Katja Butler > Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (UK) LLP > London, England > Lawyer Profile

Praised by clients for its ‘fantastic work ethic and commercial approach‘, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (UK) LLP‘s City private equity practice is engaged by numerous leading buyout houses and portfolio companies for assistance with multi-billion-dollar transactions. Practice head Richard Youle, who also now serves as head of Skadden’s London office, continues to handle a range of high-value international deals.  Katja Butler – co-head of the UK corporate practice – works with some of the firm’s top clients on investment deals and acquisitions, while Bruce Embley leverages his capabilities in M&A to advise on a host of sponsor-side and portfolio company mandates. Steven Hannah is also noted for his active sponsor-focused practice. Further names to note include George Gray and counsel Chetan Sheth, while fellow counsel Alex McCarney joined the team from Latham & Watkins in December 2022.

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (UK) LLP provides the ‘highest levels of excellent service’ according to clients, with an integrated transatlantic offering of English and US law, experience across a variety of M&A matters and Takeover Code expertise. The practice has been expanding its remit with FTSE 100-listed companies and offers multi-faceted support on  transactions through strong capabilities in shareholder activism, antitrust, foreign investment, white collar crime and regulatory risk. Team leaders include global transactions head Lorenzo Corte, an expert in cross-border transactions, contested takeovers, de-SPAC transactions and corporate governance work, and UK corporate co-heads George Knighton, who is known for his broad experience in M&A, private equity and restructuring transactions and private equity specialist Katja Butler . Other key players include public M&A specialist Scott Hopkins, who is well-versed in advising companies on legal and regulatory responsibilities, and the ‘superlative’ Simon Toms, who specialises in the technology, fintech, media and telecoms sectors . John Adebiyi offers extensive knowledge and advice in relation to UK national security aspects of M&A and private equity transactions. ‘Go-to partner’ Bruce Embley regularly handles work for a range of client including international corporations and financial sponsors while  Denis Klimentchenko regularly handles M&A and corporate financings. Ani Kusheva has significant experience in public company takeovers, joint ventures and private equity transactions. Counsel Sarah Knapp handles cross-border corporate transactions. The team continues to grow in terms of its client roster and   bench strength, and notably added insurance M&A specialist Robert Chaplin from Slaughter and May  in late 2022. Chaplin has a transactional and advisory insurance offering with extensive experience in matters involving insurers, portfolio companies, financial sponsors and private capital-owned vehicles.