A&O Shearman

Backed by a broad international platform spanning Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, A&O Shearman fields a high-calibre M&A team, well-versed in complex, cross-border transactions. Highlighted for its ‘unparalleled dedication to delivering exceptional legal services’, the group regularly acts on headline deals across the technology, energy, consumer goods, financial services and healthcare sectors. The practice is jointly led by David Broadley, who maintains a strong client base in the financial institutions sector, regularly advising on public and private M&A alongside a wide range of equity capital markets transactions; Seth Jones, who focuses on high-value and complex strategic transactions; and Jim Ford, an IP specialist. Claire Coppel’s expertise covers private and public M&A, equity capital markets transactions, corporate governance and shareholder activism, while Alex Tilley stands out for his ‘commercial nous and tireless work ethic.’ Other notable individuals include George Knighton, who rejoined the team from Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (UK) LLP in May 2025, and Nick Withers, who remains active across the tech and pharma sectors.