Firm Profile > Dentons > Milton Keynes, England

Banking and finance Tier 1

The banking and finance team at Dentons is on the legal panel for several major UK banks, while also acting regularly for overseas banks as well as for high-profile regional and international borrowers. The practice’s sector specialism includes automotive, manufacturing, TMT, financial institutions and real estate. Peter Cox heads the practice. Senior associate Faye Garvey is another name to note.

Commercial litigation: Beds, Bucks, Herts, Middx Tier 1

Dentons’ commercial litigation practice stands out for its expertise in international work, particularly in the field of financial disputes and investigations. The team specialises also in professional negligence and breach of contract disputes, franchising, product liability, asset finance, fraud and construction. Clients are from the banking, insurance, construction, energy, automotive, sports, retail and leisure sectors. James Fairbairn and Tim Constable head the practice from the Milton Keynes and Watford offices respectively. Watford-based Clare Stothard and Steven Mills are specialists in investment and retail banking disputes.

Commercial property: Beds, Bucks, Herts, Middx Tier 1

Milton Keynes-based Dentons’ practice is a leader across the full range of commercial property matters, including development and house building, real estate finance, infrastructure and regeneration. Its domestic and international clients are drawn from sectors including retail, banking, the automotive industry, logistics, education and the public sector. Roland Gray heads the team. Robert Wyatt and Greg Rigby are other names to note.

Corporate and commercial: Beds, Bucks, Herts, Middx Tier 1

Dentons' Milton Keynes-based corporate and commercial team stands out for its global focus, which is reflected in the increasing number of cross-border and international transactions in which it has been involved. The client portfolio includes a number of prestigious owner-managed businesses and well-known UK-based companies. The team has specific expertise in the automotive sector. Managing partner and practice head Andrew Harris specialises in transactional M&A, private equity and funding work. Peter Cox , Christopher Colclough and senior associate Faye Garvey are also recommended.

Employment: Beds, Bucks, Herts, Middx Tier 1

The Milton Keynes-based employment team at Dentons is part of the nationwide people, reward and mobility practice, which specialises in a wide range of employment, benefits and immigration matters. The team has a longstanding expertise at the international level, catering for prestigious clients in the retail, transport, technology, media and telecommunications sectors. Sarah Beeby heads the practice. Senior associates Verity Buckingham and Michelle Lamb are also recommended.

Immigration Tier 1

Dentons handles the full spectrum of business immigration matters, including applications of sponsorship, advising on temporary and permanent visa applications and also acts as Level 1 users in managing and addressing Home Office compliance issues. Associate Verity Buckingham heads the practice from the Milton Keynes office.

Professional negligence Tier 1

Dentons is skilled in handling high-value negligence matters for its international roster of clients, which include major financial institutions, blue-chip companies, and high-net-worth private individuals. Milton Keynes-based James Fairbairn is the key name to note, bringing a blend of his litigation experience to professional negligence matters. Also recommended is practice head Tim Constable in the Watford office.

Property litigation Tier 1

Bryan Johnston heads up Dentons' 'commercially aware' real estate litigation group, which has 'superb technical knowledge'. The 15-strong team regularly acts for global banks, residential developers, insurers, retailers and public sector bodies. In 2018, the firm handled cases at the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal. Senior associate Gemma Hunter-Barnes has experience of acting for clients such as Network Rail and Sports Direct in contentious property matters.

Construction Tier 2

Led by Jane Miles, who is noted for her transactional expertise, Dentons' Milton Keynes office focuses exclusively on non-contentious construction. The majority of the group's notable client list comprises of major developers and fund clients. In addition to advising on the day-to-day construction complexities of live projects, the team assists clients with negotiating contractual changes and drafting bespoke agreements.

Insolvency and corporate recovery Tier 3

Dentons' Watford based insolvency team continues to focus on working with the UK's leading clearing banks. Working in conjunction with the firm's London office, it is able to cover the whole range of insolvency and restructuring work. With international and cross-border experience, Andrea Dunsby heads the team along with property and personal insolvency expert Steven Mills, who also heads the Watford office and Dentons' regional banking litigation practice.

IT and telecoms Tier 3

Dentons' Thames Valley team focuses on non-contentious IT advice, for clients both within the software industry, and those outside seeking IT advice. The team has particular experience with retail sector clients, bolstered further by the addition of senior associate Nick Harrison, who rejoined from an in-house position to head the team. The team also has a strong record of procurement, contract, and outsourcing advice in the automotive, Oil and Gas, and media spheres.

Commercial contracts Tier 1

Known for its UK-wide and global resources, Dentons acts for big corporates as well as disruptive businesses entering the market, particularly in the area of new technologies. The firm has experience in advising on complex commercial matters in a range of sectors, including retail, energy, financial services and manufacturing. TMT specialist Martin Fanning advises on sourcing matters, commercial transactions, mobile projects, and large-scale IT and business process procurements. He co-leads the practice with Andy Lucas, who has expertise in large public sector outsourcing projects, as well as cyber security and cryptology. Their team includes Babette Märzheuser-Wood, who focuses on franchise and distribution agreements and IP-driven joint ventures; Scott Singer, whose work covers the breadth of commercial contracts; Henrietta Baker, who advises on a diverse range of commercial arrangements; and associate Sarah Lima, who has experience in major technology and telecoms projects in the financial services and public sectors.

