrison & Foerster LLP is a third tier firm,

Morrison & Foerster (UK) LLP’s track record in technology outsourcing makes it a regular fixture on transactions that require detailed understanding of technical matters, as reflected in its client base of leading technology companies such as NTT Data, and financial institutions such as Moody’s. Led by Alistair Maughan, the team continues to advise HMRC on a range of IT and sourcing matters, including the project to renegotiate its end-to-end IT outsourcing. David Skinner left the firm at the end of 2010, to establish outsourcing boutique Radiant Law.

Within M&A: lower mid-market, £50m-£250m, tier 5

Morrison & Foerster (UK) LLP’s life sciences and technology expertise is highly valued by clients, and has translated into instructions on deals such as NTT Data’s acquisition of Keane for around $1.4bn. The London team suffered a blow in 2011, with four corporate partners leaving for Covington & Burling LLP, including corporate head Paul Claydon.

Within Venture capital, tier 5

Morrison & Foerster LLP’s life sciences practice was hit by the departure of four key partners, including Paul Claydon, to Covington & Burling LLP.

Within Fraud: civil , Morrison & Foerster LLP is a third tier firm,

Morrison & Foerster (UK) LLP is increasingly visible in this area, with recent work including acting for Cadbury in a substantial class action brought in the US regarding price-fixing allegations. Kevin Roberts ‘knows his stuff, is very commercial, and is a pleasure to work with’; and Jonathan Wheeler is ‘practical, imaginative and very bright’.

Within Fraud: corporate crime, Morrison & Foerster LLP is a third tier firm,

Kevin Roberts at Morrison & Foerster (UK) LLP has been advising a global company on large-scale overseas corruption allegations; and advising a client regarding allegations of bribery relating to a number of multimillion-dollar contracts under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

Within Fraud: white-collar crime , Morrison & Foerster LLP is a third tier firm,

Kevin Roberts is the driving force behind the white-collar practice at Morrison & Foerster (UK) LLP. He is acting for a number of high-profile individuals in investigations in the financial services sector, including one of the largest multi-agency investigations of recent times.

Within Banking litigation: investment and retail,

Also recommended are: Glovers Solicitors LLP, which is particularly active in the enforcement of secured loans and follow-on claims against guarantors, valuers and conveyancing solicitors; K&L Gates, which is advising in a dispute between Saad Trading and Société Générale regarding a $50m letter of credit; Morrison & Foerster (UK) LLP, where the partners are noted for their experience in complex structured products and multi-jurisdictional litigation; Salans, which is strong in the asset-based lending arena, with Kevin Heath ‘an excellent negotiator and strategist’; Squire Sanders Hammonds, where Laurence Winston and Robert Weekes are well-known names; and TLT LLP, which recruited former Halliwells finance litigation partners David Pacey and Richard Clayton.

Within Commercial litigation, tier 6

Morrison & Foerster (UK) LLP covers civil, regulatory and corporate criminal proceedings, and recently defended the largest price-fixing case in Europe. Jonathan Wheeler has ‘a first-class brain’, and Alan Owens has ‘good judgement’. Kevin Roberts is also a key contact.

Within Bank lending: investment grade debt and syndicated loans , tier 5

At Morrison & Foerster LLP, dual-qualified Daniel Leventhal recently advised Barclays on a £230m syndicated multicurrency revolving facility.

Within Debt capital markets, tier 5

Brian Bates at Morrison & Foerster (UK) LLP heads the ‘best and biggest’ cross-border private placement practice, advising investment grade issuers including Informa Group.

Within Derivatives and structured products, tier 4

Morrison & Foerster (UK) LLP’s Peter Green and Jeremy Jennings-Mares have been joined by the outstanding Elana Hahn from Mayer Brown International LLP, who recently advised Natixis on a new CLO investment structure. Investment bank and corporate clients include Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Copenhagen Airports.

Within Securitisation, tier 4

Noted for its ‘impressive quality and client orientation’, Morrison & Foerster (UK) LLP has a global covered bond practice and excels in synthetic securitisations, and recently advised National Bank of Canada on its sale of covered bonds into the US. The team includes Peter Green, Jeremy Jennings-Mares and Elana Hahn, who joined from Mayer Brown International LLP and is ‘very attractive for complex legal issues’ thanks to ‘her multi-tasking, high-end quality and appropriateness of advice’.

Within Employment,

The following US firms all have high-level practices, but generally smaller teams than their City counterparts: Arnold & Porter (UK) LLP, where the ‘commercial and professional’ Henry Clinton-Davis advises clients such as SpaceNK; Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP, which has notable employment and pensions capability; Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge UK LLP, where Neil Adams specialises in team moves in the financial services sector; Faegre & Benson LLP, which acts for 3M, GE and Hearst publishing; Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, where James Cox advises a number of global players; Greenberg Traurig Maher LLP, where Naomi Feinstein is recommended; K&L Gates, where Paul Callegari is valued for his ‘direct and pragmatic approach’; McGuireWoods London LLP, which took on Jonathan Maude from Hogan Lovells International LLP in 2011; Morrison & Foerster (UK) LLP, recommended for its outsourcing, privatisation, and data protection expertise; Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker (Europe) LLP, which hired Suzanne Horne from Morrison & Foerster (UK) LLP; Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe (Europe) LLP, where ‘great communicator’ Nicola Whiteley has experience ranging from grievances to acquisition issues; Weil, Gotshal & Manges, notable for its insolvency-related experience; and WilmerHale, where David Andrews impresses.

Within IT and telecoms, Morrison & Foerster LLP is a second tier firm,

Alistair Maughan, co-chair of Morrison & Foerster (UK) LLP’s technology transactions group, advised Intel Corporation on its $1.4bn acquisition of Infineon Technologies’ Wireless Solutions business, and Odeon & UCI Cinemas on the conversion of Odeon’s cinema estate to digital projection. Chris Coulter is advising Gaumont Pathé on its European digital cinema strategy. Key clients include Phoenix Group, RSA and Amadeus Group.

Within Media and entertainment, tier 4

The impressively knowledgeable Chris Coulter heads Morrison & Foerster (UK) LLP’s ‘excellent’ team, which has an increasing amount of work in the digital cinema space, working for Odeon and UCI. It also advises on digital film distribution, representing content holders and distribution technology providers. Universal Music and Sony BMG are also key clients.

Within Overview,

In life sciences, Covington & Burling LLP hired four partners from Morrison & Foerster (UK) LLP; Howrey LLP’s Marjan Noor joined Simmons & Simmons; Paul Inman joined Wragge & Co LLP; and Claire Tunstall and her patent litigation team joined Pinsent Masons LLP from Roiter Zucker Solicitors.

Within Pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, Morrison & Foerster LLP is a third tier firm,

Morrison & Foerster (UK) LLP’s ‘outstanding biotechnology practice’ lost Paul Claydon, Natalie Diep, James Gubbins and James Halstead to Covington & Burling LLP. Well-respected commercial partner Julian Thurston advised Danish antibodies company Affitech on research and development collaboration with Russian NauchTekhStroy Plus, and CellCentric on the exclusive out-licensing of a significant epigenetic programme.