Legal Directories

Chambers UK 2010

Banking Litigation
Anne McCarthy of K&L Gates is head of commercial disputes and is turning her hand to an increasing amount of banking litigation. She counts Anglo Irish Bank and Lloyds TSB as clients.

Competition/European Law
Neil Baylis of K&L Gates is "insightful and conscientious." He has expertise in EU, UK and US merger clearances, cartels and compliance.

Construction
Clients appreciate this firm's strength at every level of experience. Highlight matters include advising Laing O'Rourke on the Pembury Hospital project and the Newham, Salford and Wigan BSF initiatives. The team also advised a joint venture of Costain and Skanska on a professional negligence claim in connection with the £37 million Great Western Royal Hotel refurbishment. It continues to receive recognition for the international dimension of its practice, as demonstrated by its recent work for Sinoma International Engineering on the contractual aspects of the construction of a new clinker line in the UAE.
Sources Say: "A solid and well-organised outfit that provides good tactical advice."

KEY INDIVIDUALS:   James Hudson "always gives exponentially good advice, has an excellent gut feel and a sharp intellect." Linda Kent represents contractor clients in a variety of construction disputes. Kevin Greene heads the department and has recently been involved in advising Henderson Global Investors on numerous major developments. David Race is "extremely valuable in terms of looking forward to the future," say clients.

Construction: Healthcare
Recommended

Construction: International Arbitration
Recommended

Capital Markets: AIM
Its impressive resources enable K&L Gates to handle all manner of transactions and financing arrangements with ease. The group advises US clients on their admission to AIM, and undertakes the full gamut of transactions, such as subsequent fund-raisings, reverse takeovers, secondary listings, PIPEs, as well as pre-IPO fund-raisings.

KEY INDIVIDUALS: Martin Lane  has many years' experience in this market and heads the corporate finance team. Jeremy Landau “never fails to get to grips with even the most complex deals, exuding class while he does so.” He works with numerous companies and banks that are seeking to raise money on AIM, and he frequently works with telecoms clients.

Corporate/ M&A Mid-Market
Making the most of its contacts in the USA, K&L Gates receives a good deal of international work from its various outposts all over the world and its corporate transactional expertise is highly sought after. The team is able to call on the support of some of the finest capital markets capabilities around, and has been involved in M&A work such as advising the founding shareholders of James Villa Holidays on its sale to management backed by private equity.
Sources Say: "A talented bunch of negotiators with all the knowledge clients could ask for."

KEY INDIVIDUALS:  Kevin Dean led the team acting for James Villa Holidays and is widely renowned for his expertise in public takeovers and for his private work. One of the busiest lawyers at the firm, Jeremy Davis is active on a good number of the firm's many deals, especially those with a cross-border element. He advised Halliburton on its acquisition of Protech Centreform International and the business of Protech Centreform in the UK, the USA and Italy for USD64 million. Martin Lane heads the corporate and transactional group in addition to managing the European arm of the firm, and is an experienced hand in M&A and corporate finance.

Dispute Resolution: International Arbitration
Ian Meredith of K&L Gates has been occupied with a range of manufacturing and insurance arbitrations over the past year.

Dispute Resolution:  Mid-Market
In addition to its work on behalf of a wide range of banking and financial services clients, the team has seen a distinct increase in instructions involving contractual disputes and regulatory and crime-related matters. The firm has an extensive international network and the disputes team is experienced in cross-border work.

KEY INDIVIDUALS:  John Magnin heads the department and has recently been acting for the directors of Farepak. Partner Anne McCarthy is an experienced litigator who specialises in general banking, pensions and negligence actions.

Employee Share Schemes
At K&L Gates, Ian Fraser is commended as "an expert in his subject area whose analytical and counselling skills are absolutely critical on acquisitions."

Employment
Clients laud this firm's proficiency, wide geographical spread and large pool of resources.
Sources Say: "They spot the tiniest of holes in densely technical employment contracts."

KEY INDIVIDUALS:  Noel Deans is the key contact.

Employment: International
Recommended

Employment: Mainly Respondent
Recommended

Environment
Recent activity for this environment, land and natural resources department has included advising on REACH issues in conjunction with a global REACH team. The firm has also set up a global climate change and sustainability practice. Highlight work for the team has involved advising the Gorick family on the sale of its specialist plastics business including facilities in Belgium, the USA and the UK, and assisting EBRD with a clean fuel project that will facilitate the use of clean fuel and the reduction of air pollution in Mongolia. Other clients include Estée Lauder, Goldman Sachs and Halliburton.

KEY INDIVIDUALS: Practice head Maria Cull is “pragmatic, committed and looks carefully after her clients’ requirements.” She is singled out for her work in the waste sector as her practice concentrates on environmental risk connected with contaminated land. Key client Microsoft employed her expertise on various UK and European regulatory issues, including REACH, the Energy-using Products Directive, WEEE and RoHS.