Commercial property: hotels and leisure Tier 1

At Dentons, Simon Masri and senior associate Laura Gowing are standout names in the firm's acclaimed hotels and leisure team, which handles high-value transactions and projects across the EMEA region. The firm's caseload includes mixed-use hotel projects, day-to-day operational work and franchising matters with a standout instruction recently coming from Topland on the sale of a portfolio of 26 hotels for £220m. The firm also hosts a full-service development offering which has recently been boosted by the arrival of former Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP partner Deepa Deb, a specialist in residential-led mixed used schemes and the alternative assets sector. Investment clients include family offices and sovereign wealth funds based in China, the Middle East and South East Asia while corporate occupier clients rely on the team for leasing, construction, planning, dispute, joint venture, fund management and finance matters. Richard Budge is a standout in the retail space where the team's construction, structuring, planning, funding advice, competition, franchising and GDPR issues complement its core real estate offering. Real estate head Rob Thompson ‘goes the extra mile’ for clients and is a specialist in complex corporate real estate and real estate finance transactions on both a domestic and international scale.

Commercial property: retail Tier 1

At Dentons, Simon Masri and senior associate Laura Gowing are standout names in the firm's acclaimed hotels and leisure team, which handles high-value transactions and projects across the EMEA region. The firm's caseload includes mixed-use hotel projects, day-to-day operational work and franchising matters with a standout instruction recently coming from Topland on the sale of a portfolio of 26 hotels for £220m. The firm also hosts a full-service development offering which has recently been boosted by the arrival of former Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP partner Deepa Deb, a specialist in residential-led mixed used schemes and the alternative assets sector. Investment clients include family offices and sovereign wealth funds based in China, the Middle East and South East Asia while corporate occupier clients rely on the team for leasing, construction, planning, dispute, joint venture, fund management and finance matters. Richard Budge is a standout in the retail space where the team's construction, structuring, planning, funding advice, competition, franchising and GDPR issues complement its core real estate offering. Real estate head Rob Thompson ‘goes the extra mile’ for clients and is a specialist in complex corporate real estate and real estate finance transactions on both a domestic and international scale.

Emerging markets Tier 1

Dentons has 'a strong partner-led team with very good emerging market experience, which is capable in both Reg S and 144A transactions'. The firm has a vast global network of offices, which enables its London finance practice to be involved in a large number of emerging markets. Its long-standing presence in Africa was enhanced by its combination with Kenyan law firm Hamilton, Harrison & Mathews, and the firm continues to be involved in syndicated lending, project and infrastructure finance, export credit finance, debt capital markets, trade and commodities finance, and energy finance across the continent. Howard Barrie who advises on project and infrastructure finance projects in Africa, as well as on structured trade and commodity financings, rejoined from Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP. The firm has a similar portfolio of work in the Middle East and, increasingly, in the CEE,  Russia and the CIS. The firm is also growing its portfolio of work from China, having merged with a local law firm.  Head of banking and finance Paul Holland and trade finance specialist Celia Gardiner are highly recommended.

Environment Tier 1

Dentons handles environment-related transactions and provides regulatory advice. The firm is also experienced in defending allegations of environmental breaches. Practice head Stephen Shergold is ‘relentless in his evaluation and formulation of key strategies’ and specialises in the environmental regulations concerning oil and gas extraction, waste, and food production. The practice also advises on the sale and purchase of contaminated land and sites, and handles the environmental aspects of M&A transactions.

Asset finance and leasing Tier 1

Flotations: small and mid-cap Tier 1

Securitisation Tier 1

Corporate restructuring and insolvency Tier 1

Flotations: small and mid-cap Tier 1

Corporate restructuring and insolvency Tier 1

Corporate restructuring and insolvency Tier 1

Corporate restructuring and insolvency Tier 1

Asset finance and leasing Tier 1

Islamic finance Tier 1

Acting in conjunction with its extensive global network, which includes a strong presence throughout the GCC, Dentons is instructed by a litany of Islamic and conventional banks, which it advises on real estate finance transactions and a range of capital markets mandates. In particular, the team has noted expertise in Islamic structured finance, an aspect of the practice that was further strengthened in 2019 by the arrival of Yusuf Battiwala, who joined the firm from Allen & Overy LLP. The London-based team works especially closely with its colleagues in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Matthew Sapte heads the wider banking and finance practice.

IT and telecoms Tier 1

The technology, media and telecommunications practice at Dentons handles a range of transactional, regulatory, compliance and contentious matters, with an impressive client roster spanning UK government departments, high-profile corporates, high-growth disruptive technology companies and telecoms businesses. The group, which is led by Andy Lucas, includes Martin Fanning, who has particular experience assisting clients in the financial services, manufacturing and retail sectors. Lucas is frequently instructed on public sector IT projects; he recently handled the procurement of Transport for London's emergency services 4G LTE mobile communications programme. The team also includes head of the firm's global telecoms group Jan Willem van den Bos and IT specialist Dan Burge, who handles a range of major technology projects. Henrietta Baker and Tristan Jonckheer were recently promoted to the partnership.

Oil and gas Tier 1

Dentons' oil and gas offering covers the full value chain both at home and abroad under the joint leadership of Danielle Beggs and David Tennant. The firm's recent caseload includes, in particular, big-ticket corporate transactions and major project development matters in challenging jurisdictions. In Aberdeen, the firm recently welcomed counsel Kenny Paton from Webber Wentzel, who now leads the oil and gas team. Charles Wood, whose areas of expertise include LNG and gas projects and sales, is also a key contact.

Rail Tier 1

With 'in-depth knowledge of the rail sector', Dentons is 'strong across franchising, rolling stock and regulatory work'. The UK team, which operates across its London, Glasgow and Edinburgh offices, has a broad practice covering passenger and freight work, infrastructure development and operational issues, light rail, franchising and concessions, access and regulation, rolling stock procurement and maintenance issues. Health and safety, environment, technology, finance work and disputes are also key focuses of the team. Matthew Hanslip Ward continues to lead advice for MTR on its joint venture bid for the West Coast Partnership with Guangshen Railway Corporation (part of China High Speed Rail) and Renfe, the Spanish high-speed operator. Esteemed practitioner Christopher McGee-Osborne has a 'wealth of experience in the rail sector', while counsel Martin Watt provides 'outstanding analysis and commercially oriented creative thinking' and senior associate Jonathan Smith has 'excellent industry knowledge'. David Moore joined CMS in 2018.

Trade finance Tier 1

'It is known as a top law firm in the market and has a great position in the market', remarks a client of Dentons. The firm's depth of expertise in banking and finance, energy and natural resources, as well as its presence in emerging markets gives its London team a strong standing in the market. Head of banking and finance Paul Holland leads the commodities, trade and upstream finance group  and deals with export credit financing and asset financing. In his team, Celia Gardiner has a long-standing reputation as one of the leading lawyers in the market and she frequently advises lenders and borrowers on financing transactions in the production, transportation and sale of commodities and in receivables financing and invoice discounting transactions. She also handles pre-export financing facilities, structured prepayment arrangements, borrowing base facilities and other working capital facilities for  traders, receivables financing, and restructuring and workouts in the natural resources sector. Howard Barrie rejoined the firm from Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP in 2018, and clients describe him as 'among the top lawyers in his field with enormous talent and experience'. Tim Pipe, who handles financings in the energy sector and in emerging markets, is also recommended.

Commercial property: development Tier 2

At Dentons, Simon Masri and senior associate Laura Gowing are standout names in the firm's acclaimed hotels and leisure team, which handles high-value transactions and projects across the EMEA region. The firm's caseload includes mixed-use hotel projects, day-to-day operational work and franchising matters with a standout instruction recently coming from Topland on the sale of a portfolio of 26 hotels for £220m. The firm also hosts a full-service development offering which has recently been boosted by the arrival of former Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP partner Deepa Deb, a specialist in residential-led mixed used schemes and the alternative assets sector. Investment clients include family offices and sovereign wealth funds based in China, the Middle East and South East Asia while corporate occupier clients rely on the team for leasing, construction, planning, dispute, joint venture, fund management and finance matters. Richard Budge is a standout in the retail space where the team's construction, structuring, planning, funding advice, competition, franchising and GDPR issues complement its core real estate offering. Real estate head Rob Thompson ‘goes the extra mile’ for clients and is a specialist in complex corporate real estate and real estate finance transactions on both a domestic and international scale.

Commercial property: investment Tier 2

At Dentons, Simon Masri and senior associate Laura Gowing are standout names in the firm's acclaimed hotels and leisure team, which handles high-value transactions and projects across the EMEA region. The firm's caseload includes mixed-use hotel projects, day-to-day operational work and franchising matters with a standout instruction recently coming from Topland on the sale of a portfolio of 26 hotels for £220m. The firm also hosts a full-service development offering which has recently been boosted by the arrival of former Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP partner Deepa Deb, a specialist in residential-led mixed used schemes and the alternative assets sector. Investment clients include family offices and sovereign wealth funds based in China, the Middle East and South East Asia while corporate occupier clients rely on the team for leasing, construction, planning, dispute, joint venture, fund management and finance matters. Richard Budge is a standout in the retail space where the team's construction, structuring, planning, funding advice, competition, franchising and GDPR issues complement its core real estate offering. Real estate head Rob Thompson ‘goes the extra mile’ for clients and is a specialist in complex corporate real estate and real estate finance transactions on both a domestic and international scale.

Data protection, privacy and cybersecurity Tier 2

Dentons’ data protection and privacy expertise encompasses GDPR implementation mandates, governance issues and global compliance projects including privacy compliance programmes and complex international data transfer projects. The dedicated team acts for a high-profile client roster, which counts John Lewis, Royal Mail, Virgin Atlantic, Aviva and First Data as key examples; it also regularly advises digital media companies on profiling, data analytics, social media, apps and location-based services as well as e-privacy regulations. The group also has experience in cyber risk management and regularly partners with cybersecurity experts to deliver both legal and forensic advice. Newly promoted partner Simon Elliott and Nick Graham jointly lead the department; Elliott has particular expertise in GDPR implementation projects and Graham is also global chair of the firm’s privacy and cybersecurity group. Martin Fanning, Scott Singer and Glasgow-based Ross Nicol are also recommended.

Equity capital markets – small-mid cap Tier 2

Dentons' London ECM group is characterised by a strong presence in upper AIM deals, and an active emerging markets practice which is more geared toward the main market. The AIM side of the practice is partly fuelled by corporate issuers in the energy, real estate and natural resources sectors, though the team also has relationships with a number of prominent nomads and investment banks. On the main market, the team was recently involved in a high-profile privatisation by way of IPO. Key figures in the practice group include Neil Nicholson and David Collins who heads up the UK corporate department.

Franchising Tier 2

Dentons’ practice is led by Babette Märzheuser-Wood, with Tim Constable leading the firm's franchise disputes group. The team is highly regarded for its retail sector expertise and also regularly handles matters in the restaurants, hotel, leisure, education and healthcare industries. Notable clients include Cath Kidston and Avis; the group also advised Debenhams on its new franchise strategy, and acted for Godiva on the restructuring of its franchise and distribution agreements in Vietnam, Korea, China and Indonesia. Märzheuser-Wood specialises in international franchise and concession agreements and IP-driven joint ventures, and is particularly active in hotel and leisure franchising.

Infrastructure (including PFI and PPP) Tier 2

Dentons has considerable experience in the secondary projects market, as well as advising on operational change and asset management matters in the infrastructure sector. Beyond its national practice, the group is also involved in rail, roads and airport projects on an international level, particularly in Africa. The team is jointly led by Dominic Spacie, Matthew Hanslip-Ward and the Edinburgh-based Euan Wilson. Mark MacAulay in Glasgow is a key contact in procurement matters. Stewart Maciver, also in Edinburgh, has significant experience of infrastructure transactions.

Planning Tier 2

Dentons’ diverse roster of public and private clients instructs the planning team on large-scale projects covering a full range of matters. Housing-led regeneration schemes are a strong point for the team, with practice heads Stephen Ashworth and Roy Pinnock handling a number of major projects across the country. Other strengths include advising local authorities on their urban extension plans, garden community proposals, CPO applications and mixed-use development schemes. The team’s engagement with policy and legislation enables it to provide strategic advice regarding CIL, the emerging new town legislative framework and the evolving build-to-rent sector. The practice has a solid team of associates who handle complex work, including Michele Vas’ expertise with strategic residential urban extensions and Rachael Herbert’s involvement with the big-ticket 8,500 home Gilston Park Estate project.

Power (including electricity, nuclear and renewables) Tier 2

Dentons' energy, transport and infrastructure team has a strong reputation for its work on high-value corporate M&A and financing matters. Lucille De Silva is a renowned expert in the field of solar PV and has advised on a number of key transactions such as Hanwha Q Cells' Yeka project in Turkey. The group is led by Charles July, who is adept at handling project development work, project and acquisition finance, private M&A and regulation in the energy sector.

Private equity: transactions – mid-tier – up to £250m Tier 2

At Dentons, 'Nicholas Plant and the team are extremely knowledgeable and versatile'. Plant frequently acts for key clients Apax and Blackstone; advising the latter in its auction sale of the international operations of RGIS, an inventory business.. The team is most often instructed by buyout funds, venture capitalists and secondary funds, as well as entrepreneurs and institutional investors. Energy, industry and infrastructure are key areas of sector specialism for the firm. In a major consumer goods highlight, Stephen Levy and Joseph Altendorff advised KKR on its €6.83bn acquisition of Unilever’s global spreads business. The deal involved the acquisition of business operations in over 100 countries. David Collins is head of the team.

Property litigation Tier 2

The 'technically superb' team at Dentons is 'well integrated with other disciplines within the firm' and draws on a wealth of experience in representing its large blue-chip client base, including major retailers and banks, as well as public sector bodies and local authorities, in a wide range of property litigation. Recent instructions include business rate matters, vacant possessions, rights of light and other development-related issues as well as property issues arising from insolvency situations and landlord and tenant relationships. The 'exceptionally knowledgeable and experienced' Bryan Johnston heads the team; he 'is able to seize short-game gains while playing the long game, has a great strategic mind and knows when different or additional resources are needed'. Handling all areas of property litigation, he is also experienced in rating and valuation issues.

Structured products and securitisation Tier 2

'The practice is really commercial, practical and focused on driving the deal ahead', remarks a client of Dentons. The structured products and securitisation practice covers a wide range of transactions including new and innovative areas of the market. It has worked on numerous challenger bank structured financings including Atom Bank's inaugural RMBS deal. It frequently acts in cross-border trade receivables securitisations, which in 2018 involved 20 sellers from 13 jurisdictions, and is a key adviser on EU risk retention requirements in US securitisations. Residential mortgage finance is another key pillar of the practice and encompasses RMBS, covered bonds and warehousing transactions. Leading partner Peter Voisey advises some of the most active originators and arrangers in that market. Led by up-and-coming partner Martin Sharkey, the European CLO practice goes from strength to strength, advising on warehousing, new issuance and refinancing transactions. Consumer loan securitisations, trade receivables transactions and, through Catriona ’Kitty’ Lloyd, advice to trustees are also key focal points for the firm. Edward Hickman, who co-leads the group with Voisey, has broad-ranging expertise in expertise securitisation, loan portfolio sales and structured utility bonds.

Aviation Tier 3

Dentons is noted for its acclaimed aircraft leasing and finance practice, however the team also handles a gamut of instructions across the aviation sector with expertise spanning corporate, real estate, competition, employment, TMT and dispute resolution. Leveraging its broad network of international offices, the team has a strong airline following and it handles major international projects; it is advising Bugesera Airport Company on the development of the new $418m Bugesera International Airport in Rwanda.

Bank lending: investment grade debt and syndicated loans Tier 3

Aided by its extensive network of international offices, the 'experienced and knowledgeable' team at Dentons is very accomplished at advising international banks on syndicated facilities in the EMEA region, including on transactions guaranteed by development banks/export credit agencies. The 'outstanding' Isaac Felberbaum has 'many years of experience in the syndicated loan market' and excels at representing lending syndicates providing liquidity to other financial institutions in the emerging markets. Felberbaum is particularly well attuned to the Turkish market and, working alongside colleagues from the firm's Istanbul office, regularly acts for banking syndicates lending to Turkish banks. He recently advised a leading global bank and a syndicate of banks on a $980m one-year syndicated loan to Akbank Türk Anonim Şirketi.

Banking litigation: investment and retail Tier 3

Dentons 'deals with important litigation and has done so for several years'. The financial disputes and investigations group's areas of expertise include wholesale banking disputes involving derivatives, letters of credit, fraud, and professional negligence. It is also experienced in investment banking disputes surrounding structured products, credit default swaps, and financial services regulation. Daren Allen is widely respected for contentious money laundering and bribery and corruption matters. Also key to the team are Richard Caird, Felicity Ewing, and Thomas Leyland. Natalia Fludra is a notable senior associate.

Commercial property: corporate occupiers Tier 3

At Dentons, Simon Masri and senior associate Laura Gowing are standout names in the firm's acclaimed hotels and leisure team, which handles high-value transactions and projects across the EMEA region. The firm's caseload includes mixed-use hotel projects, day-to-day operational work and franchising matters with a standout instruction recently coming from Topland on the sale of a portfolio of 26 hotels for £220m. The firm also hosts a full-service development offering which has recently been boosted by the arrival of former Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP partner Deepa Deb, a specialist in residential-led mixed used schemes and the alternative assets sector. Investment clients include family offices and sovereign wealth funds based in China, the Middle East and South East Asia while corporate occupier clients rely on the team for leasing, construction, planning, dispute, joint venture, fund management and finance matters. Richard Budge is a standout in the retail space where the team's construction, structuring, planning, funding advice, competition, franchising and GDPR issues complement its core real estate offering. Real estate head Rob Thompson ‘goes the extra mile’ for clients and is a specialist in complex corporate real estate and real estate finance transactions on both a domestic and international scale.

Construction: contentious Tier 3

Dentons' contentious construction team, which is co-led by the 'technically superb' Akin Akinbode and Gurbinder Grewal, acts for UK and international developers, contractors and funders, with experience in the development, energy and infrastructure sectors. The firm's huge global footprint enables the London practice to act on disputes relating to jurisdictions as far afield as Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and the Middle East. Grewal, who is well-regarded for his 'sharp legal brain' was lead partner advising Morgan Sindall on a dispute arising from the defective design and construction of steel work for a stadium redevelopment in Manchester. Newly promoted partner Esther McDermott is another 'stand out' member of the team, acting for employers, developers and contractors.

Contruction: non-contentious Tier 3

Dentons' client roster includes major contractors, developers, housebuilders and retailers, while the firm also acts on energy projects relating to both conventional and renewable power. The team is led by Mark Macaulay, an expert in employer-led development, especially in the real estate, regeneration and transport sectors. Macaulay was lead partner advising Network Rail on the Crewe area work project, an infrastructure project facilitating the connection between HS2 and the West Coast Main Line. Another major role for the firm saw it act for the official receiver to Carillion following the construction giant's collapse. Long-serving partner John Woolley left for Pinsent Masons LLP in September 2018.

Debt capital markets Tier 3

Dentons is well known for the strength of its emerging markets debt practice, which relies on the firm's extensive global network to provide local law, English law and US securities law advice across more than 70 jurisdictions. The firm has a long track record of advising on transactions in Africa, the Middle East, Turkey, Central and Eastern Europe and the CIS on behalf of sovereign, financial institution and energy-sector clients. One client remarks that the practice, led by David Cohen is a 'very dedicated team and pleasant to work with'; Cohen and key partner Nick Hayday are 'very experienced'. Among the firm's other 'pragmatic, user-friendly and hands-on partners' are US securities specialist Cameron Half and key advisor to trustees, security agents and other agency service providers Catriona Lloyd. Matthew Sapte is also recommended for Sharia-compliant and structured debt transactions.

Derivatives (including commodities) Tier 3

The derivatives, commodities, trade and upstream finance group at Dentons has extended its capability with the addition of two new partners.  Yusuf Battiwala, who is is a recognised expert in derivatives, joined from Allen & Overy LLP. He handles OTC derivatives, repos and securities lending. Luke Whitmore, previously at Fieldfisher, has a similar practice but with a particular focus on the prime brokerage and futures market. The practice group led by Matthew Sapte handles all aspects of derivatives across the full range of asset classes, including interest rate, FX, credit, equity and commodity derivatives. Its work includes master documentation negotiations, clearing, hedging on financings and securitisations, and a range of highly structured derivatives transactions. It also assists clients with innovative funding structures utilising derivatives and has a prominent role in emerging market derivatives transactions.

Fintech Tier 3

Dentons' fintech practice primarily acts for banks, payment service providers, trading platforms, insurance companies and corporations invested in the sector. The group has strengths handling commercial and regulatory matters spanning PSD2 compliance and implementation, product and platform launches, partnership agreements, procurements, outsourcing, acquisitions and ICOs. Outside of these areas the team has further expertise assessing contractual arrangements between parties, reviewing the regulatory status of clients and, more broadly, in handling specific regulatory challenges that clients may face. Practice head Jonathan Garforth has particular expertise in open banking, payments and peer to peer lending, while recently promoted partner Tristan Jonckheer specialises in financial services outsourcing and advises clients on agreements for the development of digital payment services and financial products.

Health and safety Tier 3

Dentons is highly skilled in investigations and health and safety issues surrounding transactions. Stephen Shergold co-heads the practice and is particularly strong in handling issues relating to the Control of Major Accident Hazards regulations involving chemical and equipment safety. Aberdeen based Malcolm Gunnyeon also leads the team and has a strong emphasis on the food and beverage, infrastructure, and oil and gas sectors.  Other notable names include Sam Boileau, who focuses on the oil and gas an retail sectors, and Helen Bowdren, who works on investigations and transactional support.

Local government Tier 3

Dentons has some long-established local authority clients such as the Greater London Authority, Essex County Council and Transport for London, and has a focus on large-scale regeneration projects. Stephen Ashworth is valued for providing 'a comprehensive service' and other key team members specialise in real estate (Virginia Glastonbury) and strategic acquisitions and disposals as part of redevelopment projects (Roland Gray). Bryan Johnstone handles real estate disputes and counsel Mark Bassett is a lead on public procurement work.

Media and entertainment (including media finance) Tier 3

Dentons' media and entertainment practice is well-placed to handle cross-border commercial, regulatory and corporate matters, due to its international reach. The firm acts for well-known brands across the film, TV, advertising, marketing, sports, esports, music, publishing, gaming, social media and interactive content sectors. In an example of its transactional expertise, the team advised digital media and events business, Bonhill Group, on its $27.1m reverse acquisition of the trade and assets of InvestmentNews from Crain Communications.

PATMA: Patent attorneys Tier 3

Dentons continues to attract prestigious clients which it regularly advises on the management and development of their European patent portfolios. The technology and medical device sectors account for a significant portion of the caseload, but the group also regularly acts for automotive, semiconductor, life sciences and manufacturing clients. Given the firm's global footprint, the team boasts a strong track record of highly international cases. Clients also profit from the firm's patent litigation offering. Justin Hill is the head of the practice.

Pensions: dispute resolution Tier 3

Dentons’ pensions team leverages the firm’s corporate credentials to provide pensions-related transactional advice to household-name clients. Insolvency is also a strong point for the practice, with Elmer Doonan having worked on significant recent cases in this field. Regular standalone mandates include master trust implementation, deed restructuring, liability management including bulk transfers and restructuring exercises. Common contentious mandates include GMP equalisation disputes, indexing disputes and rectification claims.

Property finance Tier 3

Dentons has extensive experience advising on acquisition and development finance, particularly in relation to offices and high-end residential build-to-rent (BTR) properties. On the lender side, the firm acts for a number of major financial institutions, including several Asian banks, and it is also expanding its borrower and debt fund client base. Cross-border European financings are another area of strength. Practice head James Irvine's expertise includes hotel financing and restructuring; Simon Tweedle and Simon Masri, who focuses on property and hotel investment finance and mixed-use development projects, are also key contacts.

Transport finance & leasing Tier 3

Although it is active in other asset classes, Dentons' five-partner practice is particularly accomplished at handling financings and leasing transactions for lessors, airlines, manufacturers and lenders in the aviation sector. An enviable roster of airlines, including Emirates and Qatar Airways, continue to provide a significant volume of instructions to the team, with the 'excellent' Serge Sergiou recently advising the former on its ECA-supported financings of two A380s - the first ECA financing for Airbus Aircraft since 2016. Nick Chandler heads the team, which also includes the 'vastly experienced' Greg Kahn and Sarah Dyke, who is 'very knowledgeable in the corporate jet sector'.

Commercial litigation Tier 4

Dentons' London team 'gives fast, reliable and clear advice on difficult questions that also have cross-border strategic implications'. It advises corporate clients on a range of litigation, including post-M&A issues, corporate control, joint ventures and shareholder matters. Liz Tout heads the litigation and dispute resolution practice in London and Daren Allen is head of the financial markets and commercial disputes team. Other key lawyers include Craig Neilson, Simon Colledge, Adrian Giles, Dan Bodle and Thomas Leyland, while Tara Boateng is an experienced senior associate.

Corporate restructuring & insolvency Tier 4

Benefiting from a 'can-do approach and practical attitude', Dentons' 'technical and commercial' six-partner team has 'broad and deep coverage', enabling it to effectively handle the gamut of contentious and non-contentious matters for longstanding banking clients, insolvency practitioners, funds, and corporates. The team regularly draws upon the expertise of practitioners from across its corporate, finance, real estate and litigation practice groups, and has successfully done so on many high-profile mandates, including its recent work for the Official Receiver and Special Managers of Carillion. Contentious insolvency expert Neil Griffiths spearheaded the aforementioned mandate and is noted for his 'immense experience', enabling him to 'benefit from having dealt with many issues before'. Counsel Luci Mitchell-Fry  provides 'clear, concise and direct advice' to a range of stakeholders, including financial institutions, distressed corporate debtors and their management, across both contentious and non-contentious matters.

Corporate tax Tier 4

The group at Dentons is able to draw on a substantial global office network to advise on tax matters with an international element across the private equity, corporate, real estate, and structured finance sectors. In addition, it has developed a niche in FinTech, advising clients on the tax consequences of blockchain technologies, anti-hybrid rules, corporate interest rate restrictions and compliance with the Criminal Finances Act 2017. Alex Thomas is head of the UK team and co-chair of the global tax practice. He specialises in corporate and real estate tax issues. Tax generalist James Meakin joined from Charles Russell Speechlys LLP in March 2018.

Equity capital markets – mid-large cap Tier 4

Dentons' London ECM group is characterised by a strong presence in upper AIM deals, and an active emerging markets practice, which is more geared toward the main market. The AIM side of the practice is partly fuelled by corporate issuers in the energy, real estate and natural resources sectors, though the team also has relationships with a number of prominent nomads and investment banks. On the main market, the team was recently involved in a high-profile privatisation by way of IPO. Key figures in the practice group include Neil Nicholson and David Collins , who heads the UK corporate department.

EU and competition Tier 4

Due to its wide-reaching international network, the work of Dentons’ competition department certainly demonstrates a cross-border element. The group has particular strength in handling multi-jurisdictional merger control issues. On one such occasion, a team advised Total Marketing SA on the global merger control aspects of its acquisition of the Sahel petrol station business in Saudi Arabia. In another highlight, the team demonstrated its ability to handle complex work at an EU level as well, by advising Avis Budget Group on its £80m acquisition of Olympic Commercial and Tourist Enterprises — a transaction which necessitated a notification to the European Commission. The group acts across a wide range of sectors such as transport, TMT, financial services, energy, and real estate. Recently promoted partner Christopher Graf and counsel Rebecca Owen-Howes are key figures in the practice, which is led by department head Adrian Magnus.

Insurance: corporate and regulatory Tier 4

Global mega-firm Dentons describes its UK insurance offering as a "boutique practice with a focus on cross-border matters". Under the leadership of 'very safe pair of hands' Martin Mankabady, the team provides 'concise but comprehensive' advice to Lloyd's insurers, global brokers and start-ups on commercial arrangements and cutting-edge matters involving insurtech. Mankabady, who was recently appointed as global chair of the firm's insurance practice, works in tandem with recently promoted partner Katharine Harle, who is an expert on regulatory matters and previously worked at the Financial Conduct Authority. Adriana Cotter joined the team as a partner from Sidley Austin LLP in mid-2019.

Pensions (non-contentious) Tier 4

Dentons’ pensions team leverages the firm’s corporate credentials to provide pensions-related transactional advice to household-name clients. Insolvency is also a strong point for the practice, with Elmer Doonan having worked on significant recent cases in this field. Regular standalone mandates include master trust implementation, deed restructuring, liability management including bulk transfers and restructuring exercises. Common contentious mandates include GMP equalisation disputes, indexing disputes and rectification claims.

Public international law Tier 4

Dentons leverages strong combined expertise from its network of international offices in investor-state arbitration, particularly under ICSID rules as well as in UNCITRAL proceedings, and also advises on broader public international law issues such as treaty interpretation, sovereign immunity, state succession, sanctions and human rights law. Liz Tout has particular expertise in disputes relating to energy and natural resources. Senior associate Catherine Gilfedder 'is a very strong practitioner in the field'.

Regulatory investigations and corporate crime Tier 4

Dentons handles criminal and civil proceedings and regulatory investigations, as well as dealing with internal investigations, compliance, confiscation and civil recovery matters. The firm often deals with investigations by the FCA, the SFO, local law enforcement and overseas regulators. Clients include the UK government, regulators, various compensation schemes and regulated firms. Daren Allen  heads the team and focuses on fraud, corruption, asset recovery, compliance investigations, litigation and dispute resolution. Roger Matthews joined as partner from Dechert LLP.

Employment: employers Tier 5

Dentons' UK employment practice is led by Virginia Allen, who has a track record of work with clients in the technology, media and professional services sectors, with expertise in conducting investigations for clients. The London team benefits from the wider firm's huge global reach, handling cross-border matters for clients in conjunction with colleagues in offices as far afield as South Korea, the Philipines and Taiwan. Ryan Carthew, who 'fights hard and delivers excellent service for his clients', advises on both contentious and non-contentious matters, with a particular focus on litigation. Long-serving partner Michael Bronstein left at the end of 2018 to take up a new role in the Government Legal Department.

Financial services: contentious Tier 5

Cross-border specialist Dentons is 'responsive, practical' and particularly experienced in transactional regulatory advice, as well as assisting financial institutions from around the globe in relation to Brexit. Michael Wainwright leads the non-contentious practice and has expertise in retail distribution platforms, capital resources requirements, asset protection and insurance. He led in advising Cofunds on the regulatory aspects of a contract with Nationwide Building Society to provide a new investment platform to administer an existing book of retail investments and to support new business. Also notable is the 'excellent and incisive' Jonathan Garforth, who specialises in fintech. The contentious arm of the financial services team acts on a range of issues including investigations, product misselling, whistleblowing and complaints handling. Celyn Armstrong leads the department, which is instructed by regulators as well as banks, asset managers and securities brokers.

Financial services: non-contentious/regulatory Tier 5

Cross-border specialist Dentons is 'responsive, practical' and particularly experienced in transactional regulatory advice, as well as assisting financial institutions from around the globe in relation to Brexit. Michael Wainwright leads the non-contentious practice and has expertise in retail distribution platforms, capital resources requirements, asset protection and insurance. He led in advising Cofunds on the regulatory aspects of a contract with Nationwide Building Society to provide a new investment platform to administer an existing book of retail investments and to support new business. Also notable is the 'excellent and incisive' Jonathan Garforth, who specialises in fintech. The contentious arm of the financial services team acts on a range of issues including investigations, product misselling, whistleblowing and complaints handling. Celyn Armstrong leads the department, which is instructed by regulators as well as banks, asset managers and securities brokers.

Intellectual property Tier 5

The practice at Dentons handles the full range of litigation, advisory, transactional and prosecution matters, and benefits from the ability to leverage the firm's extensive global network in international matters. Patent litigator Campbell Forsyth heads up the team, which also includes separate patent and trade mark prosecution teams led by patent attorney Justin Hill and Anna Copeman respectively. Other key names include associate James Marsden, who focuses on patent and trade mark litigation.

International arbitration Tier 5

Dentons is 'vastly experienced, has strength in depth and always fights for clients' interests'. The firm's international arbitration specialists are recognised for their particular expertise in emerging markets such as Africa, the Middle East, Asia Pacific, central and eastern Europe and the CIS. Liz Tout heads the dispute resolution team in London; London and Moscow-based Dominic Pellew is noted for matters involving Russian and CIS parties; and Dan Bodle has helped develop the firm's growing African disputes practice. Other key advisers are counsel Matthew Vinall and senior associate Catherine Gilfedder. James Langley was promoted to partner.

Mining and minerals Tier 5

At Dentons, the mining offering covers corporate and M&A matters including share and business transactions, fund matters and equity capital markets under the leadership of Neil Nicholson. Other key names include Will Gunston  and Evgenia Laurson, who focus on insolvency and restructuring and project financing matters respectively.

Sport Tier 5

Dentons’ sports law group primarily handles corporate work, including acquisitions and sales of football clubs and companies, financings and insolvencies, and commercial work, covering licensing rights agreements, hosting agreements and competition launches. In the contentious space the team represents players, clubs and private companies, typically in contractual disputes. Practice head Richard Barham specialises in M&A, financing, league structures and event bidding. Associate Nick Harrison handles the majority of the team’s commercial contracts work for a broad spectrum of clients.

Venture capital Tier 5

Dentons, which has a growing focus on venture capital work in London, is now also better placed to handle matters outside the capital on the back of of its 2017 merger with Scots firm Maclay Murray & Spens, and the team is gaining increased market traction for a balanced mix of investor and investee clients. Afforded significant bandwidth by virtue of being able to key into complementary practice areas including IP, tax and corporate, and also able to leverage the expertise of venture capital practitioners in key locations globally (including the US, Singapore, France and Germany), the team has the capacity to provide a comprehensive and holistic service, irrespective of location. London-based team head Joseph Altendorff is a key name for founder-led and management-owned businesses throughout their growth cycle to IPO or exit.

Acquisition finance Tier 6

Led by Catherine Astruc, Dentons' 11-strong team handles acquisition finance work for international banks, alternative lenders and private equity sponsors. Following the departure in November 2018 of Lee Federman to Jones Day the  team only has one partner in its ranks, but despite its relatively small size on the ground in London it is able to effectively leverage the firm's wide-ranging international network of offices and consequently generates a significant flow of mid-market cross-border mandates, particularly in emerging markets.

M&A: upper mid-market and premium deals, £500m+ Tier 6

Dentons' geographic scope covers jurisdictions including the Middle East, Africa, CIS, Europe and North America, acting on transactions governed under English Law from the London office. Key sectors over the past twelve months have included gaming and entertainment, hospitality, energy and financial services. Following the firm's Scottish expansion through its 2017 merger with Maclay Murray & Spens, Dentons has played a more active role in M&A transactions in the food and beverages sector. David Collins co-chairs the global M&A group, as well as leading the UK corporate department. He advises on both domestic and cross-border transactions across a range of sectors.