Richard Smith > Slaughter and May > London, England > Lawyer Profile

Slaughter and May’s equity capital markets practice is particularly well-regarded for its issuer-side work and regularly leverages the firm’s strong corporate and private equity capabilities to guide established entities and growth companies in the tech sector through IPOs, rights issues, and a diverse array of other fundraising matters. The team is also well-versed in advising domestic and internationally listed companies on share buyback programmes and handles a growing volume of equity investments. Richard Smith heads up the team and regularly advises on IPOs as well as secondary capital raisings. Former practice head Rebecca Cousin remains active, advising on the data privacy aspects of corporate transactions.

Slaughter and May retains a prominent position in the London market, advising a prolific roster of listed companies on M&A, with one client declaring the practice ‘market-leading in terms of public company work.’ Praised for its ‘great depth and experience‘, the practice operates across a host of sectors including TMT, healthcare, construction, oil and gas, and insurance on domestic and cross-border matters. The practice is jointly steered by public and private M&A partners Richard Smith, who continues to lead on high-profile transactions, and Simon Nicholls, who is lauded for his ability to combine ‘deep technical knowledge and expertise with pragmatic judgment. Roland Turnill regularly assists clients on  public and private M&A, joint ventures, activism defence, governance and crisis management matters, while Rebecca Cousin stands out for her experience in the tech and IP sectors. Both Robert Innes and David Johnson are noted for for their broad corporate practices, handling public takeovers, joint ventures and equity financings. Described as ‘very responsive and pragmatic’, James Cook has particular expertise in advising large listed and private companies on corporate governance matters, and Paul Dickson continues to act on market leading public M&A transactions. A mix of UK and US-listed and large private corporates, PE houses and hedge funds turn to Sally Wokes, while Victoria MacDuff is recommended for her experience in the financial services and telecoms sectors. Steve Cooke has left the firm.