Firm Profile > Ashurst > London, England
Ashurst Offices
LONDON FRUIT & WOOL EXCHANGE
1 DUVAL SQUARE
LONDON
E1 6PW
England
Ashurst > The Legal 500 Rankings
Commercial property: corporate occupiers Tier 1
At Ashurst, the real estate team's partners are praised for being ‘technically very good, but also commercially astute’. Richard Vernon is particularly active in the corporate occupier space where the team represents both corporate and government occupiers on a wealth of matters including landlord and tenant affairs, the leasing and acquisition of headquarters, lay-out construction advice and portfolio management. Elsewhere, David Jones who was recently elected to the firm’s main global board, is a star name in the investment field where the group is routinely instructed for direct and indirect real estate investments, fund formation, joint ventures and real estate private equity, hosting a dedicated team for Asian investment into the UK, Europe and Australia. On the development front, Hugh Lumby and the ‘brilliant’ Tim Regis are both experts in major development and regeneration schemes with the team also active in respect of build-to-rent, logistics, student accommodation and transport projects. The practice works closely the firm’s finance, funds, corporate, construction, planning and environment departments and is well-equipped to advise on a range of asset classes including office, retail, residential, industrial, leisure, alternative and logistics. Another promotion of note saw Sarah Sivyour appointed to co-head of the firm’s global division for projects and real estate; her broad expertise ranges across corporate real estate acquisitions and disposals, pre-lets and development agreements.
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Testimonials
‘The Ashurst real estate team offers a broad range of capabilities and provides sound and practical advice. The team’s strength lies in its partners who are technically very good, as you would expect, but also commercially astute.’
‘Very flexible and agile team. Will use all endeavours to get deals over the line whilst remaining disciplined and protecting client position. Always flexible in incorporating client wishes and feedback on key matters.’
‘Melanie Jordan understands the commercial pressures that in-house teams and companies are subject to and adapts her advice to take these into account.’
‘Very competent in navigating and coordinating complex topics and nuances within legal docs.’
Key clients
H&M
Invesco
Lendlease
IBM
The Berkeley Group
Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield
Stanhope
Partners Group
Oxford Properties
Deutsche Bank
Bombardier
M&G
Mitsui
Commercial property: development Tier 1
At Ashurst, the real estate team's partners are praised for being ‘technically very good, but also commercially astute’. Richard Vernon is particularly active in the corporate occupier space where the team represents both corporate and government occupiers on a wealth of matters including landlord and tenant affairs, the leasing and acquisition of headquarters, lay-out construction advice and portfolio management. Elsewhere, David Jones who was recently elected to the firm’s main global board, is a star name in the investment field where the group is routinely instructed for direct and indirect real estate investments, fund formation, joint ventures and real estate private equity, hosting a dedicated team for Asian investment into the UK, Europe and Australia. On the development front, Hugh Lumby and the ‘brilliant’ Tim Regis are both experts in major development and regeneration schemes with the team also active in respect of build-to-rent, logistics, student accommodation and transport projects. The practice works closely the firm’s finance, funds, corporate, construction, planning and environment departments and is well-equipped to advise on a range of asset classes including office, retail, residential, industrial, leisure, alternative and logistics. Another promotion of note saw Sarah Sivyour appointed to co-head of the firm’s global division for projects and real estate; her broad expertise ranges across corporate real estate acquisitions and disposals, pre-lets and development agreements.
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Testimonials
‘The Ashurst real estate team offers a broad range of capabilities and provides sound and practical advice. The team’s strength lies in its partners who are technically very good, as you would expect, but also commercially astute.’
‘Very flexible and agile team. Will use all endeavours to get deals over the line whilst remaining disciplined and protecting client position. Always flexible in incorporating client wishes and feedback on key matters.’
‘Tim Regis is solution-oriented and practical in his advice. He understands what is at stake for the client and is very responsive and approachable.’
‘Tim Regis was brilliant when I worked with him. His responsiveness, professionalism and ability to work through concerns and risk in a positive and productive way meant we were able to move forward continually.’
Key clients
Invesco
Panattoni
Lendlease
Stanhope
Great Portland Estates
Oxford Properties
Oxford West End Developments
Lee Valley Regional Park Authority
Berkeley Group
BAE Systems
Transport for London
Balfour Beatty
EcoWorld
Hammerson
Hines
Telford Homes
British Land
Qatari Diar
Westfield (now Unibail Rodamco Westfield)
Grosvenor
Grainger / Connected Living
Associated British Ports
Commercial property: investment Tier 1
At Ashurst, the real estate team's partners are praised for being ‘technically very good, but also commercially astute’. Richard Vernon is particularly active in the corporate occupier space where the team represents both corporate and government occupiers on a wealth of matters including landlord and tenant affairs, the leasing and acquisition of headquarters, lay-out construction advice and portfolio management. Elsewhere, David Jones who was recently elected to the firm’s main global board, is a star name in the investment field where the group is routinely instructed for direct and indirect real estate investments, fund formation, joint ventures and real estate private equity, hosting a dedicated team for Asian investment into the UK, Europe and Australia. On the development front, Hugh Lumby and the ‘brilliant’ Tim Regis are both experts in major development and regeneration schemes with the team also active in respect of build-to-rent, logistics, student accommodation and transport projects. The practice works closely the firm’s finance, funds, corporate, construction, planning and environment departments and is well-equipped to advise on a range of asset classes including office, retail, residential, industrial, leisure, alternative and logistics. Another promotion of note saw Sarah Sivyour appointed to co-head of the firm’s global division for projects and real estate; her broad expertise ranges across corporate real estate acquisitions and disposals, pre-lets and development agreements.
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Testimonials
‘The Ashurst real estate team offers a broad range of capabilities and provides sound and practical advice. The team’s strength lies in its partners who are technically very good, as you would expect, but also commercially astute.’
‘Very flexible and agile team. Will use all endeavours to get deals over the line whilst remaining disciplined and protecting client position. Always flexible in incorporating client wishes and feedback on key matters.’
‘Henry Moss is extremely bright and solution focused as well as having a great sense of humour.’
Key clients
Invesco
The Valesco Group
Oxford Properties
Meritz
AIP
AFIAA
Samsung SRA
Savills Investment Management
Hines
JRAMC
Vestas
Norges Bank Investment Management
Almacantar
Panattoni
Tritax
Korea Investment and Securities
Roebuck Asset Management
Samsung Securities
Kendall Square Asset Management
DTZ Investment Management
Hana Financial
STIC Alternative
Partners Group
KTB Asset Management
Capitaland
EcoWorld
Energy and infrastructure Tier 1
Ashurst has a well earned reputation for its 'breadth and depth' and its strong team of specialist lawyers. Its multidisciplinary team is led by Joss Dare in projects; Terry van Poortvliet in transport and infrastructure; Antony Skinner in power and utilities and Michael Burns in the oil and gas space. The firm combines top-tier expertise in the areas of renewable and conventional power, coupled with a strong offering in social infrastructure and transportation, which saw the team advising Transport for London in relation to the landmark Silvertown Tunnel project, the largest PPP closed in the UK. Within infrastructure, Philip Vernon advises funders, sponsors and governmental bodies on the management and operation of major projects across multiple sectors. Patrick Boyle specialises in project financing of infrastructure and renewable energy projects.Practice head(s):
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Testimonials
‘They truly offer both breadth and depth to clients. Each lawyer specialises in sectors and/or areas of law (project finance, construction, environment) within the group, so that specialist input is readily available from experts who understand the context of the transaction.’
‘I have yet to see another firm collaborate as effectively to give seamless advice. Works is flowed down appropriately with recognition of the complexity of the transactions and the value of experience.’
Key clients
Allianz Global Investors GmbH
Amey Keolis Infrastructure / Seilwaith Amey Keolis Limited
Assured Guaranty (Europe) plc
Babcock International Plc
Balfour Beatty Investments
BAM PPP PGGM Infrastructure Cooperative UA
Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ
Blackrock Infrastructure Fund
Fund finance Tier 1
Ashurst's dedicated fund finance team has considerable experience across all aspects of the space thanks to longstanding relationships with major funds and institutional lenders alike; the group also has expertise in all forms of loan facilities, from standard subscription and capital calls to NAV facilities, hybrid facilities and GP-backed lending. The team also benefits from close relationships with the firm's fund formation and capital markets teams, alongside notable cross-jurisdictional capabilities relating to key fund domiciles such as Luxembourg and matters involving new lenders in Europe and the US. The team is led by the highly experienced Lee Doyle, who has been active in fund finance since its inception; he is supported by Robert Andrews, who advises borrowers and lenders on the full spectrum of global loan facilities. Also of note is the recently promoted Navdeep Benning, who has a particular specialism in emerging facilities including NAV facilities and loans to SPVs.
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Testimonials
‘The team at Ashurst are extremely knowledgeable, and are clearly all subject matter experts in the field of fund finance.’
‘Lee Doyle has been at the forefront of the industry for many years, instructive on latest market practice, consistent performer and great team player.’
‘In-depth industry expertise makes the Ashurst team among the most technically proficient legal service teams in the UK and EMEA.’
‘Robert Andrews: One of the most technically proficient and most experienced counsels in the capital call finance space.’
‘Depth of experience; legal rigour with the ability to craft commercially appropriate solutions to legal risks.’
‘Robert Andrews has tremendous gravitas, along with the depth and breadth of experience that really inspires confidence.’
‘Excellent interpersonal skills underpinned by deep knowledge of the products and industry. Critical in the managing the multi jurisdictional deals that we commonly execute. They build trust and are very responsive. They are proactive and often solve issues ahead of calls such that the client role is more decision than problem solving.’
‘Navdeep Benning is key in setting the tone and culture – both in terms of professionalism, trust and in the way they conduct business…they are an engaging team and a pleasure to work with knowing the deal will get done in pragmatic timely way.’
Key clients
Barclays
RBSI
Investec
NatWest Markets
HSBC
Santander
Wells Fargo
DBAG
Silicon Valley Bank
Inflexion
Infrastructure (PFI and PPP) Tier 1
Ashurst 's well regarded practice is involved in a broad array of infrastructure work, advising on brownfield and greenfield projects across key sectors including energy and resources, digital infrastructure, and social infrastructure. The team has particular expertise in the transport sector, with its relationship with Transport for London securing the team a role on high profile mandates including the £2.5bn Silvertown Tunnel PPP project. The sizeable practice is headed by Joss Dare who acts as global co-head of projects and Terry van Poortvliet , global co-head of infrastructure. UK head of project finance, Patrick Boyle and Mark Elsey are also key names in the practice, which clients praise for its 'pragmatic and clever' approach.
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Testimonials
‘Ashurst is pragmatic, clever and not sold on its own hype. They are also genuinely very nice and fun to deal with, as well as being efficient and commercial.
‘Communicate advice in a clear. tailored and practical way. They cut through complex issues to get to the heart of the matter and have an ability to see the wider picture’
‘Sam Outtridge is very clever and and decent. He is a good negotiator and hard working. He gives advice and does not try to bully you by telling you things are “market”. You feel he is representing you, not the sponsors.
Philip Vernon and Derwin Jenkinson are incredibly affable, highly pragmatic and bring a wealth of experience to bear in discussions and in the advice requested. They have a genuine interest in the subject matter and honestly share their expertise’
Key clients
Amey Keolis Infrastructure / Seilwaith Amey Keolis Limited
Babcock International Plc
Balfour Beatty Investments
BAM PPP PGGM Infrastructure Cooperative UA
Assured Guaranty (Europe) plc
Meridiam
Interserve
Iridium Concesiones de Infraestructuras, S.A.
Lendlease
Amey
Crossrail
HM Treasury
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
Department for Transport (DfT)
East West Rail Company
Transport for London
Hitachi Rail Europe Limited (Hitachi Rail)
Keolis Amey Operations / Gweithrediadau Keolis Amery Limited
Fomento de Construcciones y Contratas, S/A/ (‘FCC’)
Wheelabrator Technologies
Shanks/Renewi plc
Brockwell Energy
Green Investment Group
Covanta Energy
Sodexo UK
Korea Export Import Bank (K-EXIM)
European Investment Bank
Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ
HSBC
SMBC
BP plc
Macquarie Infrastructure Debt Investment Solutions (MIDIS)
Allianz Global Investors GmbH
Blackrock Infrastructure Fund
Blackstone
Brookfield Infrastructure Fund
Islamic finance Tier 1
Ashurst's team, which is led by global Islamic finance head Abradat Kamalpour, is experienced in structuring shari'ah-compliant debt capital markets transactions, structured finance matters and shari'ah-compliant funds. The group features particularly prominently in novel and groundbreaking mandates, including those involving the development of novel structures through the use of blockchain technologies. The team also includes senior associate Conor Funston, who has over ten years' experience in acting for clients from both the Islamic finance sector and global capital markets. Clients of the firm include sovereign governments, supranational institutions, corporates and investment banks. Associate Ida Mokhtassi is another name to note.
