David Griffiths > Willkie Farr & Gallagher (UK) LLP > London, England > Lawyer Profile

The capital market group at Willkie Farr & Gallagher (UK) LLP is known for its ‘expertise and proactivity‘ and clients note that the high yield partners are ‘seasoned professionals, who keep calm and are able to step back and find another way, if needed‘. London head of capital markets Jennifer Tait and head of corporate insurance capital markets Joseph Ferraro are the main practitioners handling a broad range of work from IPOs to high yield and investment grade bond issuance. Tait and associate David Griffiths acted as financing counsel to Platinum Equity and Solenis in the $5.25bn acquisition of Clearon, which included the issuance of $325m in high yield notes.

One client of Willkie Farr & Gallagher (UK) LLP remarks that ‘the technical brilliance of this practice is second to none‘. The firm has notable expertise in the insurance capital markets, though it also handles investment grade issuance for corporates and sponsors. London head of capital markets Jennifer Tait and head of corporate insurance capital markets Joseph Ferraro are the principal partners, and both are ‘technically very able and efficient‘. They acted for Herbie Re Ltd in the issuance of $80m in variable rate notes. The transaction was sponsored by Fidelis Insurance Bermuda, which provides Fidelis with reinsurance protection against losses from earthquakes in peak regions in North America. The group also assisted SCOR SE with its $240m offering of notes. Associate David Griffiths is a key adviser on insurance-linked securities and ‘an absolute technician who knows his subject matter inside and out‘.