Karen Hendy > RPC > London, England > Lawyer Profile

With ‘super experience in M&A’ and a ‘great knowledge of industry,’ the team at RPC regularly works with a series of household names across various sectors, private equity and financial sponsors. Team leader Karen Hendy also co-leads the retail practice, handling listed company matters including takeovers, restructuring and M&A. The ‘client focused’ James Mee leads on insurance and financial services M&A mandates, while the highly experienced Neil Brown frequently handles large transactions in the insurance, technology and retail sectors. Senior corporate lawyer Nigel Collins has a growing Japanese client base and advises on a range of matters including investments, acquisitions, disposals and restructuring. Jeremy Cunningham is recommended for his work in the tech and media sectors. Other names to note include Ben Magahy, who acts as lead associate on M&A and corporate transactions involving private equity and financial sponsors.

Fielding a ‘group with real sector expertise‘, RPC runs the gamut of contentious, advisory, and cross-border retail matters. The team is regularly instructed by clients from a broad range of industries, with an emphasis on the fashion and beauty, as well as the food and beverage sectors. Karen Hendy and Jeremy Drew jointly head up the practice; the former advises listed companies and their subsidiaries, with notable expertise in distressed purchases and acquisitions, while the latter is the key contact for multi-jurisdictional arbitrations, as well as for contentious and non-contentious intellectual property mandates. ‘Standout’ Ciara Cullen oversees the firm’s food and drink sub-group, and is an experienced intellectual property and technology specialist with a particular focus on sustainability, and consumer regulations and compliance. Simon Edwards is recommended for his commercial contract negotiation expertise. 2023 saw IP specialist Sarah Mountain and banking and finance specialist Edward Colville promoted to the partnership.

The cross-practice governance group at RPC is led by Patrick Brodie, Jeremy Drew and Matthew Griffith and advises on a range of issues, from board-level matters to remuneration policies, regulatory issues, data protection and diversity. It has a strong investigations practice which advises on high-profile contentious issues and related governance matters and is particularly strong in financial crime. Brodie is recommended for reputation management and regulatory governance, Drew deals with governance, culture and conduct issues, and Griffith is a name for regulatory and post-Brexit issues with a focus on the insurance and financial services sectors. Sam Tate is a contact for white-collar crime and anti-bribery and anti-money laundering initiatives, while Karen Hendy advises on corporate governance, directors’ duties and AGM matters.