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Testimonials
‘The team expedites matters and is commercially aware.’
Key clients
Savills Investment Management
Crypton Digital Assets
Fortress Investments
Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank
Tokeny Lux
Saray Capital
EFG Hermes
Oil and gas Tier 1
Ashurst's top-tier full-service oil and gas practice advises clients throughout the entire supply chain, including handling upstream and midstream, LNG, pipeline, refining and petrochemical mandates. Clients value its ‘depth of knowledge at all levels‘ and regularly instruct the team on M&A, project and corporate financings, project developments and dispute resolution. Team head Michael Burns and Julia Derrick ‘both demonstrate a high level of legal expertise‘. Elsewhere, Huw Thomas specialises in structured financing transactions, while Yann Alix leads the group’s energy resource offering in Africa. Senior associate Quentin Robinson is experienced in commercial transactions, project developments and the contentious aspects of operational oil and gas matters. The group has strengthened its global projects bench strength with the recruitment of Adrian Lawrence from White & Case LLP, Simon Moore from Simmons & Simmons and Matthew Wood’s relocation from the firm's Abu Dhabi office.
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Testimonials
‘Depth of upstream oil and gas knowledge amongst the team at all levels. This means that the client can be confident that the legal workload for significant transactions can be handled expertly when it is needed. The generally down to earth, personable, mildly understated demeanour of Ashurst staff makes for a productive environment for dealing with the sometimes challenging dynamics of transactions.’
‘Really good mix of general corporate/M&A experience and specific sector knowledge in terms of upstream oil and gas. Team had good awareness of the needs of in-house counsel and advice was on point and focused in usable format.’
‘Julia Derrick and Michael Burns both demonstrate a high level of legal expertise, knowledge of upstream oil and gas and commercial practicality. Julia Derrick exhibits a particularly measured approach to complicated transactions which gives the client confidence. Michael Burns’ enthusiasm for solving problems for clients is self evident and energising.’
Key clients
BP
Sasol
Spirit Energy
OMV
EnQuest
Kuwait Petroleum Corporation
Total
Siccar Point
Woodside
BHP
Neo Energy
Hitec Vision
Northleaf Capital
Nephin Energy
Tullow Oil
Aberdeen Standard Investments
Hurricane Energy
JX Nippon
Schlumberger
Rockhopper
Lundin Petroleum
Serica Energy
Power (including electricity, nuclear and renewables) Tier 1
Clients praise Ashurst's energy team for its 'consistently high standard of lawyers from junior associates to partners' and its ability to 'close the gaps' and 'add value in many areas'. Antony Skinner leads the team, which has solid expertise in the development, financing, operation, acquisition and privatisation of power and renewables projects, with particular depth in greenfield energy-from-waste projects and solar portfolio financings. Cameron Smith and Nick Stalbow are the go-to advisers for players in the waste and biomass markets, while Anthony Johnson is highlighted for his knowledge of environmental law; he also handles nuclear, biomass and other renewable energy projects. Senior associate Lindsey Bouchara is active in project finance work, advising lenders and sponsors.
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Testimonials
‘The team is a fairly large one in comparison with other firms that we have used, and has a consistently high standard of lawyers from junior associates to partners. The breadth of experience throughout the team means that they are able to run multiple large transactions simultaneously, and avoids the concern that we sometimes have with other firms that if our key partner or senior associate is not available the standard of service that we receive will be negatively impacted.’
‘Anthony Johnson is the partner with whom we work the most. He stands out from other lawyers that we work with for his combination of caution, ingenuity and pragmatism. He understands enough about our business to appreciate the ‘end game’ in any transaction and operates as an integral member of our senior team – we rely upon his attention to detail and appreciation of project risk to help guide corporate decision making.’
‘Nick Stalbow is the market leader in closing EfW and waste driven deals. He knows how the funders think and what EPC contractors are capable of giving. He understands how to find joint gains so risk is properly allocated. Best in the UK, no question.’
Key clients
FCC
Octopus Investments
JBIC
Green Investment Group
Brockwell Energy
ACWA Power
Conrad Energy
Itochu Corporation
Mitsui & Co
Kansai Electric Power Company
Blackrock Global Energy Fund
Private equity: transactions - mid-market deals (up to £250m) Tier 1
Ashurst advises on a wide variety of transactions, including buyouts, investments, portfolio company M&A and exits, with notable capabilities in deal structuring and financing, growth and venture capital, and cross-border transactions. The team works closely with the firm's equity capital markets practice, and has a range of sector specialisms including infrastructure, healthcare, education, and financial services. Clients include individual private investors, family offices, and institutional PE houses, such as Agilitas and Brookfield Infrastucture. David Carter leads the practice, and advises on large cross-border transactions for several of the firm's major clients. Braeden Donnelly is also recommended.Practice head(s):
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Testimonials
‘Deep knowledge of private equity. Very commercially minded team able to take a practical and pragmatic approach to negotiations.‘
‘Bruce Hanton is an unparalleled expert in the field’
‘Dave Carter is a lawyer that you always want on your side’
‘Jacob Gold is a rising star who is always available to support his clients, to provide very commercial, tailored advice and is a genuine pleasure to work with.‘
Key clients
Agilitas
Golden Tree/JPI Media
Cerberus Capital Management
Inflexion
Macquarie Infrastructure Partners/Macquarie Capital
Dalmore Capital
Intermediate Capital Group/Adelie Foods
Nomura
EmergeVest
Oakley Capital
Rail Tier 1
Ashurst offers 'fantastic breadth and depth' in advising key public and private sector players on complex rail work, covering franchising, projects and infrastructure and rolling stock. The firm is one of the key advisers on the Department for Transport's rail legal panel, and has been advising the department on the proposed Western Rail Link connecting the Great Western Main Line to Heathrow. The practice - which is co-chaired by Naomi Horton, who 'stands out' in the sector - is a long-term adviser to Crossrail on all major commercial matters, and has also been working with the Keolis Amey joint venture on the successful bid for the Wales and Borders franchise, the largest contract let by the Welsh Government. Fellow co-chair Mark Elsey is 'unusually pragmatic' and adeptly handles complex transport projects in both the UK and abroad, while Terence Van Poortvliet recently assumed the position of EMEA/US head of infrastructure and is particularly active in M&A, franchising, rolling stock, and infrastructure. Joss Dare provides 'excellent counsel', and in 2019 relocated from the Dubai office to join the London team.
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Testimonials
‘The team is led by Mark Elsey, which means that the team as a whole is shaped by his wide experience of many rail projects, giving a unique perspective to its advice. Mark Elsey is unusually pragmatic and doesn’t get bogged down (or bog his client down) with details that are largely irrelevant to a broad commercial negotiation. This is much appreciated, enabling focus on the important issues.‘
‘The team has fantastic breadth and depth. They really know their stuff and are highly proactive in keeping in touch with their clients and their business strategies. A very supportive and responsive team.’
‘Naomi Horton stands out in the UK rail sector. She is totally devoted to her client’s interests and always responsive. She knows her sector inside out and works effectively with other practice areas to ensure a truly seamless service. Joss Dare is valued for his unrivaled knowledge of the Middle East and his excellent counsel.’
‘The team’s prior experience and expertise in rail franchising was beneficial because a) it allowed us to understand the challenges in an efficient manner and b) provided useful references and precedents.’
‘The Ashurst team has excellent industry experience which ranks at least as high as any other firm. Naomi Horton is a very knowledgeable rail lawyer with a very good practice. She is a great guide to a client through the world or rail.’
Key clients
Crossrail Ltd.
Transport for London
Amey Keolis Infrastructure / Seilwaith Amey Keolis Limited
Keolis Amey Operations / Gweithrediadau Keolis Amery Limited
Department for Transport
East West Rail Company
Hitachi
City of Edinburgh Council (CEC)
National Express
Women in Rail & Railway Children (Pro bono client)
Railway Children (Pro bono client)
Angel Trains
Agility Trains
West Coast Partnership
Abellio
Virgin Rail Group
Stagecoach
SNCF
Docklands Light Railway
HS2 Limited
Acquisition finance Tier 2
A longstanding presence in the UK/European acquisition finance market, Ashurst's lender-focused practice retains strong relationships with traditional commercial/investment banks but has become best-known in recent years for its work for credit funds, an increasingly important provider of liquidity on mid-market leveraged deals. The team 'really understands the market', having been present at the onset of the explosion of this investor class and has been at the vanguard of developing trends, including on the unitranche front and the increasing use of a Term Loan B structure in this space. Helen Burton has been pivotal to the firm's direct lending success and is an 'absolute standout in her field'. As part of his broad-ranging practice, the vastly experienced Nigel Ward handles conventional leveraged transactions, as well as infrastructure-related acquisition finance matters. Martyn Rogers heads up the firm's overarching global loans team which houses the acquisition finance group. Paul Stewart joined Weil, Gotshal & Manges (London) LLP in July 2019.
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Testimonials
The team is very commercial and really understands the market.
Helen Burton remains an absolutely standout in her field
Key clients
RBS
HSBC
JP Morgan
HayFin
RPC
Apollo
Davidson Kempner
ICG
AVEVA Group plc
BlackRock
Bank lending: investment grade debt and syndicated loans Tier 2
Co-headed by the ‘thoughtful and considered’ Tim Rennie and the ‘calm and pragmatic’ Nicholas Moore, the corporate lending team at Ashurst provides a ‘very commercial service’ to a balanced roster of lenders and borrowers. As well as providing ‘a very cost-effective service’ on relatively standardised lending facilities for, inter alia, working capital and general corporate purposes, the team is also at the vanguard of recent trends in the market, including advice on facilities based on the SONIA benchmark and in relation to debt products incorporating Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) considerations. ‘Outstanding’ senior associate Briony Holcombe is a key member of the investment grade practice and as well as her pivotal work on ESG-related mandates, has also been a central figure within the team’s ‘market-leading’ LIBOR transition practice. Senior associate Darren Phelan specialises in investment grade syndicated and bilateral loan financing transactions, including event-driven financings.
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Testimonials
‘The Ashurst team are proactive and enthusiastic about their work – they are happy to get into the detail quickly and give a commercial view as well as a legal one.’
‘Tim Rennie is thoughtful, considered and has a calm temperament on complex issues.’
‘Briony Holcombe – outstanding senior associate who understands the client’s processes and procedures as well as the transaction.’
‘Longstanding relationship which has seen continuous evolution of the business and our funding needs/structure. Advice always constructive and commercial, with very strong link to current market conditions. Responsive and efficient.’
‘Nick Moore is lead partner for us. Has clear understanding of the business and how our funding needs evolve. Understands and guides us through the links of bank debt to all other financing we have. Good to work with. All the team personable and committed.’
‘Tim Rennie – very good knowledge of loan markets and facilities. Tim provides very clear guidance on what can/cannot be achieved under the facilities being negotiated.’
‘I deal mainly with partner Nick Moore and associate Sarah Winter. Both are very responsive and customer focused. I feel as though they understand the challenges that we are facing as a lender and strike the right balance between protecting our interests and reaching a commercial agreement which is acceptable to our clients.’
‘The combination of Nick Moore and Darren Phelan works seamlessly. As a client I feel supported and that I have access to the team whenever I need them. Calls are returned swiftly, deadlines are met and the quality of output is consistently high.’
Key clients
NatWest
HSBC
Santander
Diploma
Lazard
McLaren
ICG
AVEVA Group Plc
Tritax Big Box REIT
Tritax EuroBox Plc
Banking litigation: investment and retail Tier 2
The contentious financial services group at Ashurst attracts praise for its 'innovative and client-friendly approach', 'great technical know-how' and 'deep knowledge of the banking sector'. The group is led by the 'extremely clever and experienced' Lynn Dunne and handles banking and contentious regulatory disputes, as well as insolvency and restructuring disputes. Other names to note include Jon Gale, senior counsel James Levy and former prosecutor Ruby Hamid who joined from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP , adding investigations, white collar crime, compliance and risk management expertise. While retired from the partnership, Edward Sparrow continues to act as a senior consultant at the firm.
