

- Tel:
- Work 020 7456 2000
- Fax:
- Fax 020 7456 2222
- DX:
- 10 LONDON CITY EC3
- Email:
- Web:
- https://www.linklaters.com
William Buckley
- Tel:
- Work 020 7456 3312
- Email:
Work Department
Corporate.
Position
William is a corporate partner based in the London office. He advises on the full range of corporate transactions, including public and private mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, equity and debt offerings, structured finance transactions as well as general corporate housekeeping and advisory work. William heads up the firm’s real estate and professional services sectors and the London office’s China practice, and is the lead partner for a number of the firm’s key clients in the real estate, financial institutions, infrastructure, industrials, investment trust, insurance, retail and professional services sectors.
Career
Trainee solicitor Linklaters 1990-92; assistant solicitor 1992-99; partner 1999; member of International Board 2012 to date.
Education
Magdalen College, Oxford (1988 Classics mods 1st; Law finals 1st).
London: Corporate and commercial
M&A: upper mid-market and premium deals, £250m+
Within: M&A: upper mid-market and premium deals, £250m+
The ‘exceptional’, ‘pragmatic and service-oriented’ Linklaters LLP practice provides ‘excellent legal advice’ and ‘very good levels of service, both on buy side and sell side assignments’. The team is known for its strength in public M&A, and its expertise in complex work such as reverse takeovers and demergers. Clients describe its responsiveness, business acumen, strength in depth and value for money as ‘excellent’. Financial services, high-end retail, technology and telecoms are key sector strengths; the department is also noted for its experience in the mining sector. Global head of corporate Aedamar Comiskey led the advice to Amec Foster Wheeler on its recommended all-share acquisition by competitor John Wood Group. The ‘extremely supportive, practical and commercial’ Simon Branigan led the team on AIB’s €12bn reprivatisation and IPO on the London and Irish stock exchanges. Iain Fenn (has a ‘commercial focus’ and a ‘commitment to getting the deal done’) is advising Old Mutual in a complex arrangement for a demerger into two entities. Other highlights have seen firm senior partner and global chairman Charles Jacobs handle Glencore’s £2.5bn sale of a 40% stake in its agricultural business, Iain Wagstaff act for Three on its £300m acquisition of UK Broadband and the ‘very client oriented and pragmatic’ Sarah Wiggins advising Benckitt Benckiser Group on its acquisition of Mead Johnson Nutrition, with total enterprise value of $17.9bn. Also recommended are corporate group leader Owen Clay , who is ‘friendly and responsive’ and ‘is good at dealing with challenging clients and situations’ and William Buckley who is ‘good at leveraging the capability of the firm’. Fionnghuala Griggs and Kanyaka Ramamurthi were both promoted to partnership, while Stuart Boyd moved to Kirkland & Ellis International LLP.