The Legal 500 UK 2020 Recognizes Akin Gump Lawyers and Practices

(London) – The Legal 500 United Kingdom 2020 has recognized a number of Akin Gump practices and individuals in the firm’s London office as being among the leaders in their respective fields. This annual, independent guide ranks law firm practices and lawyers and provides editorial analysis of law firms operating in the United Kingdom.

In the category of Finance, Akin Gump is ranked for the sixth straight year as a top-tier firm for corporate restructuring and insolvency. The 13-partner team is led by practice co-heads James Roome and Barry G. Russell, both named in Legal 500’s Hall of Fame and as Leading Individuals. A number of Akin Gump partners were also named as “leading lawyers,” including:

• international trade partner Davina Garrod
• litigation partners Helen Marshall, Justin Williams and Hamish Lal
• financial restructuring partners James Terry and Liz Osborne
• investment funds partners Tim Pearce and John Daghlian.

The Legal 500 UK also recognized four Akin Gump lawyers as “Next Generation” (international trade counsel Scott Pettifor, litigation partner Ezra Zahabi, financial restructuring partner Emma Simmonds and investment funds partner Aleksander Bakic) and two as “Rising Stars” (tax counsel Serena Lee and investment funds counsel Hamish Annandale) in their respective fields.

In total, 20 of the firm’s practices were ranked and 39 Akin Gump lawyers were recommended:

Corporate and commercial - Corporate tax

• Serena Lee
• Sophie Donnithorne-Tait
• Stuart Sinclair

Corporate and commercial - EU and competition

• Davina Garrod
• Scott Pettifor

Corporate and commercial - EU and competition - trade, WTO anti-dumping and customs

• Chiara Klaui
• Jasper Helder

Corporate and commercial - Financial services - contentious

• Ezra Zahabi
• Helen Marshall

Corporate and commercial - Financial services - non-contentious/regulatory

• Ezra Zahabi
• Helen Marshall

Corporate and commercial - M&A - upper mid-market and premium deals, £500m+

• Daniel G. Walsh
• Sebastian Rice

Corporate and commercial - Private equity - transactions – mid-tier – up to £250m

• David N. Sewell
• Sebastian Rice

Crime, fraud and licensing - Fraud - civil

• Justin Williams
• Kambiz Larizadeh
• Mark Dawkins
• Richard Hornshaw

Dispute resolution - Banking litigation - investment and retail

• Kambiz Larizadeh
• Mark Dawkins
• Richard Hornshaw
• Sheena Buddhdev

Dispute resolution - Commercial litigation

• Jenny Arlington (nee Grozdanova)
• Justin Williams
• Kambiz Larizadeh
• Mark Dawkins
• Richard Hornshaw
• Sheena Buddhdev

Dispute resolution - International arbitration

• Hamish Lal
• Jenny Arlington
• Justin Williams
• Kambiz Larizadeh
• Richard Hornshaw

Finance - Bank lending - investment grade debt and syndicated loans

• Robert William Aulsebrook
• Thomas F. O’Connor

Finance - Corporate restructuring & insolvency

• Barry G, Russell
• Emma Simmonds
• James Roome
• James Terry
• Liz Osborne

Finance - Debt capital markets

• Barry G. Russell
• Robert William Aulsebrook
• Thomas F. O’Connor
• Tori Weir

Finance - Emerging markets

• Inderveer Kaur Hothi
• Julian Nichol
• Robert William Aulsebrook

Investment fund formation and management - Hedge funds

• Hamish Annandale
• Ian Meade
• Tim Pearce

Investment fund formation and management - Private funds

• Aleksander Bakic
• Daniel Quinn
• John Daghlian
• Mary Lavelle

Projects, energy and natural resources - Oil and gas

• Julian Nichol
• Justin Williams

Projects, energy and natural resources - Power (including electricity, nuclear and renewables)

• John C. LaMaster
• Julian Nichol

Real estate - Construction - contentious

• Hamish Lal

For further details on the firm’s rankings and commentary, please click here.

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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