Profile
Work Department
Position
Melanie James is a partner in Corporate & Financial Services Department and a member of Willkie’s Insurance Transactional and Regulatory Practice Group. Melanie is an insurance sector leader with over 20 years' experience handling (re)insurance transactional, commercial and regulatory matters, gained both in-house and in private practice. She uniquely combines her experience across these disciplines to provide her clients with exceptional and very well-informed advice. Melanie advises on all aspects of non-contentious insurance transactions including domestic and cross-border M&A (both buy and sell side), joint ventures, reorganizations (including SE and cross-border mergers), portfolio transfers and complex reinsurance transactions, international distribution arrangements as well as structuring, formation and licensing of (re)insurance platforms and PRA, FCA and Lloyd's regulation.
Education
College of Law, London, 2002; Coventry University, LLB (Hons), 1997
Content supplied by Willkie Farr & Gallagher (UK) LLP
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Joe Ferraro - A real pleasure to work with. Knows the market inside out and is able to deliver first-rate legal advice.'
‘The Willkie team delivers deep expertise in corporate transactions in the insurance/reinsurance sector, pairing technical mastery with a relentlessly practical approach to execution.’
‘With remarkable consistency, Joe Ferraro makes every interaction feel exclusive, as if no other client exists.'
- 'David Griffiths' indispensable technical acumen elevates Joe's strategic advice, ensuring complex issues are resolved with expertise.’
- 'Andrew Tromans consistently provides excellent advice, very commercial and well-trusted.'
- 'Melanie James and Tim Baumgartner lead a magnificent team of individuals, such as Magdi Adab, who is a rising star.'
- 'Kirsty Maclean has very detailed subject knowledge and is very familiar with the client's internal governance and commercial positions. Alexander Cibulskis is proactive, thorough, efficient, also demonstrated extensive subject knowledge.'
- 'High level of experience and expertise, familiarity with the client's internal governance and commercial position. '
Key clients
- The Fidelis Partnership
- Atrium
- Aon plc and Aon Securities
- Qatar Insurance Group
- Prudential Financial
- Just Group plc
- Zurich
- Gallagher Securities
- SCOR
- AIG
- Hiscox
- QBE
- MS Amlin
- Conduit Reinsurance
- Marco Capital
- Willis Towers Watson
- Fortitude Re
- Compre
- FM Global
- Pallas Re
- Volante
- Aspen Insurance Group
- Ariel Re
- Pacific Life Re
- Oaktree