Handling the full spectrum of cross-border strategic equity transactions, Freshfields advises on matters including structured share buybacks, collar financings, and hedging solutions for employee benefit trusts. The team is led by Richard Hart, whose practice covers strategic margin lending and OTC derivatives-based transactions. Strategic equity financing work also forms a central part of James Duncan’s practice, alongside broader experience across a wide range of products. Bespoke transactions involving tax or regulatory capital considerations are a particular focus for Flora McLean. Matthew Dodwell advises sponsors, corporates, and financial institutions across numerous asset classes.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- Exceptional knowledge and service - they know our business inside out and understand our drivers and precedents. Able to prioritize and deliver multiple deals at once. Using them makes my life significantly easier. I wish I could have them on all deals.
- Great ability to cover a wide variety of products in the same team. They are extremely diligent, detail-focused, and commercial, and are great to work with. This is a team I would trust with high-profile and high-value transactions.
- James Duncan (Partner) and Charlie Marmion (Senior Associate) are extremely responsive and consistently do excellent work. They are my "go-to" team on a large trade.
- Freshfields' derivatives practice embeds very well in their corporate law firm setup. They have the right expertise and platform to execute both complex and volume transactions. The partners are collaborative and highly responsive.
- James Duncan, who leads their derivatives practice, is absolutely a star. James is highly experienced and very well respected by their clients. James' calm, thoughtful, and commercial style is impressive and earns him the utmost trust from both lawyers and business teams on the street.
- The team is very happy to engage directly with our third parties to make negotiations more efficient.
- Richard Hart (partner) has strong technical skills to support his team as needed.
Key clients
- Naturgy Energy Group S.A.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Richard Hart
Practice head
Richard Hart
Other key lawyers
Flora McLean; James Duncan; Matthew Dodwell