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Testimonials
‘Deep knowledge of the banking sector with well resourced teams able to deliver on substantial cases spanning multiple areas of expertise’
‘Lynn Dunne is extremely clever and experienced; she is committed to getting results for her clients’
‘Ashurst has a very strong banking litigation team, with an innovative and client friendly approach, but also great technical know how. They compare well to all other firms, including the magic circle’
‘Lynn Dunne is an experienced and determined litigator, who is well able to handle difficult and demanding engagements on behalf of clients. She always fights her client’s corner’
Key clients
Daiwa Capital Markets Europe Limited
Bayern LB
Fortress
Hayfin
Cerberus Capital Management L.P.
Close Brothers Asset Management
Premium Credit Limited
The Royal Bank of Scotland Public Company Limited
Construction: contentious Tier 2
Ashurst's team is noted for its ability to handle multi-jurisdictional disputes, with a particular presence in the Middle East, and has specialist knowledge of distressed projects, as well as strong international arbitration experience. Tom Duncan heads up the practice; he has acted for clients across Europe, Asia and South America on construction and engineering disputes - he is also active on energy matters including renewable energy. Simon Bromwich is noted as an 'impressive and measured' practitioner who provides 'good strategic advice.' His area of expertise is disputes in relation to infrastructure and resources work. Dyfan Owen relocated to London from Dubai in October 2019, bringing four years of major Middle East disputes experience, further strengthening the firm's contentious capabilities.
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Testimonials
‘Ashurst’s contentious construction team has strength and depth, and offers hands on, practical and pragmatic advice, whilst also being very approachable and easy to work with. Their communication skills are excellent. The team is amongst the most impressive I have worked with.’
‘Very good strategic approach, good grasp of issues and pragmatic approach to reaching a conclusion.’
‘Simon Bromwich is very impressive, measured, considered and provides good strategic advice.’
Key clients
Balfour Beatty
British Land
Covanta Energy
Interserve Construction
Lendlease Construction (Europe)
Stagecoach Group
Transport for London (Crossrail and Silvertown Tunnel)
Virgin
Construction: non-contentious Tier 2
Ashurst's team are regarded as 'responsive, considered, well-informed, and supportive.' The practice is headed up by Ben Patton and Matthew Bool, both of who work on major energy, transport and infrastructure matters. Patton acts on major development projects across the UK while Bool advises on office and mixed-use developments. Michael Smith has a broad construction practice but a particular expertise in renewable energy projects. Senior associate Chris Whitehouse is an 'excellent member' of the team and has experience working with a wide range of clients.
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Testimonials
‘The team at Ashurst provided legal support to guide the team through the pre-contract stages and throughout many complex challenges. The team were responsive, considered, well informed, and supportive at every stage. Through their experience, reliability and proactive approach they quickly gained the trust of the client group and help to create sense of team spirit to problem solving and managing risk.’
‘The team always respond within 24 hours. If someone is on holiday, there is always someone who is up to speed on the matter to speak with. They listen and then take the time to explain in non-legal terminology. They always deliver a report or feedback within the deadline agreed.’
‘The construction team here are very efficient and capable. When entering into construction contracts, you need confidence that your legal advisers have the necessary experience and commitment to deliver best results, whilst guarding the client against relevant future risk. This practice definitely operates to these high standards.’
‘Matthew Bool has attention to detail, willingness to opine and availability to assist.’
‘The team demonstrate excellent customer focus and above all treat all matters with urgency and importance. They are very professional and are keen to resolve matters reasonably and carefully.’
‘With Matthew Bool and Chris Whitehouse, they know our business, they look after our interests and are very personable. I trust their opinion and I trust that their advice is the most effective route to take. They recall all our previous matters in detail and take pride in our construction projects and their role in them. The are very discrete and professional in their approach. We highly recommend them as construction solicitors.’
‘Chris Whitehouse is an excellent member of the practice and takes ownership of projects he’s instructed on. I have full confidence he’ll go above and beyond to deliver results for his clients.’
Key clients
Transport for London (Crossrail and Silvertown Tunnel)
British Land
Westfield (now Unibail Rodamco Westfield)
Invesco
Virgin Media
Hines
The Rolex Watch Company Limited
Balfour Beatty Group Limited
Lendlease
First Panattoni
Interserve Construction Limited
Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts
Countryside
Covanta Energy
Maquarie/Green Investment Bank
Connect Plus M25 Limited
City of Edinburgh Council
Storey
Connected Living
Conrad Energy Holdings Limited
Debt capital markets Tier 2
Ashurst is 'a fantastic law firm that is very partner-led and proactive in its transaction management style', according to clients. Reflective of the breadth of its practice, the firm acts for issuers, underwriters, sponsors, lenders, trustees, agents, dealer managers and credit enhancement providers. Its work spans investment grade and emerging markets DCM transactions, as well as Eurobonds, regulatory capital deals, sovereign debt issuances, project bonds, and increasingly, green bonds. Its work on innovative areas of the debt market has seen it involved in the first euro-denominated Social Development Goals (SDG) bonds. Clients note the 'commitment, communication skills and "can-do" attitude' of practice head Anna Delgado, who works with US securities head Jennifer Schneck. Alexander Biles is 'highly skilled and very client-oriented' in his approach to infrastructure financings, project bonds, regulatory capital issuances and many other aspects of DCM. Corporate trust and agency partner Malcolm Charles, emerging markets specialist Francis Kucera and senior associate Scott Chatterton are also recommended.
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Testimonials
‘There is a depth of experience both with respect to technical knowledge and market practice, as well as knowledge of its clients and their preferences. The teams appear to be cohesive and well-connected. The partner is thoroughly aware of any transactional work and is easily accessible.’
‘I have been impressed with Anna Delgado’s commitment, communication skills, the management of her team and her “can do” attitude.’
‘Ashurst is a fantastic law firm. We’re happy to work with them. They are very focused on serving quickly in difficult circumstances and with excellent knowledge of the issues and quality of service.’
‘Alex Biles leads all the projects in which I’m involved. He is very highly skilled and professional, very oriented to serve the client. We are very demanding as a client and Alex has always solved whatever problem in the time expected.’
‘Senior associate Scott Chatterton is a very highly skilled professional, very oriented to serve the client, and we are happy to have worked with him.’
‘The firm is very partner-led and proactive in its transaction management style.’
Key clients
ANZ
BP plc
Credit Suisse
HSBC
WM Morrison Supermarkets plc
National Express
Nomura
Santander
Shawbrook Group plc
Lloyds Bank plc
NatWest
Renewi plc
Derivatives and structured products Tier 2
'The firm has a team of lawyers who care about their clients', say clients of Ashurst. 'They are personable and friendly, yet professional, responsive, diligent and commercial in their approach'. It is one of few firms to have a dedicated structured products team that works alongside the derivatives practice. As well as a strong flow of transactional work, the practices handle highly bespoke financing transactions for large investment banks and funds. James Coiley leads on OTC derivatives and repacks, having notable expertise in credit and other fixed income derivatives, repackaging of financial assets, TRS and other collateralised funding structures. Michael Logie leads on structured products across a wide variety of underlying assets such as equities, funds, commodities, commodity indices, foreign exchange and inflation. Also recommended are James Knight, who has a particular focus on corporate equity derivatives; Jonathan Haines, who is known for equity derivatives, longevity risk transfers, repos and stocklending; Kerion Ball who specialises in commodity and corporate equity derivatives; and derivatives specialists James Knight and Jasmine Tiw. Senior associate Daryl Yip also plays a key role in the practice. Christopher Georgiou is also notable for leading Ashurst Advance, which provides process, resourcing and technology solutions to deliver efficient delivery through large-scale repapering exercises and other services.
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Testimonials
‘The firm has a team of lawyers who care about their clients. They are personable and friendly yet professional, and responsive, diligent and commercial in their approach. The firm delivers on time and is trustworthy and reliable – a safe pair of hands.’
‘I recommend Michael Logie and senior associate Jeffrey Yow. Michael is especially responsive and pulls in other lawyers from other teams to bring the right expertise and skillset to the table when providing advice.’
‘Ashurst is a legitimate player in the derivatives and structured finance space. You get the impression that the derivatives and structured products team is a key contributor to the overall finance practice rather than an ancillary service as is the case for many firms outside a few from the Magic Circle. This ensures they have good depth of talent and retention. The team has good experience across the derivatives and securities finance markets.’
‘Kerion Ball is a capable lawyer. He is knowledgeable and stays on top of regulatory change and industry documentation initiatives. His work on some recent transactional matters was timely and he was able to bring the full resources of the firm to the table to assist. Kerion is a good sounding board and makes himself available to discuss issues and approaches.’
‘Jonathan Haines is a technically able lawyer who delivers clear and concise advice. Daryl Yip, associate, is knowledgeable and hardworking. He has an excellent grasp of margin documentation issues and is commercially minded in the advice he gives.’
Key clients
BNP Paribas
Société Générale
Nomura
Barclays
Goldman Sachs
Credit Suisse
Equity capital markets - low-mid cap Tier 2
Ashurst advises all of the major investment banks in London, as well as institutional brokerage firms and investment firms; it also acts for corporate issuers and shareholders. Equally adept in domestic and cross-border work, mainstays of the practice include IPOs, rights issues, block trades and private placements. Simon Bullock led a group, which advised Tritax EuroBox on its £135m placing to fund the acquisition of a pipeline of European real estate logistics assets. The practice, which is led by global head Nicholas Holmes, is also notably active in secondary fundraisings related to corporate rescues. Jennifer Schneck leads a three-partner US securities team, which was strengthened by the arrival of Stuart Rubin from the firm's Hong Kong office. The firm's areas of sector expertise include the infrastructure, financial institutions, pharmaceuticals and TMT industries.
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Testimonials
‘Nicholas Holmes and Simon Bullock are significant players in the London ECM market, with excellent pedigree and experience. Their hands-on approach is also one that clients find extremely beneficial and Nicholas Holmes, in particular, has a wealth of experience across all manner of ECM transactions which helps stand him apart. Their US practice, headed by Jennifer Schneck adds weight to their all round capabilities that any client would be happy to use.‘
‘Ashurst has a very strong offering, combining an extremely personable team with detailed technical knowledge and a thoughtful approach to transactions.‘
‘Feel that Ashurst have a strong team across the levels – Nicholas Holmes is fantastic, makes himself highly available, and always gives sound, thoughtful advice.‘
‘It’s the personal touch that distinguishes Ashurst. I always get the feeling I am dealing with adults and that my deals are being looked after appropriately.‘
‘Jennifer Schneck continues to go above and beyond in terms of delivery of service and positive attitude. You know you are going to get solid legal advice coupled with a sound commercial view.‘
‘Very experienced team that provides a level of client service that is second to none in the City. I have worked with the team on a number of occasions and am always impressed by the commitment of the team to any project.‘
‘The partners on a project are intimately involved on a daily basis and provide very high quality advice. The level of engagement that they provide and their wealth of experience set them ahead of the majority of their peers.‘
Key clients
Goldman Sachs
Morgan Stanley
Softcat
Jefferies
Barclays
Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Numis
EnQuest
Citi
Credit Suisse
Chesnara
Tritax EuroBox
Time Out Group
J.P. Morgan
Interserve
Peel Hunt
Deutsche Bank
Equity capital markets - mid-high cap Tier 2
Ashurst advises all of the major investment banks in London, as well as institutional brokerage firms and investment firms; it also acts for corporate issuers and shareholders. Equally adept in domestic and cross-border work, mainstays of the practice include IPOs, rights issuances, block trades and private placements. Simon Bullock led a group, which advised Tritax EuroBox on its £135m placing to fund the acquisition of a pipeline of European real estate logistics assets. The practice, which is led by global head Nicholas Holmes, is also notably active in secondary fundraisings related to corporate rescues. Jennifer Schneck leads a three-partner US securities team, which was strengthened by the arrival of Stuart Rubin from the firm's Hong Kong office. The firm's areas of sector expertise include the infrastructure, financial institutions, pharmaceuticals and TMT industries.