Information Technology
This practice advises both technology suppliers and customers on transactional IT matters. One of its major clients is Microsoft, which it recently advised on an agreement for the provision of mobile advertising services and also on English and EU legal issues arising from the development of a new application for tackling Internet fraud. Other clients of the practice include Amazon.com, AOL, Orange, T-Mobile and EzGov.

KEY INDIVIDUALS:  Partner Dominic Bray concentrates on contentious matters with a focus on media and technology. Drawing on his background as a commercial and IP litigator he is able to advise clients on a wide range of technology-related disputes, from traditional IT to new technology.

Intellectual Property: General
Strong in IP litigation, this team advised the trading division of Laing O'Rourke Group on an alleged copyright and design right infringement claim, arising out of the use of architectural drawings for the construction of Stoke Mandeville Hospital. Other clients include AOL, Orange and World Wrestling Entertainment.

KEY INDIVIDUALS: Dominic Bray focuses on IP, technology, media and sports disputes. His clients include media organisations, sports governing bodies, international brand owners, and advertising and marketing agencies. 

Licensing: Betting and Gaming
This practice specialises in regulatory work in the gaming sector. It recently advised Sportech on a range of corporate and commercial matters, including the rebranding and relaunch of Littlewoods Pools as The New Football Pools. Other clients include Betfair, the online betting exchange.

KEY INDIVIDUALS: Warren Phelops heads the firm-wide betting and gaming group.

Parliamentary and Public Affairs: Electoral law
This firm advises returning officers and various independent political groups. Its most significant instructions, however, come from the Liberal Democrats.

KEY INDIVIDUALS: Piers Coleman leads the team's advice to the Lib Dems, and he is known for his deep expertise and personable approach.

Planning
Sebastian Charles is the practice head at K&L Gates, where he stands out for his expertise in the environmental aspects of planning projects and agreements.

Real Estate: Finance
This consistently responsive team is lauded for its confident and effective advice and ability to think laterally. It has been instructed in a variety of high-value commercial investment property transactions and acts for the likes of Anglo Irish Bank and BlackRock Financial Management.

KEY INDIVIDUALS:  Richard Williamson is “one of the most commercial and amiable lawyers I know," declared one source. He recently advised Anglo Irish Bank on its restructuring and restatement of a £210 million loan.

Real Estate: Litigation
This firm impresses in the sector and recently advised Henderson Global Investors on a right to light dispute, and also acts for AOL, Big Lottery Fund and Laing O'Rourke.
Sources Say: "The lawyers here provide swift, accurate answers to thorny real estate problems."

KEY INDIVIDUALS: Jane Harte-Lovelace is the main contact in this area.

Real Estate: Mainly Mid-Market
This firm provides excellent, commercial advice. Over the past year it has merged with a number of overseas firms, each with significant, broad experience, and this global platform has provided a buffer against difficult market conditions. Notwithstanding the lack of transactional work in the market, the team has acted on a number of high-value investment acquisitions and disposals of late, such as representing Henderson UK Retail Warehouse Fund and Aviva Investors in the sale of Cambridge Retail Park to Deka Immobilien Investment.

KEY INDIVIDUALS:  Piers Coleman acts for a variety of clients, including many institutional investors, owner-managed investors and developers. Wayne Smith is "great at running a team – the group is always highly organised and well run."

Sport
The sports group at K&L Gates represents a range of sports rights holders. It is developing a strong reputation for advising on the sale of media rights arrangements.

KEY INDIVIDUALS:   Warren Phelops played a central role in a number of the group's highlights during the past year, including leading the team in its advice to new client the West Indies Cricket Board on both commercial deals and disputes. He also co-authored one of the leading texts on sports law, and regularly speaks at sports business conferences. 

Telecommunications
This UK telecoms and technology group can call on the firm's expanding international resources when necessary, and acts for AOL, T-Mobile and Microsoft.
Sources Say:  "High-quality service and constant availability."

KEY INDIVIDUALS: The team is co-headed by Rachel Boothroyd*, who advises Orange on its international framework agreements, and Jeremy Landau, who has been representing Diageo on the outsourcing arrangements for part of its telecoms services to a major UK network operator.

Travel
This firm's depth and breadth and loyal, established client roster lift it back into the top tier. The 12-strong team defends tour operators against major personal injury claims and advises other industry players on their corporate, tax, property and employment needs. It is particularly praised for its knowledge of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) regulations, the ATOL regime and consumer legislation. The group's representation of the Federation of Tour Operators (FTO) in its merger with ABTA demonstrated its involvement in and understanding of the sector. Other clients include Kuoni Travel, Thomas Cook and AE Europe. 

KEY INDIVIDUALS:  Long-standing stalwart Cynthia Barbor provides an excellent range of travel advice, particularly regulatory, and clients admire her "personable, candid and sensible approach."          

All information online at www.chambersandpartners.co.uk.

* Rachel Boothroyd is no longer with the firm.