At Simmons & Simmons, 'the team is commercial whilst maintaining Magic Circle standards of legal advice'. Acting for banks, corporate issuers, funds, and institutional investors, the firm is known for its expertise in key market areas, notably sukuks, convertible bonds, and equity-linked deals. Practice head Piers Summerfield is a key adviser on equity-linked bonds. Charles Hawes, who is dual-qualified in New York and English law, frequently assists for issuers, sponsors and investment banks with compliance issues concerning US securities laws. The firm is investing in its DCM capability, having hired Rory Renshaw from Linklaters LLP in early 2024 to add depth in debt and equity-linked products.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Piers Summerfield and Victoria So are excellent. Rory Renshaw is an exciting partner addition to the team, giving them added depth.’
‘Very knowledgeable about ESG-related matters.’
‘Piers Summerfield in London is very hands-on on transactions and knowledgeable about DCM products.’
‘The team is commercial whilst maintaining Magic Circle standards of legal advice - solutions driven and above all, calm and collected even in the most pressured circumstances. a pleasure to work with.’
‘The team is comprised of like-minded individuals that work well together and present a clear united front to clients and counterparties. All the team members are personable yet professional.’
Key clients
- Banco Santander
- British Land
- HSBC
- ING Bank
- LendInvest plc
- NatWest Markets Plc
- New South Wales Treasury Corporation
- Rentokil Initial Plc
- UBS
- UniCredit Bank
Work highlights
Advised Citi and UBS as joint bookrunners on Swiss Prime Site AG’s CHF 275 million convertible note issuance.
Advised the lead managers (Banco Santander, S.A., HSBC Continental Europe, Société Générale. Nordea Bank Abp) on Vestas Wind System A/S’s EUR 500m issuance of sustainability-linked notes.
Advised LendInvest plc on a successful exchange offer in respect of its existing retail bonds.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Practice head
Piers Summerfield
Other key lawyers
Victoria So; Rory Renshaw