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Testimonials
‘Nicholas Holmes and Simon Bullock are significant players in the London ECM market, with excellent pedigree and experience. Their hands-on approach is also one that clients find extremely beneficial and Nicholas Holmes, in particular, has a wealth of experience across all manner of ECM transactions which helps stand him apart. Their US practice, headed by Jennifer Schneck and Eric Morris adds weight to their all round capabilities that any client would be happy to use.‘
‘Ashurst has a very strong offering, combining an extremely personable team with detailed technical knowledge and a thoughtful approach to transactions.‘
‘Feel that Ashurst have a strong team across the levels – Nicholas Holmes is fantastic, makes himself highly available, and always gives sound, thoughtful advice.‘
‘It’s the personal touch that distinguishes Ashurst. I always get the feeling I am dealing with adults and that my deals are being looked after appropriately.‘
‘Jennifer Schneck continues to go above and beyond in terms of delivery of service and positive attitude. You know you are going to get solid legal advice coupled with a sound commercial view.‘
‘Very experienced team that provides a level of client service that is second to none in the City. I have worked with the team on a number of occasions and am always impressed by the commitment of the team to any project.‘
‘The partners on a project are intimately involved on a daily basis and provide very high quality advice. The level of engagement that they provide and their wealth of experience set them ahead of the majority of their peers. I would highlight Simon Bullock, Tom Mercer and Nick Williamson as stand-out examples of this.‘
Key clients
Goldman Sachs
Morgan Stanley
Softcat
Jefferies
Barclays
Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Numis
EnQuest
Citi
Credit Suisse
Chesnara
Tritax EuroBox
Time Out Group
J.P. Morgan
Interserve
Peel Hunt
Deutsche Bank
EU and competition Tier 2
Praised by clients for its partner-led approach, Ashurst focuses on market investigations, regulatory issues and merger control advice. Alongside its strong relationship with the Competition and Markets Authority, the team prides itself on its work with multiple regulators, including Ofcom and the Financial Conduct Authority. The London team mainly finds itself working alongside its Brussels-based counterparts, but also often acts alongside colleagues in France, Germany, Italy and Australia. It also relies on the expertise of the firm's in-house team of economists. Nigel Parr and Euan Burrows jointly lead the group. Neil Cuninghame, Duncan Liddell and recently promoted partner Steven Vaz are also key contacts.
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Testimonials
‘Ashurst is professional, conscientious, and more than able to provide strategic advice.‘
‘The team adopts a partner-led approach, with highly experienced partner input at all times.‘
‘Very deep sector knowledge, coupled with a practical application of the legislative and regulatory landscape.‘
‘An extremely knowledgeable and capable team, which is very pleasant to deal with and stays at the cutting edge of the latest competition law developments.‘
‘This team is second to none. Nigel Parr and Steven Vaz are the brightest competition lawyers I have ever worked with in any jurisdiction. It is an absolute pleasure to work with them. The advice is stellar and the communication is clear. Also, the in-house economists provide the same level of services as bigger consultancies do.‘
‘Nigel Parr is a pragmatic industry leader who has a deep understanding of our sector and our business.‘
‘Euan Burrows is thoughtful, articulate and very quick. Euan can provide outstanding guidance on strategic and tactical issues.‘
Key clients
Intel
Royal Mail
Ryder
Wm Morrison
Petrochemical Industries Company
Economy Energy
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company
Caretech Holdings
Lloyd’s Banking Group
JPIMedia
Arla Foods
Liberty House Group
Hargreave Hale
Western Power Distribution
Virgin Media
Circle Health
Fintech Tier 2
Ashurst's 'proactive and pragmatic' team focuses on advising large financial institutions and start-ups across the entire fintech ecosystem, spanning blockchain technology, open banking, P2P lending platforms, payments and regtech. The firm's commitment to supporting start-ups is demonstrated by its FinTech Legal Labs, an accelerator programme that provides new entrants with access to the firm's legal expertise and a roster of financial institutions and investor clients. Abradat Kamalpour, who leads FinTech Legal Labs, stands out for advising clients on the regulatory aspects of DLT and cryptoassets, among other new forms of technology. David Futter specialises in complex procurement arrangements and collaborative partnerships, particularly in relation to digital payments and trading platforms. 'Practical and well-reasoned' partner Tara Waters specialises in advising fintech clients on corporate transactions, including M&A and joint ventures. Among recent highlights, the firm is advising Monument Corporation on the development, procurement and launch of its digital bank.Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘The advice and approach Ashurst take is refereshingly interested and engaged, and we get a sense that they really enjoy their work. Regulatory advice is real-world and practical; tax advice is robust; contracts are balanced and achieve the goals of the parties. As such, they are our go-to lawyers for anything tech-related.’
‘The team at Ashurst understand technology in its practical application and have extensive experience of working with technology startups and the challenges they face, as well as having a broad number of mature clients.’
‘Great combination of technical expertise and appreciation of the commercial, ‘real world’ context.’
‘David Futter is a very effective negotiator, balancing both technical and commercial requirements.’
‘Tara Waters is what you want as a lawyer: experience of having worked in tech prior to becoming a lawyer, being a really smart lawyer too, and being totally engaged with next-generation tech and market trends.’
Key clients
Checkout.com
Untied
Alice SI Ltd
Securitize Inc.
Paycasso
Monument Bank
Nomisma Exchange
Goldman Sachs Marcus
Asto Digital
Nomura
World Pay Group
Saxo Capital Markets
Outrun Venture Partners
Crypton Digital Assets
CCX Holdings Limited
Insurance: corporate and regulatory Tier 2
Ashurst assists insurance and reinsurance clients with a range of complex corporate and regulatory matters, including longevity reinsurance work, acquisitions, pension scheme mergers, and the extension of ancillary own fund structures. In addition, the group also provides advice to clients on issues such as Brexit and Covid-19. Much of the London team's work involves cross-border issues, and it frequently collaborates with the firm's offices around the world. The London team is led by Adam Levitt, who focuses on corporate transactions; senior associate Akiko Morioka is also a key name to note.
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Testimonials
‘A great team to work with – Ashurst repeatedly and consistently deliver to the highest standard.’
‘They are progressive, client focused, practical and organised, technically strong, commercial and effective.’
‘Adam Levitt is impressive – you want Adam on your side, looking after your interests.’
‘Akiko Morioka shines.’
Key clients
Chesnara
Generali
Global Aerospace
Guardian
Hawthorne Life
Ing Bank N.V.
JP Morgan Asset Management
Lloyds Bank Plc
MetLife
Pacific Life
Pension Insurance Corporation (PIC)
Punter Southall Group
RGA
Swiss Re
UIA Insurance
IT and telecoms Tier 2
The ‘strong, capable and very personable’ team at Ashurst specialises in the areas of fintech, cloud technology and the digital economy. The firm ‘really knows its stuff, is pragmatic and really on the money', providing broad telecoms and IT expertise, including handling multi-sourcing issues and AI work, as well as IT procurement and outsourcing projects. The team is co-led by Nick Elverston, who focuses on providing cross-border legal advice to clients in the TMT sector and the wider digital economy; Amanda Hale, who acts for fixed and mobile operators, governments, regulators, banks and funds investing in the digital infrastructure sector; and IT and sourcing specialist Christopher Bates, who is ‘knowledgeable and commercial in his approach’. Also notable is David Futter, who is praised for his fintech and digital platform experience and is a ‘great sounding board, providing commercial insight, balance and in-depth expertise’.
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Testimonials
‘The Ashurst team have given us brilliant support around a number of major outsource contracts with technology solution providers and system integrators.’
‘They have detailed understanding of FS regulation, SYSC8. They are also very familiar with cloud based, software as a service solutions. We would use them again without question.’
‘David Futter is the stand out partner that we worked with. The providers we were contracting with readily recognised that we had the best lawyer in the room which meant we achieved some great outcomes.’
‘Can do attitude with excellent expertise. Lawyers at all levels of the team are very responsive and are able to quickly understand organisational nuances. All in all a pleasure to deal with.’
‘David Futter and Chris Bates are excellent. They are pragmatic, client focused and approachable. Both are very knowledgeable and are very complimentary with David providing FinTech focus and Chris procurement expertise.’
‘I have worked with several London law firm in different IT projects. Working with Ashurst’s team proved to be the best experience so far. The team has an excellent understanding of the technology, which legitimises the accuracy of their legal advice in front of even demanding clients. In addition, the team has an outstanding capability of rising confidence to the merits of their advice in clients.’
‘David Futter is certainly worth a distinctive recognition. David is a talented technology lawyer who can meet the most demanding expectations of clients. David is constantly available to provide accurate legal advice. Personable and pragmatic.’
‘They take a commercial view which is incredibly important. Collaborative nature and take on board feedback and adapt as needed. They listen and react accordingly.’
‘Chris Bates and his team are flexible and client focused. They deliver robust commercial advice and real expertise. They are willing to flex their billing to suit commercial demands.’
Key clients
Ascential
Asto Digital (part of Santander UK)
Arenko Cleantech
Babcock International Group
BAI Communications
BP plc
BRC Global Standards
Brookfield Infrastructure
Checkout.com
China General Nuclear Power Corporation
Daiwa Capital Markets
Digital Colony
DXC Technology (formerly Hewlett Packard Enterprises)
Goldman Sachs
Grosvenor Limited
HM Government/UK Treasury
John Laing
Komainu Holdings
Liverpool City Region Combined Authority
Macquarie Capital
McLaren Group
Monument Bank
National Express
NEX
NM Rothschild
Nomura International PLC
Polish Ministry of Digital Affairs (acting through the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development)
Sopra Steria Limited
State Street Bank & Trust Company
Telxius Telecom S.A.
Three (Hutchison3G UK Limited)
Virgin Media
WorldPay
Mining and minerals Tier 2
Ashurst has multi-jurisdictional mining expertise with particular experience in EMEA countries; the group has also seen notable growth in instructions involving Africa and Latin America. Notable strengths include specialised public and private M&A and project developments involving iron ore, gold and nickel mines; the practice also handles project finance mandates and dispute resolution. Yann Alix acts as the global co-head of mining, and leads the Africa group; he is also a dual qualified mining partner in England and Wales and France.
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Key clients
Anglo American
Newcrest Mining
Vedanta
Rio Tinto
Rusal
Sirius Minerals
Iluka Resources
Managem
Kansanshi Mining
Planning Tier 2
The widely praised recruitment of 'intellectual heavyweight' Claire Dutch to co-head the practice alongside the 'extremely knowledgeable' Trevor Goode has bolstered the position of Ashurst's planning team as one of the standouts when it comes to housing development and expansion work. Instructions come from a diverse client list covering landowners, developers, investors, local authorities and government bodies. Recent work has included CPO applications for leading developers, section 106 negotiations on affordable housing projects and comprehensive advice on the regeneration of former gasworks sites. The firm's corporate law experts dovetail with the planning team, enabling them to advise on NSIPs as well as market-leading acquisitions in the energy sector. Highly regarded senior associates Charlie Reid and Ben Groves add strong support on the negotiation of planning and infrastructure agreements, as well as appeals and court litigation.
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Testimonials
‘Trevor Goode and Charlie Reid are extremely knowledgeable, responsive and flexible. I find the service is second to none.’
‘Ashurst has a strong commercial understanding of planning and development and appreciation of the key issues which it comes to providing advice and drafting and negotiating legal documents. They also work across the practice so understand both land and planning elements.’
‘Trevor Goode embodies the spirit of the team, has a strong commercial understanding of the planning system and is a robust negotiator. Good communicator and knowledgeable.’
‘Solid knowledge and rich experience in all sorts of developments projects made Ashurst’s planning team incomparable with any other planning team from other firms. Their understanding of clients’ commercial needs beyond planning realm is also very helpful. Once you have instructed services from this planning team, it is hard to move away to others.’
‘Trevor Goode is one of the most impressive partners that we have worked with – he is a man of few words, but every comment he has made is to the point and invaluable. His leadership of team and work, his delivery of services are all to the top quality. It has been a real pleasure to work with Trevor for so many years.’
‘Charlie Reid is a senior associate who you almost can rely on as a partner. There is rarely any detail that can can escape his eagle eyes; his diligent work attitude and attention to details kept impressing us.
‘Trevor Goode and Charlie Reid would make a dream planning team for any client in the market.’
‘Trevor Goode is one of the most experienced planning solicitors in the country. Excellent eye for detail and a pleasure to work with.’
‘Claire Dutch is incredibly down to earth and sensible – someone who listens, absorbs and then forms her own judgement. Robust without being abrasive, she is someone who gives straight advice backed by long experience.’
‘Claire Dutch is an intellectual heavyweight with a keen eye for how to make things work.’
‘Under the leadership of Trevor Goode, the team offers strength in depth but also a uniquely commercial insight.’
‘The team has fantastic knowledge and excellent negotiations skills which enables them to liaise directly with local authorities and other stakeholders when it comes to discussion the relevant agreements.’
Key clients
Grosvenor
The Berkeley Group
Greater London Authority/Transport for London
The Crown Estate
The Ballymore Group
Mount Anvil
Qatari Diar
Covanta
Peabody
Uniper UK (formerly Eon)
EcoWorld
Telford Homes
Londonewcastle
BentallGreenOak
Lakeside Energy from Waste Limited (JV between Grundon and Vividor)
Invesco
Greenland
Amey Keolis Infrastructure
Lendlease
Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC)
Aviva Investors
Associated British Ports
Connected Living – New Eastside Partnership
Property finance Tier 2
Advising both borrowers and lenders, Ashurst is particularly strong in development finance, with additional expertise in capital markets and NPL portfolio acquisitions. The team is also able to leverage the firm's global network in cross-border transactions. Managing partner Ruth Harris has advised on all asset classes in development and structured finance. Sarah Watkinson is another key name who is particularly strong in pan-European deals. Jessica Jenner, who is noted for her work advising on 'trophy assets', is also recommended.Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Ruth Harris takes a direct and hands-on approach. The office network allows for leveraging of knowledge as well as delivering a consistent product across jurisdictions.’
