Akin Gump to Expand Private Equity Practice with Two-Partner Addition in London
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(London) – Akin Gump is delighted to announce that two energy-focused transactional corporate and private equity partners, Shaun Lascelles and Simon Rootsey, are to join the firm in its London office from Vinson & Elkins. Mr. Lascelles and Mr. Rootsey are expected to join Akin Gump in October.
Mr. Lascelles’s practice focuses on transactional public and private cross-border M&A, private equity and international joint ventures. He advises private equity firms, infrastructure investors and corporates regarding their complex, high-end transactions. Mr. Lascelles has particular experience in the oil & gas and energy sectors, often across emerging market jurisdictions, including Africa and Russia.
Mr. Rootsey’s practice focuses on transactional cross-border M&A (private and public) and private equity. He advises clients across a broad range of sectors—most frequently in the energy (in particular, downstream and midstream), infrastructure and healthcare/life sciences sectors, where he has particular experience. Mr. Rootsey also regularly works with clients on transactions across Africa and Latin America.
Their appointment follows that of Gavin Weir, who joined Akin Gump in London in September 2019, as well as the team of four private equity investment funds partners (John Daghlian, Danny Quinn, Aleks Bakic and Mary Lavelle) who joined the firm in London in mid-2019.
“The expansion of our transactional private equity and broader corporate practice sits very well with the firm’s strategic objectives and our existing practice in London and internationally,” commented Akin Gump chairperson Kim Koopersmith. “Shaun and Simon are extremely accomplished in the area of private equity transactions, in particular in the energy sector, involving emerging markets, notably across Africa. They will complement our recent hires in London as well as our strong global corporate, private equity and funds teams, and I am excited to welcome them both.”
Sebastian Rice, partner in charge of Akin Gump’s London office, added: “Shaun and Simon join us at an exciting time in London, as we continue to deepen and broaden our offerings in the private equity, corporate and investment funds sectors. I know that our clients will find them to be a great asset to our team, as will their new colleagues here in London and across the firm.”
About Shaun Lascelles and Simon Rootsey
Prior to their tenure at Vinson & Elkins, Mr. Lascelles and Mr. Rootsey were colleagues at Skadden, Arps for many years, where Mr Lascelles was formerly the global co-head of private equity.
Qualified in England and Wales, Mr. Lascelles is recommended in The Legal 500 United Kingdom in the area of complex, high-end corporate transactions and for his oil and gas knowledge and experience, as well as by the IFLR1000. He graduated from Cambridge University with a B.A. in law in 1992 and received his L.P.C. from The College of Law, York in 1993.
Qualified in England and Wales, Mr. Rootsey first qualified in Australia having received a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Bachelor of Commerce (Finance (Corporate)) at the University of Western Australia in 2005. He is recommended in The Legal 500 United Kingdom in the area of complex, high-end corporate transactions and for his oil and gas knowledge and experience, as well as by the IFLR1000.
About Akin Gump in London
Akin Gump's London office is the hub for the firm’s international practice. The firm’s strategy in London is to grow practices that complement its core strengths. This has resulted in the growth of a fully integrated office, advising clients at the top of their respective markets.
Core strengths on which the office is founded include financial restructuring, corporate transactions (including mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and private equity), finance, global project finance, energy and natural resources, debt and equity capital markets, financial services regulatory, disputes and international arbitration, investment funds (hedge, private equity, real estate and infrastructure), EU competition, international trade and tax.
The integrated nature of the practice means that the firm’s London lawyers work closely, and on a regular basis, with their counterparts across the globe. The work of the firm’s London lawyers has been recognised in leading legal and industry publications including Chambers UK, The Legal 500 UK, IFLR1000 and numerous others.
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP is a leading international law firm with more than 900 lawyers in offices throughout the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
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