The Legal 500

This leading international law firm has been well known in the UK business community for more than two decades serving domestic and multinational clients. The focus of its London office includes corporate work, litigation, finance and restructuring, intellectual property, commercial services, employment and real estate.

The firm: Established in Minneapolis in 1886, the firm has evolved into one of the 100 largest law firms in the US and has offices in China as well as the UK. The practice provides an integrated team of 450 lawyers and has served clients in every US state and in more than 100 countries. The London office, maintained since 1985, currently has 24 lawyers and a total staff of more than 40.

Faegre & Benson believes that effective legal representation begins with understanding its clients’ businesses and the environment in which they operate. Drawing on this understanding, its lawyers worldwide collaborate with clients – and each other – to handle the complex transactions and litigation facing businesses today. The practice is recognised by independent third parties for excellence in client service, technology, culture and corporate citizenship. These capabilities combined with its commitment to teamwork enable Faegre & Benson to consistently provide high-quality, cost-effective legal counsel. The firm is a member of the international World Law Group.

The London-based team, made up almost exclusively of English lawyers, has experience advising clients on matters in the UK, the EU and in the many emerging markets where English law is the preferred system. They focus on advising middle-market and high-quality emerging companies, meeting their legal needs both domestically and internationally. They are particularly well connected within the London financial community and are often able to provide introductions to other advisers and intermediaries. In March 2011 Faegre & Benson announced the appointment of John Castell as special counsel and head of London’s real estate practice. He was previously a partner and lead lawyer in Manches’ commercial property team based in the Thames Valley. In 2010 the office announced the appointment of Robert Campbell as a partner and head of the litigation practice. He previously worked at Lovells, Freshfields and Halliwells.

Types of work undertaken: Corporate services provided from the London office include mergers and acquisitions, takeovers, management buy-outs, joint ventures, private equity, flotations, fundraisings and corporate reconstructions. Particular expertise is provided in advising on the legal and regulatory aspects of admission to the London Stock Exchange, especially AIM matters. Recent transactions in which the firm has acted include advising new client Chongqing Machinery & Electric Co Ltd in 2010 on its acquisition of Lancashire-based Holroyd Precision Ltd and other subsidiaries of Precision Technologies Group. General commercial litigation is a specialist area of expertise, including a growing emphasis on mediation and arbitration, much of it international. In finance and restructuring the firm advises insolvency practitioners, public and private companies, asset-based lenders, banks and individuals on all aspects of law relating to business rescue, recovery, restructuring and insolvency.

A wide range of contentious and non-contentious commercial and IP matters are handled for a diverse client base in the high technology, computing, multimedia, publishing, telecommunications and e-commerce fields as well as franchising and outsourcing. In 2011 the firm advised existing client FleetCor, a leading independent global provider of specialised payment products and services, on a ten-year, €300m (£253m) contract to support Shell’s Commercial Fleet fuel cards programme in Europe and Asia. The deal involves FleetCor teaming up with Logica, a leading business and technology service company, to deliver the service to Shell.

Employment services include advice on a broad range of issues from recruitment to dismissal as well as employers’ duties on business sales and reorganisations, the establishment of employee share options and incentive plans, and termination issues such as redundancy, unfair and wrongful dismissal and restrictive covenants. Real estate expertise includes advice on all aspects of property investments and management, development and finance as well as corporate real estate issues.

Other offices: Boulder, Denver, Des Moines, Minneapolis, Shanghai,

Breakdown of work %
Corporate 55
Employment 20
Litigation 15
Real estate 5
Finance and restructuring 5

Number of UK partners 7
Number of other UK fee-earners 17