‘Ruth Harris is engaging and tenacious. Keen to deliver value by being cognisant of the client’s internal objectives whilst offering value-add through market knowledge and expert know-how.’
‘They are the most responsive team we have ever worked with. They get deals done and treat you like you are the only client they are currently working for.’
‘Extremely responsive to client needs. Proactive engagement and ability to think around the commercial and legal implications.’
‘Ruth Harris is outstanding, personable and technically excellent. She offers leadership.’
‘Jessica Jenner is a pleasure to work with.’
Key clients
Barings
Kennedy Wilson
Oxford Properties
Almacantar
Tritax
Delancey
Patrizia
Rothesay Life
Cain International
Deutsche Pfandbriefbank
KB Securities
M&G
Santander
Pocket Living
Aviva
Property litigation Tier 2
Ashurst is a regular fixture in high-value litigation and arbitration. Its varied work portfolio includes matters involving rights of light issues, break options, restrictive covenants, dilapidations and insolvency-related matters, as well as disputes arising from the interpretation of contractual agreements and agreement terminations. Alison Hardy heads up the practice, which generates mandates from technology companies, corporate occupiers and property companies. Recent work also includes acting for a landlord developer in tenancy renewal court proceedings against telecoms operators.
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Testimonials
‘Very professional, knowledgeable and approachable.
Alison Hardy and Mark Race provide an exceptionally good real estate dispute resolution practice and are particularly strong in the field of dilapidations.
Kim Clifford is also excellent.’
‘The team at Ashurst provides prompt, accurate and reliable advice. They go above and beyond to make sure the client has all of the information to make key decisions and instruct as necessary.’
‘A real in-depth knowledge of our business, our portfolio, and the key players with whom we interface, together with a commercial awareness that allows them to tailor their legal advice in a practical and pragmatic way.
Mark Race – an excellent operator.’
‘A new team who are vibrant and dealing with good quality work from in-house referrals to gaining high-profile new clients. The team is dealing with work across the spectrum of the industry and is establishing itself within a firm of the prestige of Ashurst, thus giving the capability to compete for the best work within the city and beyond.
Alison Hardy is a standout lead partner of the team and will be one the leading partners within the industry for years to come. Kim Clifford (who has recently been promoted to Senior Associate) is a partner of the future with an ability to juggle a large and varied caseload. Chloe Meredith (Associate) is one to watch and is a pleasure to deal with.’
Key clients
Transport for London
IBM United Kingdom Limited
Lendlease Group
The Berkeley Group Plc
H & M Hennes & Mauritz UK Limited
Deutsche Bank AG
Westfield Corporation
Thomas Cook Group plc, Official Receiver of and Special Managers of
Tritax Assets LLP
M&G plc
DAC Beachcroft LLP
Securitisation Tier 2
'The partner involvement is very strong in comparison to other firms', says a client of Ashurst, while another notes that it 'consistently delivers in highly complex transactions'. The London securitisation practice, which climbs the ranking this year, was founded in 2018 with experienced senior hires and the firm has quickly built a strong client base of issuers, arrangers, dealers, funders, originators, lead managers, trustees, agents and special purpose vehicle managers. BNP Paribas, Banco Santander SA and Credit Suisse are among its key clients. It has also become increasingly active across all structures and asset classes including innovative warehouse transactions and quasi-securitisations, auto loan ABS deals, trade receivables, fintech securitisations, green securitisations, ABCP, CMBS, RMBS, NPL portfolios and shari'ah-compliant structures. The 'practical, responsive and client-focused' Jonathan Walsh leads the three-partner practice, in which the 'personable, supportive and friendly' Thomas Picton is recommended for RMBS and auto ABS deals. Senior associate Sarah Gant is also recommended as 'a standout high performer and a future leader in the field'.
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Testimonials
‘The partner involvement is very strong in comparison to other firms.’
‘The firm has strong technically across a number of asset classes and capital structures.’
‘They take a supportive approach to their work and, as a client, I completely trust them because I know they will keep our interests at the core and that is evidenced via support we receive beyond the fee-paying components.’
‘Tom Picton has come in and set up a strong team with a breadth of skills and knowledge across it. I value Tom’s personable, supportive and friendly approach and it is a comfort to know he so involved in all our deals.’
‘In comparison to competitors, it has a consistent friendly and relatable team that we value. It is important to connect on a personal level as much as it is to be supported by a strong knowledgeable and technical team.’
‘The firm is very client-focused, very commercial and has great industry knowledge. It is a firm we can call upon and get their market view, plus we trust it.’
‘Jonathan Walsh has exceptional market knowledge and he is practical and very responsive. He gives an honest view and is so client-focused even if it is detrimental to him. For example, once we were going to have him review something, but he was upfront and said we shouldn’t spend the fees as in his opinion it wasn’t worth the cost of the review for various reasons. I don’t know another firm which would have put our interests first like this – they would have undertaken the review for the money.’
‘It has a well managed team of structured finance lawyers headed by Jonathan Walsh that consistently delivers in highly complex transactions. The Ashurst team is a one-stop shop for structured finance with the ability to provide solutions for ad hoc problems whilst balancing the interests of multiple parties and getting to the right place.’
‘Jonathan Walsh runs an impeccable practice that covers all basics in complex financings.’
‘Senior associate Sarah Gant is a notable standout high performer and a future leader in the field. She is practical, succinct and technically to the point.’
Key clients
Shawbrook Bank
Aldermore Bank
Santander UK Plc
Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets
Praetura Asset Finance Group Limited
BNP Paribas
Banco Santander SA
Credit Suisse
Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Glenhawk Financial Services Limited
Tax litigation and investigations Tier 2
At Ashurst, the team often handles disputes before the tribunals, Supreme Court and European Court of Justice (CJEU). It is experienced in disputes involving VAT and direct tax, with a focus on gaming duties, business rates and landfill tax. It also handles disputes over the tax provisions in contracts, with a sector focus on financial institutions, funds, resources and infrastructure. Noted for his 'phenomenal technical knowledge', practice head Nicholas Gardner also leads on state aid issues. Paul Miller is the name to note for disputes in the financial services sector, while Alexander Cox focuses on funds and corporate tax.
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Testimonials
‘We have always found the team to be technically very strong, creative and pragmatic in setting out options, very good at liaising with other teams at Ashurst as well as barristers, other advisors and HMRC as appropriate.’
‘Second to none for tax litigation. Incredible technical knowledge, attention to detail, and a tenacity to put forward the absolute strongest case on behalf of the client. A team that really works well together. Each member of the department is a pleasure to deal with.‘
‘Alex Cox has been our main contact at Ashurst for over 10 years and we rate him extremely highly. His technical advice is always spot on and he is commercial and pragmatic when setting out options. He is well respected by others in the industry, including senior QCs and HMRC.’
‘Nick Gardner has phenomenal technical knowledge, which makes working with him a dream. He plays a pivotal role in leading the team, and making sure that the litigation stays on track, timetables are complied with, and suitable pressure is maintained on opposing parties.‘
‘Sara Mardell is a star player in the team. She can step into the partner role whenever that it is required of her, and already has a level of ability that far surpasses that of partners in many other leading firms. Her enthusiasm for tax, and tax litigation is infectious. She is an absolute joy to work with.’
Key clients
London Clubs Management
Imperial Brands
Hastings Insurance Services
Oxford Instruments
Mark Shaw (as nominated member of the TAL CPT Land Development Partnership LLP)
Hotels 4 U (part of Thomas Cook)
The legacy Gala Coral companies
Ocean Finance
VAT and indirect tax Tier 2
Ashurst is known for advising public sector entities, corporates and financial institutions on strategic and transactional VAT and SDLT issues, with a strong onshore and offshore real estate funds practice. Simon Swann, who leads the group, is an expert in SDLT. Alexander Cox has experience of a wide range of tax issues relating to funds, as does Nicholas Gardner. Tim Gummer specialises in real estate and oil and gas taxation, in addition to VAT and business rates.
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Testimonials
‘We have worked with Alex Cox for over 10 years on a wide range of projects and issues. We rate him extremely highly. His technical knowledge across all taxes is excellent, he understands our industry and commercial objectives. His advice is always focused and pragmatic where appropriate.‘
Commercial litigation: premium Tier 3
Praised for its 'modern and forward-looking outlook', Ashurst's commercial litigation team has the 'ability to manage large-scale, complex litigation'. The group counts corporate and M&A, competition, procurement, data, digital economy and IT sector disputes among its areas of specialism. Jon Gale, who handles a range of complex commercial disputes and contentious regulatory issues, leads the practice, which includes construction and infrastructure disputes specialist Simon Bromwich and James Levy, who acts for corporates and financial services clients. Other names of note include Tom Duncan and Euan Burrows who focus on construction and competition law issues respectively, and 'unflappable' senior associate Sophie Law.
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Testimonials
‘Ashurst has an incomparable ability to manage large-scale, complex litigation. Their internal resources and skill in allocating those resources where necessary to get on top of intensive proceedings is highly commendable.’
‘Ashurst have a quality team across the board delivering top notch advice that is also practical and pragmatic.‘
‘Ashurst has a very modern and forward-looking outlook and appears to be doing very well at attracting top quality litigation work for a broad range of clients.‘
‘A highly supportive team. They are very proactive and strategic. They really go the extra mile to think through all angles.‘
‘Jon Gale is extremely diligent, fully engaged at all times, leaves no stone unturned’
‘Tom Duncan is highly intelligent, calm under pressure and has excellent client relations skills’
‘Sophie Law is a rising star; unflappable, highly efficient, no task is too much.’
‘Euan Burrows is a top-drawer competition law litigator who is always in high demand. Tom Connor is a very bright and energetic lawyer handing top class instructions.‘
Key clients
Ryder Limited
Transport for London/London Underground Limited
Lendlease
XPO Supply Chain UK Limited
Competition litigation Tier 3
Ashurst utilises its ‘great strength in depth’ in handling high-profile private damages actions at UK and European level. The group draws upon the expertise of its European and global network, and works particularly closely with the Brussels-based team. The team is also assisted by the firm’s in-house team of economists, where required. ‘Excellent’ practice head Euan Burrows has significant experience of appearing before the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT). Nigel Parr’s recent work included abuse of dominance cases. Recently promoted partner Steven Vaz and Duncan Liddell are also recommended.Practice head(s):
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Testimonials
‘Great strength in depth with numerous individuals with experience at the Commission.
‘Euan Burrows is excellent and has a wealth of experience. Peter Turner-Kerr has Commission experience, and Max Strasberg and Clare Hennessey are also both very good – both very diligent and good strategists.’
Key clients
Ryder
Intel
Royal Mail
Virgin Media
London Underground / TfL
Virgin, Stagecoach / SNCF / West Coast Trains
Docklands Light Railway / TfL
Imperial Brands
Developers Alliance
Corporate restructuring & insolvency Tier 3
Benefiting from 'great in-depth knowledge of insolvency law and practice', Ashurst's five-partner team provides 'sensible and pragmatic advice' to a balanced roster of stakeholders, including distressed investment funds, debtors, senior lenders, junior lenders, bondholders and IPs. 'Highly experienced and unflappable' team head Giles Boothman is well-versed across a range of strategies for funds looking to realise value in a distressed situation, particularly in relation to loan-to-own scenarios. Boothman has also recently handled numerous high-profile Official Receiver mandates, including in relation to Thomas Cook's high-profile liquidation and British Steel's sale to Chinese steelmaker, Jingye Group. Praised for her ability to 'explain complex concepts', Olga Galazoula has a flourishing reputation in the market and, as well as her role alongside Boothman in the aforementioned Thomas Cook mandate, also has niche expertise advising investors seeking to acquire Greek non-performing loan portfolios. In addition to more conventional insolvency and restructuring work, the 'exceptional' Drew Sainsbury has developed a niche in relation to financial services-related insolvencies.
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Testimonials
The team is responsive, diligent, efficient and has a great in depth knowledge of insolvency law and practice.
The lawyers have an ability to think outside the box and deliver novel solutions.
Their breadth and depth of knowledge makes them stand out, in that they are able to deal with all technical issues in an efficient and commercial way. They are market leaders in insolvency in the financial services sector.
The team is easy to work with and provides sensible, pragmatic advice in stressful and challenging situations. The lawyers are highly responsive and provide a good balance between the strict legal position and the reality of the company’s specific fact pattern.
Giles Boothman is highly experienced and apparently unflappable. Invaluable in a crisis and great to work with.
Olga Galazoula is able to communicate complex technical issues to the board in a comprehensible way.
Drew Sainsbury is exceptional.
Key clients
Elliot Capital
Apollo
HM Government
Cerberus
Kildare
Emergevest
David Kempner
Fortress
Centerbridge
Oaktree Capital
Corporate tax Tier 3
Ashurst's practice has a strong transactional tax capability, which is complemented by its tax structuring expertise. Other areas of focus include funds and fund structuring, as well as cross-border advisory work (often for Korean investors) and assistance with financial institutional products. The group is led by fund taxation expert Alexander Cox. Simon Swann and Tim Gummer are noted for their real estate tax expertise, with the latter also being knowledgeable about oil and gas tax, particularly in relation to licensing interests and decommissioning issues.
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Testimonials
‘The team’s depth of expertise particularly with respect to real estate finance, and their unparalleled track record acting for Asian investors, notably Korean real estate funds. As a team they are also a pleasure to work with and are down to earth and humble.’
‘Tim Gummer is exceptional. He is very strong technically but is also excellent at distilling down issues to give clear, direct and commercial advice.’
‘Simon Swann is a stand out individual. He really cares about delivering a top class service and is excellent at articulating complex areas of tax legislation.’
Key clients
Inflexion Private Equity
Korean Investment & Securities, IGIS and Knight Frank Asset Management
Samsung Securities, Kendall Square Asset Management and Roebuck Asset Management
Hana Financial, STIC Alternative and Roebuck Asset Management
Oxford Properties
Official Receiver for Thomas Cook – Alix Partners
Intermediate Capital Group PLC
Tritax Management LLP
JPI Media Limited
Lendlease
Emerging markets Tier 3
Ashurst's practice spans project development, project finance, banking, M&A, capital markets, dispute resolution and a range of other areas. The firm has a long-standing track record of major deals in key sectors such as energy, natural resources, real estate, banking and the digital economy in emerging markets. Its deep bench of lawyers includes global head of corporate Jason Radford; global co-head of projects Joss Dare; head of international arbitration Matthew Saunders; head of high yield Anna-Marie Slot; Africa group head Yann Alix; Africa project finance head Matthew Wood; India group head Stuart Rubin; and head of the the Russia and CIS group Sergei Ostrovsky.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘Partner engagement is exceptional, whether it is a large matter or a small matter.’
‘Anna-Marie Slot is a standout among her peers. Aside from being a very technically skilled lawyer with broad cross-border experience, she has a unique ability to make you feel safe whether she is representing you or your client. She is collaborative, solution-oriented and positive.’
‘My dealings have predominantly been with Yann Alix, who has excellent Africa experience and insight. He is very hands-on and practical, a problem solver.’
Key clients
European Investment Bank
Iluka Resources
J.P.Morgan Securities plc
Managem
Citi India
JBIC
ACWA Power International
ONE-Dyas
Employee share schemes Tier 3
Senior consultant Nicholas Stretch heads the employee share schemes and incentives practice at Ashurst. The team handles the incentives aspects of complex corporate transactions, having worked on some of the largest deals of recent years, including FTSE 100 tech multinational AVEVA's $5bn acquisition of US software group OSIsoft. All members of the team belong to Share Plan Lawyers (SPL), a group of lawyers advising on employee share plans chaired by Stretch, and are active participants in ProShare, an organisation which promotes employee share ownership in the UK.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘The team’s responsiveness and depth of knowledge is valuable to us as a client. In a fast-moving industry this is of great importance.’
‘Nicholas Stretch is responsive, knowledgeable and personable.’
Key clients
Serica Energy
Interserve
IHS Markit
Dialight
AVEVA Group
Amerisur Resources
Renewi
Cardtronics plc
QinetiQ Group
EnQuest
Morrisons
National Express
Environment Tier 3
Ashurst’s environmental team advises clients in the defence, energy, infrastructure, waste and chemical sectors on a range of matters. Eleanor Reeves regularly advises on environmental and safety regulatory regimes and handles sustainability and ESG matters. The team assists with environmental approval strategies, investigations, due diligence, compliance-related issues, and the drafting of environmental reports regarding infrastructure projects.
Financial services: contentious Tier 3
Ashurst acts for banks and major corporates in a range of matters, notably those involving the FCA, the European Commission, the CMA, the FRC, and the Payment Systems Regulator. The firm also has experience in internal investigations related to senior managers. Financial institutions disputes expert Lynn Dunne leads the practice, which also includes Tom Connor, who focuses on regulatory disputes and enforcement matters, as well as internal and regulatory investigations for financial services clients. The team was boosted in 2019 by the arrival of Ruby Hamid, who joined from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP and brings experience across a broad spectrum of regulatory and criminal issues.
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Testimonials
‘Traditionally very strong financial services practice.’
‘Very strong across financial services litigation/contentious work.’
‘Tom Connor is absolutely top quality: thoughtful, responsive and commercially aware in applying his analysis to the transaction under discussion.’
The practice has an excellent reputation.’
‘David Capps is extremely diligent and willing to seek innovative and practical solutions for his clients.’
Key clients
Hargreave Hale Limited
Linear Investments Limited
Financial services: non-contentious/regulatory Tier 3
The 'practical and pragmatic’ Ashurst provides a broad range of regulatory advice ‘always delivered in a timely fashion'. The firm’s experience covers MiFID II, the senior managers regime, Brexit, fund management, Fintech and digitalisation. Jake Green has experience advising on AIFMD, MiFID II, MAR and regulatory governance requirements. He co-leads the practice with regulation expert James Perry, who specialises in Brexit related matters. Also notable are Tim Cant , who has significant experience of MiFID II; and counsel Lorraine Johnston, who is known for SMCR and bank governance work.
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Testimonials
‘Subject matter experts in many areas of regulation but it is their commercial pragmatism where the law is not quite clear that sets them apart’
‘What sets them apart is that they are willing to challenge established norms – this is invaluable’
‘Great combination of a strong understanding of where the regulators’ priorities are and direction of travel, with pragmatic and actionable advice’
‘Jake Green is knowledgeable, approachable and delivers user-friendly advice’
‘James Perry has an incredible depth and breadth of technical knowledge’
‘Tim Cant is very insightful, responsive and pragmatic’
‘Bradley Rice is very approachable, knowledgeable and exceptionally swift in responding’
‘The Financial Services team maintain close regulatory links across the main EU regulators, often having the latest regulatory sentiment which can shape our interpretation of a legal matter’
Key clients
Goldman Sachs (Marcus)
Wells Fargo
Oak Hill Advisors
Jefferies
Royal Bank of Canada
Saxo Bank
BGC Brokers
Plus 500
Oanda
Numis
Asto Digital Limited (part of the Santander Group)
Outrun Venture Partners LLP
UK Finance
High yield Tier 3
Ashurst has a young high yield practice in London that is steadily growing its roster of issuer and underwriter clients. Working predominantly on the issuer side, the practice already counts Barclays Capital among its clients. Its work spans new bond issuance, liability management and refinancings, alongside leveraged transactions including bridge to bonds and Term Loan B. The firm now has two partners, practice head Anna-Marie Slot and Tamer Bahgat, and four associates focused on the high yield market. One client describes Bahgat as 'a rockstar' in the high yield market for his work advising investment banks, private equity sponsors and corporate issuers. Counsel Natalia Sokolova and senior associate Michael Lee play key roles in the practice.
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Testimonials
‘Tamer Bahgat is a rockstar.’
Key clients
Barclays Capital
Johnstone Press
EnQuest PLC
McLaren Group Limited (Project Pitstop)
Greenko
Interserve
Renewi (Project Acqua)
Cheyne / Project Four Seasons (the Minority SSN Committee)
International arbitration Tier 3
Ashurst's 'lawyers are excellent without exception' and the firm fields experts in energy and resources disputes, particularly gas pricing and supply disputes; ad hoc and institutional arbitrations in Scandinavia; complex English law international arbitration instructions involving Australian clients in the mining, oil and gas sectors; Africa-related arbitrations; and investor-state matters. Focused on international arbitrations concerning international projects and the energy and resources sectors, Matthew Saunders heads up the global international arbitration practice, which includes highly regarded partners Tom Cummins and Tom Duncan. Dyfan Owen returned to London from the Dubai office in 2020 and Emma Martin made partner in 2019, while Myfanwy Wood, Amy Cable and Harsh Hari Haran are experienced senior associates. Former partner Tim Reid retired.
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Testimonials
‘Emma Johnson – Emma was excellent to deal with, she was very responsive and gave us very clear and practical advice which helped deliver a satisfactory commercial solution.’
‘Myfanwy Wood (Senior Associate) is my primary contact with Ashurst and practically all my dealings are with her. She is an extraordinary individual and outstanding representative of her firm. Her demeanour in meetings is always professional and courteous. Her preparation is meticulous. The most impressive thing about her, however, is her ability to grasp the essentials of the technical issues with which we are dealing. This attribute is apparent not only in our conversations, but also in her edits when she reviews technical notes that I generate for the case being prepared. I cannot imagine having a better work partner/manager.’
‘The Ashurst international arbitration team has a considerable and very impressive track record of running high value, complex arbitrations of all forms in various forums and a variety of different industries including construction, oil & gas and mining. I would not hesitate to recommend them in those or any other sectors. They are highly responsive and deliver a high quality product quickly, efficiently and without fuss. They are both classy and cost effective – a dream combination.’
‘A stand-out star in this strong team is Myfanwy Wood. I have worked with Myfanwy over 4 years and she was the lynchpin – managing the process and the team, driving things forward and making sure that everyone was happy and that everything which needed to be done was being done, and done well. She inspired complete confidence in every member of the team, and kept our spirits up and our energy high throughout very heavy, complex disputes, where there was a great deal at stake. She has superlative people skills and an absolutely exceptional ability to keep on top of multiple interlinked workstreams.’
‘An extremely efficient and competent team, with a strong strategic vision and the ability to move up the learning curve at speed. From the point of view of an external observer, and in comparison to other firms, the team is an overachiever in terms of diversity.’
‘Matthew Saunders is exceptional in his strategic vision, client management, respect for and support of the experts on the matter, oratory and cross-examination skills.’
‘Tom Cummins and Joseph Harrington – always available, always on top of their brief and constantly engaged.’
‘I have known and worked with Matthew Saunders for many years. He is extremely professional, calm, assured and knowledgeable in all my dealings with him. He is always in control and a very good lawyer.’
Pensions: dispute resolution Tier 3
Ashurst advises clients on some of the most complex aspects of pensions law, including the multiple intricacies of both defined benefit and defined contribution schemes. The London pensions team is led by the 'highly knowledgeable' John Gordon, and has recently been advising Virgin, Stagecoach and SNCF on their legal challenge to the DfT's disqualification of their West Coast Partnership bid over pensions issues. The firm's non-contentious work covers the full spectrum of rail industry pensions issues, particularly in relation to negotiations with the regulator. Clients further benefit from the wider firm's strong track record in restructuring matters.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘There is close integration between Ashurst’s pensions team and its commercial litigation group. This means Ashurst’s pensions team has valuable experience in heavyweight commercial litigation‘.
‘John Gordon is extremely flexible, highly knowledgeable and able to translate difficult concepts whilst not losing sight of the important detail‘.
‘John Gordon is excellent. Technically, he is a highly accomplished pensions lawyer. Commercially, he is excellent at understanding clients’ business needs‘.
Key clients
West Coast Trains Limited
Private funds (including infrastructure funds) Tier 3
Ashurst combines an established track record in private equity fundraisings with a broad offering across infrastructure, debt and equity, and pension funds.The practice is particularly active in PE raisings for repeat clients such as Altor and Inflexion, while also acting for major sovereign wealth funds and asset managers. Practice head Piers Warburton has a strong record acting for major sponsor clients on high-value and complex international raisings, utilising bespoke structures and terms. The 'extremely accomplished' Nick Goddard advises sponsors of a range of fund types on fund formation alongside regularly working with investors, and has a notable relationship with Equitix. Nicola Hopkins is noted for her work with sponsors and investors on structuring and joint ventures, while counsel Catherine Gokah offers US and European regulatory and funds expertise. Fellow counsel Nicole Williams specialises in fund and structured finance, working regularly with sponsors and major institutional investors.
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Testimonials
Pragmatic, value-added advice is always provided. Deadlines are always met. Never get the sense that the team is going through the motions.
Nick Goddard is very personable and is excellent at providing succinct explanations for complex scenarios.
There has been a close working relationship across departments which has enabled Ashurst to have a strong understanding of our business and objectives. The funds team have a wealth of experience of our funds and vehicles which is very valuable when establishing a new vehicle and explaining the how and the why to external parties.
Strong dedicated team combined with access to senior individuals – there is a team behind the team which we do not always see but appreciate their input too. Nick Goddard and Catherine Gokah have been easy to work with and have worked hard across all of our funds, projects and prospects – always protecting our interests.
Nick Goddard is an extremely accomplished funds lawyer who is very well thought of by all. He is extremely professional and skilfully drives transactions forward through a combination of extensive legal knowledge, understanding of market precedents, emotional intelligence during negotiation and maintaining focus on the key goals of the client. Catherine Gokar is an extremely proficient funds lawyer whose strong understanding of funds contracts and focus and determination to deliver client goals is unwavering.
Piers Warburton is extremely knowledgeable about fund structuring and is able to understand, interpret & draft complex clauses; as well as explain to relevant parties. Very approachable, and always makes himself available. Very knowledgeable on all legacy funds, clauses and structures. Pleasure to work with.
Key clients
Altor Equity Partners
Inflexion Private Equity Partners
Intermediate Capital Group
Investec Asset Management
Foresight Group
Equitix
General Atlantic
Sprints Capital
CapMan
Shard Credit Partners
Real estate funds Tier 3
Ashurst's investment funds practice operates seamlessly internationally, with practitioners in London working alongside those in Luxembourg, Germany, Hong Kong and Australia. The London group has a wealth of experience structuring a wide variety of vehicles, including real estate funds, managed investment schemes and REITs. It also has expertise in joint ventures and club arrangements, and advises on investments into funds, as well as secondary disposals of investments. Piers Warburton, who is the global practice head, has built up longstanding relationships with a number of major sponsors and investors.
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Testimonials
‘Very good knowledge of fund terms and excellent tax team.‘
‘Pragmatic/practical, can-do attitude, responsive, work well collaboratively.‘
Key clients
Tritax Management LLP
Equitix
AIMCo
Big Society Capital
CapMan
Credit Suisse
Oxford Properties
Saray Capital
Knight Frank Investment Management
Partners Group
TMT Tier 3
Ashurst brings expertise in IP, corporate, finance, disputes, competition and real estate, to a range of TMT sector projects and issues. Notable for the firm in this area are Nick Elverston, who provides cross-border legal advice to clients in the TMT sector and the wider digital economy; Amanda Hale, who acts for some of the big four tech companies, fixed and mobile operators, governments and regulators, as well digital infrastructure sector investors; IT and sourcing specialist Christopher Bates; and Abradat Kamalpour, who focuses on Fintech, capital markets and Islamic finance.
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
Telxius Telecom S.A.
Three (Hutchison 3G UK Limited)
Virgin Media
WorldPay
Digital Colony
DXC Technology (formerly Hewlett Packard Enterprises)
Asto Digital (part of Santander UK)
Arenko Cleantech
Data protection, privacy and cybersecurity Tier 4
Ashurst advises high-profile energy, rail and automotive clients across the UK. David Futter heads up the team and assists with data protection and technology transactions, while Hiroyuki Iwamura focuses on advising Japanese clients on their data protection and privacy needs, including cross-border data transfer issues. Counsel Gita Shivarattan is highlighted for her work on GDPR compliance programs, data breach reporting issues and data subject rights requests.
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Key clients
Virgin Trains
McLaren Automotive
Thomas Cook (in administration), KPMG and Alix Partners, Insolvency Service (as special managers to the administration)
JPI Media (Johnston Press)
General Atlantic
Commonwealth Bank of Australia
Curo
Intermediate Capital Group plc
SVS Securities plc
Oak Hill Capital Management
Conrad Energy
Asto Digital
Keolis Amey
M&A: upper mid-market and premium deals, £500m+ Tier 4
Ashurst's 'excellent' and 'on the ball' M&A team undertakes transactions for clients in its key target industries, which include tech, financial institutions, energy, infrastructure and funds. The practice has close ties with several FTSE 100 companies within these sectors and has advised on several takeovers for these clients. The highly respected Karen Davies leads the corporate transactions teams in London and has been particularly active advising financial institutions, while Jason Radford heads the corporate practice globally. Nick Williamson and Tom Mercer are also key names in the department, both advising on significant transactions within the group.
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Testimonials
‘The Ashurst team is always on the ball and provides excellent service. Always there when you need them and able to go the extra mile to make the deal happen. Very client friendly and responsive. The team is first rate‘
‘Nick Williamson is an exceptional lawyer – very responsive, trusted adviser and a go-to-person for all M&A related activities. Nick really understands the dynamics of M&A transactions and is able to anticipate issues early, allowing us to take the appropriate measures way before others start realising the same. Truly first class.‘
‘Leading mid market public M&A practice. Approachable and commercial.‘
‘Tom Mercer is our go-to partner for UK public M&A at Ashurst for his blend of a commercial approach and technical knowledge.‘
Key clients
Amerisur Resources
AVEVA
Babcock International Group
British Business Bank
CareTech Holdings
EnQuest
Faroe Petroleum
GFG Alliance
Goldman Sachs
Interserve
J.P. Morgan
Johnston Press / JPI Media
Kier Group plc
Lamprell plc
Lazard & Co., Limited
Macquarie Infrastructure Partners IV
McLaren
MedicX Fund Limited
Oxford Instruments
Shanks Group (Renewi)
Pensions (non-contentious) Tier 4
Ashurst advises clients on some of the most complex aspects of pensions law, including the multiple intricacies of both defined benefit and defined contribution schemes. The London pensions team is led by the 'highly knowledgeable' John Gordon, and has recently been advising Virgin, Stagecoach and SNCF on their legal challenge to the DfT's disqualification of their West Coast Partnership bid over pensions issues. The firm's non-contentious work covers the full spectrum of rail industry pensions issues, particularly in relation to negotiations with the regulator. Clients further benefit from the wider firm's strong track record in restructuring matters.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘There is close integration between Ashurst’s pensions team and its commercial litigation group. This means Ashurst’s pensions team has valuable experience in heavyweight commercial litigation‘.
‘Good sound advice, very thorough‘.
‘John Gordon is excellent. Technically, he is a highly accomplished pensions lawyer. Commercially, he is excellent at understanding clients’ business needs‘.
‘John Gordon is extremely flexible, highly knowledgeable and able to translate difficult concepts for laymen and counsel teams whilst not losing sight of the important detail‘.
‘We deal mainly with John Gordon who is very thorough and provides sound advice. He will always go the extra mile‘.
Key clients
On behalf of Thomas Cook PLC and subsidiaries (in liquidation) (acting for Alix Partners)
Keolis Amey as the new franchise operator for rail services for Wales and Borders
West Coast Trains Limited
The Trustees of the NIAB (1996) Pension Scheme
Clement Clarke Pensions Trustees Limited
Rio Tinto, one of the world’s largest metals and mining corporations
Interserve plc
Navigator Terminals Limited
Gleacher Shacklock LLP and Arma Partners LLP (Inferno)
JPIMedia Limited (Oculus)
Private equity: transactions – high-value deals (£250m+) Tier 4
Ashurst advises on a wide variety of transactions, including buyouts, investments, portfolio company M&A and exits, with notable capabilities in deal structuring and financing, growth and venture capital, and cross-border transactions. Clients include individual private investors, family offices, and institutional PE houses, including Agilitas and Brookfield Infrastucture. David Carter leads the practice, and advises on cross-border transactions for several of the firm's major clients. Braeden Donnelly is also recommended.Practice head(s):
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Key clients
Agilitas
Golden Tree/JPI Media
DIF/Aberdeen Standard
Brookfield Infrastructure
Cerberus Capital Management
Inflexion
Macquarie Infrastructure Partners/Macquarie Capital
Dalmore Capital
Intermediate Capital Group/Adelie Foods
Nomura
EmergeVest
Oakley Capital
Goldman Sachs International
Lazard & Co
MedicX Fund
The Valesco Group
Professional negligence Tier 4
Ashurst works with prestigious clients in the financial services sector, defending negligence claims relating to audits, actuarial, funds, major projects, legal and pension work. The London team is aided by the firm's Glasgow base and is noteworthy for its cross-border expertise. As well as leading the team, ‘hugely thoughtful’ James Levy advises on a range of contentious commercial disputes, focusing on banking and finance litigation.
Practice head(s):
Testimonials
‘James Levy is a great leader of a team. Hugely thoughtful. The firm has good experience of audit negligence claims.’
‘James Levy’s analysis is second to none and his assistants love working for him.’
Key clients
Daiwa Capital Markets
The Executive Counsel of the Financial Reporting Council
Regulatory investigations and corporate crime (advice to corporates) Tier 4
Ashurst’s increasing focus on financial and corporate crime is evidenced by the firm's recent hire of new practice head Ruby Hamid from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP. Hamid is noted for her expertise in financial crime litigation and general crime matters and, as a former prosecutor, has strong links with the SFO and FCA. The practice is known for its experience in sanctions, money laundering, tax evasion, and bribery and corruption matters. Its broad client base includes representatives from a host of highly regulated industries, including energy, infrastructure, life sciences, financial services and defence.
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Testimonials
‘The arrival of Ruby Hamid has made a significant difference to the firm’s ability to represent corporates in criminal matters’.
‘Ruby Hamid is excellent, committed and incredibly easy to work with’.
‘A growing team with significant expertise in commercial and regulatory fraud and economic crime’.
‘Ruby Hamid has added a star quality to the firm in this department’.
Employers Tier 5
Ashurst's employment practice is known for its expertise in handling the employment aspects of complex and high-value transactional work, working in tandem with the firm's well-respected M&A team. It also has a strong client base in the financial services sector. Other areas of strength include handling sensitive internal investigations, and high-level tribunal advice. International work is also a mainstay of the practice. European employment head Crowley Woodford has carved out an impressive niche servicing corporate clients based in Japan.
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Testimonials
‘At the forefront of dealing with issues of employment and insolvency.’
‘Ruch Buchanan is amazing. She is calm, decisive and fabulous to work with. Clients really value her client focused approach, wise counsel and ability to get things done.’
‘Whereas some employment firms which work mainly for employers push an outdated mode of defensiveness, Ashurst are forward looking and provide advice suitable for the modern world.’
‘Ashurst have always been extremely professional in all their dealings with us. we have presented many queries which were sometimes complex in nature but they were always able to give us the correct advice quickly.’
‘As well as being very professional, the team is also very warm and personable.’
‘Crowley Woodford offers excellent advice, is always commercial, focused on finding solutions to contentious matters and with a clear outline for a plan of action.’
Key clients
On behalf of Thomas Cook Group PLC and subsidiaries (in liquidation) (acting for Alix Partners)
Asto Digital Limited (the digital banking arm of Santander)
Mitsui & Co, Europe plc
McLaren Services Limited
IHS Markit (“IHSM”)
Manulife Investment Management (Europe) Limited
Hill & Smith Holdings plc
Keolis Amey as the new franchise operator for rail services for Wales and Borders
Fulcrum Utility Services Limited
Credit Suisse Energy Infrastructure Partners AG
Intellectual property: trade marks, copyright and design Tier 5
Ashurst provides contentious and non-contentious trade mark expertise to a global, bluechip client base. Practice head David Wilkinson and associate Anouska Fabes lead on trade mark oppositions, infringement and passing-off litigation while senior associate Don McCombie is a key name for commercial matters including IP support on high-profile liquidations (he is acting for Thomas Cook in liquidation). Highlight sectors include consumer goods, IT, media, telecoms and life sciences.Practice head(s):
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Testimonials
‘As a full-service firm, Ashurst brings a wealth of experience to any commercial dispute. In TMT and IP disputes the firm benefits from having strong commercial support teams readily at hand to assist with complex but important peripheral issues. The firm as a whole is very commercially aware, experienced and offers excellent cost efficiency and makes appropriate use of experienced senior associates and other teaming decisions to ensure diligent yet cost effective management of every case.‘
‘Ashurst is a top-flight City firm with clients to match. They always put in a first-rate performance in whatever they do and are always very pleasant to deal with.‘
‘High-quality, experienced team. Good at managing and earning the trust of difficult clients, while managing their expectations. I have found the advice provided by Ashurst to be clear, straightforward and importantly, practical taking into account the circumstances of the cases we have worked on together. This includes an inherent cost/benefit assessment of the situation measured against the scale of the problem which is appreciated by attorneys and clients alike.‘
‘David Wilkinson is an extremely experienced intellectual property litigator who is readily able to address complex and novel situations to find sound commercial solutions to advance his client’s case.‘
‘Don McCombie is a diligent, hardworking and talented litigator who is able to take real responsibility for complex litigation.‘
‘David Wilkinson is an extremely well-known IP practitioner with an adherent practice, and with his move to Ashurst I am sure has put the firm very much on the IP map.‘
‘Don McCombie is first rate and incredibly knowledgeable, and a pleasure to deal with.‘
Key clients
NEX International Limited
Agilitas
Ewald Dorken AG
AUTOMAT (American Brasserie)
Thomas Cook Group plc (in liquidation)
McLaren
NCR
Goldman Sachs
Singapore > Energy: foreign firms Tier 1
From its office in Singapore, Ashurst handles energy matters throughout the Asia Pacific region. Frequently acting in conjunction with its other offices through the region, it advises clients on energy-related matters including procurement, transactions, project development, and financing, and is particularly active in LNG, oil, and mining projects. The team's clients include private corporations, state-owned companies, and states. The practice is led by Daniel Reinbott and Michael Harrison, with Harrison relocating to Singapore from the team's Sydney office in January 2020. Reinbott is respected for his knowledge of the LNG sector, while Harrison has broad experience across the energy sector. Elsewhere, Alfred Ng specialises in project financing, associate Avinash Panjabi focuses on Indonesian projects, and counsel Giles Ashman handles energy transactions.
