The Legal 500

Greenberg Traurig Maher LLP

What we say about the firm's legal practice in London

Corporate and commercial

Within Equity capital markets: UK capability, tier 7

Tim Jeveons and Andrew Caunt at Greenberg Traurig Maher LLP are recommended for their growing practice. Recent clients include Macquarie, Justice Holdings and Berggruen Holdings.

Within EU and competition EU and competition

Within M&A: upper mid-market and premium deals, 250m+, tier 8

Greenberg Traurig Maher LLP provides ‘an exceptional and distinctive client service philosophy and approach’; Paul Maher is a ‘talented and experienced leader of the firm, and sets the standards’. The team recently advised AstraZeneca on its disposal of its Astra Tech business to DENTSPLY for around $1.8bn.

Dispute resolution

Within Commercial litigation Commercial litigation

Finance

Within Debt capital markets, tier 6

Greenberg Traurig Maher LLP’s team, under Tim Jeveons, advises on private deals, and draws on ‘vast experience in emerging markets and in Europe; they have the grey hair and have done the hard yards’.

Human resources

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 professionalHenry 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 communicatorNicola Whiteley has experience ranging from grievances to acquisition issues; Weil, Gotshal & Manges, notable for its insolvency-related experience; and WilmerHale, where David Andrews impresses.

Projects, energy and natural resources

Within Infrastructure, tier 5

Greenberg Traurig Maher LLP is acting for Birmingham City Council on the £650m redevelopment of Birmingham New Street Railway Station. Neil Upton heads the team, which includes rail specialist Andrew Herring.

Within Oil and gas, tier 5

Greenberg Traurig Maher LLP is acting alongside Simmons & Simmons in advising the project company on the development of the £9bn Nabucco gas pipeline. Neil Upton heads a prolific team that is also advising Powerfuel Power on the £2.3bn financing and development of a clean coal plant.

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

Greenberg Traurig Maher LLP is an ‘energy specialist’. The group, led by Neil Upton, has come on in leaps and bounds since its establishment in 2010, and is advising Powerfuel Power on the £2.3bn financing and development of a ‘clean coal’ plant.

Within Private finance initiative (PFI) , tier 6

Greenberg Traurig Maher LLP acted on several substantial PFIs, in the transport, energy and housing sectors. Frank Patalong is the main contact.

Within Water, tier 4

Greenberg Traurig Maher LLP secured a good result for Bristol Water in its groundbreaking challenge to Ofwat’s price review. Regulatory specialist Stephen Tupper is recommended.

Real estate

Within Commercial property, tier 6

Greenberg Traurig Maher LLPmaintains an English sensibility while providing New York response levels and turnaround’. Tim Webb, who shows ‘boundless enthusiasm and is highly innovative’, acts for Bourne Capital and Quintain Estates & Development. Associate Emma Maher is ‘a fantastic operator’.

Within Environment, tier 5

Greenberg Traurig Maher LLP’s practice head Cate Sharp has ‘broad knowledge in environmental law’. The group provides strong transactional support across various industries, and clients include AkzoNobel, Rentokil and First London Power.

TMT (technology, media and telecoms)

Within Media and entertainment, tier 4

Stephen Gare joined Greenberg Traurig Maher LLP from Mayer Brown International LLP in 2010. His recent work includes advising a musician on alleged illegal expulsion from a high-profile band, and advising RTL on renewing its exclusive broadcast agreement for televising Formula One motor racing in Germany. The firm also advised New Delhi Television Group on the restructuring and buyback of part of its entertainment facility from NBC Universal.

Transport

Within Rail, tier 7

Greenberg Traurig Maher LLP has an impressive rail team led by former DLA Piper UK LLP partner Andrew Herring. The group advised Birmingham City Council on the £650m redevelopment of New Street station.


Legal Developments in the UK

Legal Developments and updates from the leading lawyers in each jurisdiction. To contribute, send an email request to
  • HOUSING

    In Nzinga Maswaku v Westminster City Council [2012] EWCA Civ 669 the Court of Appeal clarified that in offering a homeless person with alternative temporary accommodation the local authority is obliged to point that if the offer is refused it has discharged its Part VII duties under the Housing Act 1996.
    - 11KBW
  • COUNCIL TAX

    In Harrow LBC v Ayiku [2012] EWHC 1200 (Admin) Sales J held that the word “or” in the Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings) Order 1992, art 3 Class N, had a disjunctive meaning, therefore it was sufficient for the non-British spouse of a foreign student to satisfy one or other of the two conditions, namely being prevented from taking paid employment or being prevented from claiming benefits, in order to qualify as a “relevant person” who was exempted from liability to pay council tax.
    - 11KBW
  • QUEEN’S SPEECH

    Bills already introduced pursuant to the Queen’s Speech on 9 May 2012 include Local Government Finance Bill and Electoral Registration and Administration Bill, both accompanied by Explanatory Notes, which in each case address ECHR compatibility.
    - 11KBW
  • Standards

    In R (Calver) v Adjudication Panel for Wales [2012] EWHC 1172 (Admin) Mr Calver was a member of Manorbier Community Council who successfully challenged the decision of the Panel to dismiss his appeal against a decision by Prembrokeshire County Council Standards Committee censuring him for a number of comments or blogs posted by him on a website he owned and controlled.
    - 11KBW
  • A justified retrospective

    Clive Sheldon - QC debates the pros & cons of retrospective tax legislation
    - 11KBW
  • Public Sector Equality Duty (“PSED”)

    In R (Greenwich Community Law Centre) v Greenwich LBC [2012] EWCA Civ 496 the Court of Appeal held that the Council had had “due regard to the PSED when making changes to its funding of community legal advice services”. At para 30 Elias LJ said:
    - 11KBW
  • Public Sector Equality Duty

    Surrey County Council conducted a review of its Library Service. This culminated in a Report to the Council’s Cabinet. The Recommendations in the Report included that there should be consultation about a community-partnership approach at selected Libraries.
    - 11KBW
  • Judicial Review

    The Judgment of Lindblom J in The Manydown Co Ltd v Basingstoke and Deane BC [2012] EWHC 977 (Admin) repays attention. The Claimant sought to challenge by judicial review 2 decisions of the Council: (1) the Council’s refusal to reconsider its position on the development of a site that it owns (and is the subject matter of a Joint Development Partnership Agreement with the Claimant); and (2) a decision of the Council’s Cabinet approving a selection of sites for development which did not include this site.
    - 11KBW
  • The Health and Social Care Act 2012: impact on adult social services

    After its torrid passage through Parliament, the Health and Social Care Bill received Royal Assent on 27 March 2012. The Act deals principally with healthcare reform, but it also contains some amendments to the legislative framework for social care. It will come into force on a day yet to be appointed by the Secretary of State.
    - 11KBW
  • Immigration update May 2012

    In this issue: