Christopher Axford > Druces LLP > London, England > Lawyer Profile
Druces LLP Offices
SALISBURY HOUSE
LONDON WALL
LONDON
EC2M 5PS
England
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Christopher Axford
Work Department
Corporate and Commercial
Position
Christopher is the Head of Corporate and is a member of Druces Executive Committee which manages the firm’s direction and vision for the future.
He deals with a broad range of corporate and commercial matters, including AIM and AQSE work, national and international joint ventures and group restructuring. He specialises in mergers and acquisitions in regulated industries and has particular expertise in advising financiers, investors, owners and operators in the leisure and healthcare sectors. He is also experienced in dealing with Sharia’a compliant transactions.
Christopher is a contributing author of Jordans “Care Standards: A Practical Guide” (2009).
He read Economics at Exeter University before switching his interests to Law and being called to the Bar by the Honourable Society of Lincolns Inn and cross qualifying as a solicitor in 2003. He joined Druces in October 2007 from another City practice where he was a Partner. He lives in Canary Wharf with his wife Claire. His interests include fine wine and food, the theatre, reading and he occasionally remembers that he is a member of a gym.
In Legal 500, 2020, Christopher is recommended for his work on corporate and commercial M&A, “health sector transactions” and is renowned for his “extensive experience in acting in regulated environments.” He is recognised for making clients “feel very valued” while “also being extremely professional”. Chris heads the Islamic Finance team, well known for “offering timely and commercial advice”, who act for Middle Eastern investors in property investment deals. He also heads the real estate finance team which is “hands-on, pragmatic and focused on execution”, noted for its niche specialisms in sharia-compliant transactions and syndicated property investment.
In Legal 500 2019, Christopher is recognised for his work within the healthcare sector, a sector strength for the Druces LLP team, when he acted for Montreux Healthcare Fund on its acquisition of Active Assistance (UK) Group, and advised part of Pickstock Group on the sale of a residential nursing home to Guide Total Care Group. Christopher heads the real estate finance team who are said to “demonstrate an excellent technical ability, are thorough and methodical, and best of all are an absolute pleasure to deal with”. He also heads the Islamic Finance team who have particular experience in real estate securities.
- “Chris Axford, on the banking side, is always working hard to ensure our documentation is up-to-date in all respects and keeping us well-protected”
Career
Called to the Bar in 2000 by the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn and cross-qualified as a solicitor in 2003; Quartson & Co, London – assistant solicitor 2003-05; Middleton Potts – assistant solicitor 2005-06; Middleton Potts – partner 2006-07; Druces LLP (formerly Druces & Attlee) – partner 2007 to present.
Memberships
City of London Law Society; Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn.
Lawyer Rankings
London > Finance > Islamic finance
Drawing upon the expertise of a number of Islamic finance practitioners and also able to leverage resources from the broader corporate, finance and real estate practice groups, Druces LLP continues to advise a fairly balanced mix of banks, funds, high-net-worth individuals and corporates across a broad swathe of Shariah-compliant structures. Corporate head Christopher Axford is central to much of this work, including advice on Murabaha transactions and a growing amount of sukuk issuances. Antony Cotton and Suzanne Middleton-Lindsley co-head the practice alongside Axford, with both handling a raft of real estate financings including for the team’s flagship client, a British Shariah-compliant bank.
London > Corporate and commercial > M&A: Smaller Deals, £10m-£100m
Noted for its ‘collaborative approach’ and ‘practical advice,’ Druces LLP‘s corporate practice offers both transactional and advisory services to clients from a range of industry sectors including, but not limited to, healthcare, infrastructure, and mining. The group is adept at handling domestic and cross-border M&A and disposals for public and private companies. Christopher Axford leads the team and has extensive experience leading on M&A transactions and investments, with a particular focus on regulated businesses and Sharia compliant structuring. Neil Pfister specialises in the IT sector and assists with M&A transactions, structuring, and IP-related matters, while Stephen Ronaldson is adept at leading on M&A and disposals for public companies in the oil and gas, mining, and insurance sectors.
London > Industry focus > Emerging markets
Druces LLP handles corporate and capital markets matters in the natural resources sector, notably in the Middle East and Africa, though it is also active in mining deals in Turkey, India, China and Latin America. Firmly focused on natural resources, its key partners Dominic Traynor, banking specialist Christopher Axford, and construction expert Richard Bailey see clients through from equity capital raising, through the issuance of listed debt, to acquisitions and mergers, as well as advising on project development. Jack Dervyn is heavily involved in oil and gas projects.
Lawyer Rankings
- Islamic finance London > Finance
- M&A: Smaller Deals, £10m-£100m London > Corporate and commercial
- Emerging markets London > Industry focus
Top Tier Firm Rankings
Firm Rankings
- Finance > Islamic finance
- Corporate and commercial > M&A: Smaller Deals, £10m-£100m
- Private client > Personal tax, trusts and probate
- Real estate > Residential property
- Private client > Charities and not-for-profit
- Real estate > Commercial property: corporate occupiers
- Private client > Contentious trusts and probate
- Industry focus > Emerging markets
- Corporate and commercial > Equity capital markets – small-mid cap
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Mining and minerals
- Real estate > Property litigation
- Real estate > Property finance
- Finance > Corporate restructuring & insolvency