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Testimonials
‘Avinash Punjabi in Ashurst’s Energy team in Singapore makes this team the best in Asia. He provides commercially sound, practical, and yet prudent legal advice to clients. His quiet confidence makes him perfect for taking the lead at project meetings that may otherwise turn antagonistic. He fully deserves the respect that he receives from all.’
Key clients
Total
BP
Shell
Mitsubishi Corporation and its subsidiaries Diamond Gas International and Tabeer Energy
ENI
Tokyo Gas
Woodside
BHP Billiton
PT Pertamina (Persero)
Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand
India > Foreign firms Tier 3
Drawing upon strong links with local law firms, Ashurst's India group demonstrates particular strength in matters pertaining to capital markets, projects and energy and M&A. International investment banks and companies operating in the energy, infrastructure and real estate sectors often seek the team's advice in relation to both their investments into India and global expansion of their business. The group is led by Stuart Rubin, who has extensive experience in equity capital market deals in India. Corporate finance and securities transactions, including Rule 144A and mezzanine debt investments, are core areas of practice for Anna-Marie Slot. Both practitioners are based in London.
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Key clients
Greenko
Citi India
UBS India
JP Morgan
Everstone Private Equity
Brookfield Infrastructure UK Limited
Hyundai Motor Company
Kia Motors Corporation
Algeria > Foreign firms Tier 3
The London-based team at Ashurst focuses on assisting oil and gas clients in Algeria. This includes drafting gas sales agreements, negotiating during project development, and offering day-to-day advice. Yann Alix heads the Africa practice and leads on most Algeria-related matters.
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Key clients
Total
Groupe PSA
Cell C
ACWA Power International
BP
ENEL
EIB
Government of Uganda
Aeolus Energy Ltd
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Iluka resources
JX Nippon
China New Era Group Corporation
Mitsui & Co. Ltd
Newcrest Mining
Nomura International
Randgold Resources
Tullow Oil
Vaalco Energy
Woodside Energy
Martifer Solar
China Construction Bank
The Export-Import Bank of China
ENGIE
Nareva
JBIC (Japan Bank for International Cooperation)
Tunisia > Foreign firms Tier 3
Ashurst's 'experienced' offering is based across the firm's London and Paris offices. The team handles a raft of oil and gas sector mandates in the region and is experienced in energy sector transactions in Tunisia. Paris-based Mark Barges, who joined from Linklaters, is often engaged on the financing and development of energy and infrastructure projects in North Africa, while London-based projects and M&A partner Yann Alix heads the Africa practice group and is regularly instructed by oil, gas and mining companies. Michel Lequien in Paris, who is experienced across energy and infrastructure projects, is also a central figure in the practice.
Practice head(s):
Key clients
Total
Groupe PSA
Cell C
ACWA Power International
BP
ENEL
EIB
Government of Uganda
Aeolus Energy Ltd
International Finance Corporation (IFC)
Iluka resources
JX Nippon
China New Era Group Corporation
Mitsui & Co. Ltd
Newcrest Mining
Nomura International
Randgold Resources
Tullow Oil
Vaalco Energy
Woodside Energy
Martifer Solar
China Construction Bank
The Export-Import Bank of China
ENGIE
Nareva
JBIC (Japan Bank for International Cooperation)
Ashurst > Firm Profile
Ashurst is a leading global law firm advising local and global corporates, financial institutions and governments on their most complex transactions, disputes and projects. Founded almost 200 years ago, the firm today has more than 3,400 people, including some 400 partners, working across 28 offices in 16 countries, offering the reach and insight of a global network, combined with the knowledge and understanding of local markets. The firm brings together lawyers of the highest calibre with the technical knowledge, industry experience and regional know-how to provide the incisive advice clients need.
Ashurst’s vision is to be the most progressive global law firm, and it is committed to taking a fresh perspective, to deliver practical, commercial solutions to the challenges faced by clients in today’s rapidly changing business landscape.
MAIN AREAS OF PRACTICE
Corporate: With our extensive network of global corporate partners, we are well-resourced in major commercial centres to advise on public and private M&A, private equity, joint ventures, equity capital markets, reorganisations, governance and regulatory issues.
Finance, Funds & Restructuring: Ashurst has a premier global finance team, based in all the major financial centres around the world, with deep product expertise and extensive multi-jurisdictional experience. Our global capacity and technical capability covers global loans, global markets, finance regulatory, restructuring & special situations, investment funds and high yield.
Projects & Real Estate: Our global team has unmatched depth and operates across the energy, resources, infrastructure and real estate sectors, advising the full range of market participants, including lenders, governments and sponsors, on innovative and high profile matters.
Strategic Advisory: Our market leading specialist advisory teams are focused on delivering strategic innovative solutions to our clients’ most complex business critical challenges. We have leading expertise in employment, competition, intellectual property, international arbitration, investigations, tax and disputes.
Ashurst Advance: We deliver client-facing innovation through Ashurst Advance, our “NewLaw” platform comprising cutting edge technology, process experts, and high quality cost effective resources in a single dynamically managed package which is fully integrated with our legal subject matter experts.
INDUSTRY TEAMS
Banks & Private Capital: We support the business and transactional activities of our domestic and global bank and private capital clients in an environment of increased regulatory change and commercial pressure.
Digital Economy: Our digital economy group adopts a tailored approach to the digitalisation of particular industries, with a key focus on fintech, infratech, proptech and TMT. The team advise on all aspects of work in the industry, including strategic commercial arrangements, M&A, IPOs, financing, joint ventures, outsourcing, disputes, exploitation of IP, tax and other key commercial activities.
Energy & Resources: Our specialists provide an end-to-end advisory service covering the full energy and resources value chains, including their various sub sectors, working on high profile projects and transactions globally which will shape the industry for decades to come. This experience spans renewables, energy from waste, oil & gas, mining & metals, decarbonisation technologies (e.g. energy storage, hydrogen, smart meters), conventional power and nuclear.
Infrastructure: We work as key advisers on iconic infrastructure projects across the transport, social infrastructure, energy and resources and telecommunications sectors for both public and private sector clients. Our in-depth knowledge of the industry and our history of working with governments, sponsors and financiers means we have a comprehensive and balanced view, and understand how projects work from all perspectives.
Real Estate: Our team advises on all aspects of real estate activity including high-profile acquisitions and divestments, asset management, large-scale development schemes, real estate finance, funds, joint ventures, construction, planning, environment and tax advice. Our one-stop-shop offering allows us to work with our clients on landmark, first of a kind deals across the built environment market and the many sectors within it.
INTERNATIONAL OFFICES
Abu Dhabi, Beijing, Brisbane, Brussels, Canberra, Dubai, Frankfurt, Glasgow, Hong Kong, India (best friend referral arrangement with Indian Law Partners), Jakarta (associated office), Jeddah (associated office), London, Luxembourg, Los Angeles, Madrid, Melbourne, Milan, Munich, New York, Paris, Perth, Port Moresby, Riyadh, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney and Tokyo.
Main Contacts
Department | Name | Telephone | |
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Chairman | Ben Tidswell | ||
Global Managing Partner | Paul Jenkins | ||
London Managing Partner | Ruth Harris | ||
Ashurst Advance | Chris Georgiou | ||
Corporate | Jason Radford | ||
Finance, Funds & Restructuring | Jamie Ng | ||
Projects & Real Estate | Lee McDonald & Sarah Sivyour | ||
Strategic Advisory | Lea Constantine | ||
Banks | Ben Tidswell | ||
Private Capital & Funds | Olga Galazoula & Mark stanbridge | ||
Digital Economy | Nick Elverston & Andrew Craig | ||
Oil & Gas | Michael Burns & Peter Vaughan | ||
Power & Utilities | Antony Skinner & David Wadham | ||
Mining | Lorenzo Pacitii & Yann Alix | ||
Infrastructure | Mark Elsey & Naomi Horton | ||
Real Estate | Sarah Watkinson |
Lawyer Profiles
Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
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Claire Dutch | Partner, Co-Head of Planning and Environment | View Profile |
Staff Figures
Number of global partners : 400+ Number of other global fee earners : 1600+Student (The Lex 100 )
The Lex 100 Verdict
Ashurst, a City stalwart boasting top-level clients and swanky new offices in Spitalfields, impresses trainees and is a favourite among those looking for training with an 'international nature' and a smaller intake size in the heart of the City of London. Trainees applaud the firm's 'friendly' and 'hard working' people who 'don't take themselves too seriously' as well as the 'great atmosphere'. As a result of the smaller intake size, supervision is 'highly supportive'. The firm offers trainees lots of responsibility from the outset as well as great 'strength in corporate and finance work with a smaller intake than the Magic Circle but similar quality of work and training'. Highlights of work include 'working on deals that have made the front page of the Financial Times and the opportunity for international secondments, with the firm medalling in this category. With this Magic Circle-like quality of work and clients come comparably long hours. Trainees have identified that compared with some peers at other firms they have 'worse hours but higher levels of responsibility' but acknowledge that it is 'to be expected' and is better than 'US firms' in this regard. The firm has an excellent reputation for pro-bono work, including a dedicated pro-bono seat within its training contract. Trainees commented that 'the pro bono and CSR opportunities are exceptional, and stand Ashurst apart from its peers' and specifically mentioned its 'gender pro bono steering committee set up to engage more with charities in that space'. Diversity and inclusion had consistent mentions by trainees who applauded steps taken recently, particularly the firm's focus on gender and 'The First Women Project'.Comparative Guides
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Commercial property: corporate occupiers
- Commercial property: development
- Commercial property: investment
- Energy and infrastructure
- Fund finance
- Corporate restructuring and insolvency
- Infrastructure (PFI and PPP)
- Islamic finance
- Oil and gas
- Power (including electricity, nuclear and renewables)
- Private equity: transactions - mid-market deals (up to £250m)
- Rail
Top Tier Firm Rankings
Top Tier Firm Rankings
Top Tier Firm Rankings
Firm Rankings
- Acquisition finance
- Bank lending: investment grade debt and syndicated loans
- Banking litigation: investment and retail
- Construction: contentious
- Construction: non-contentious
- Debt capital markets
- Derivatives and structured products
- Equity capital markets - low-mid cap
- Equity capital markets - mid-high cap
- EU and competition
- Fintech
- Insurance: corporate and regulatory
- IT and telecoms
- Mining and minerals
- Planning
- Property finance
- Property litigation
- Securitisation
- Tax litigation and investigations
- VAT and indirect tax
- Commercial litigation: premium
- Competition litigation
- Corporate restructuring & insolvency
- Corporate tax
- Emerging markets
- Employee share schemes
- Environment
- Financial services: contentious
- Financial services: non-contentious/regulatory
- High yield
- International arbitration
- Pensions: dispute resolution
- Private funds (including infrastructure funds)
- Real estate funds
- TMT
- Data protection, privacy and cybersecurity
- M&A: upper mid-market and premium deals, £500m+
- Pensions (non-contentious)
- Private equity: transactions – high-value deals (£250m+)
- Professional negligence
- Regulatory investigations and corporate crime (advice to corporates)
- Employers
- Intellectual property: trade marks, copyright and design