London

Overview

Our London office, established in 1997, is home to the firm's European regulatory and corporate transactional practices, including specialists in the areas of life sciences, intellectual property, competition, employment, and telecoms. Centered in one of the world's most robust financial capitals, our London lawyers work with a wide range of clients, including: large multinational firms based in the UK, Europe, the US and elsewhere in the world. Our clients benefit from a full range of regulatory, transactional, and litigation services in the US and Europe. Our lawyers work as a team with colleagues in the firm's US offices and leverage their proximity to the firm's Brussels team to offer clients distinct, direct access to the hub of European regulation, policy-making, and EU competition law.  Our practice in London includes: 

• White Collar Criminal Defense. Our practice in London, led by the former head of the Fraud Business Group at the Serious Fraud Office and Senior Adviser at the Attorney General’s Office, represents companies and individuals in a wide range of complex criminal investigations and compliance matters. Our lawyers have particular experience advising on matters involving investigations and prosecutions in relation to all potential offences in relation to economic crime, including bribery and corruption and money laundering. We advise clients across a broad range of industries, with particular experience in regulated industries and sectors exposed to higher risks of corruption. The team has advised on a number of global investigations before the Serious Fraud Office and works closely with colleagues in the firm’s US offices on matters before the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Together with colleagues in the firm’s wider White Collar Criminal Defense practice, the team also has particular experience dealing with alleged violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. In addition, the London team is able to offer an integrated approach to clients’ issues, with experience advising on a range of related compliance matters including the preparation of internal policies and staff training.
• Life Sciences. Our dedicated life sciences team includes a significant number of lawyers who are also qualified in medicine, toxicology, pharmacy, or other scientific disciplines and has strong links with local and EU trade associations, regulators, and members of the scientific community.  We count some of the world's largest global pharmaceutical and medical device companies among our clients, and our practice is recognized for its leadership in this arena. Clients benefit from our multi-disciplinary approach in life sciences including product liability litigation and regulatory advice, intellectual property, employment, and competition.
• Intellectual Property. A core focus both in London and the US, we advise clients on both  commercial  intellectual property matters and dispute resolution with an emphasis on media and technology, pharmaceuticals, patents, copyright and software infringement, IP/antitrust disputes, comparative advertising, Internet and domain name disputes, and trademarks and passing off/unfair competition disputes. We advise on all forms of IP and technology licensing and brand protection, as well as on merchandising of publishing, film, TV, franchising, and related advertising issues.
• Competition. As part of the wider European competition practice, the team advises on both EU and UK competition law issues, representing clients from a broad array of industries before the UK Office of Fair Trading and the Competition Commission in relation to a range of competition concerns, including merger control and allegations of abuse of dominant position or anticompetitive practices. Our lawyers are experienced in dealing with major antitrust inquiries, price-fixing issues, distribution and licensing agreements, strategic alliances, and joint ventures. The team also advises on other aspects of EU law, particularly those relating to the free movement of goods, advertising, and other regulatory laws within the EU.
• Litigation and Arbitration. We handle all types of commercial disputes, litigation, and arbitration. Apart from litigation in the specialist areas of competition, intellectual property, employment, life sciences, and product liability. Partners have experience in all courts, including the High Court, Court of Appeal, House of Lords, and Privy Council. The office has handled arbitration under all major arbitral rules, including the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA), the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), and the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). A number of partners in the office have been appointed arbitrators and are experienced mediators.
• Corporate. Our corporate team works on domestic and cross-border M&A, joint ventures, flotations/IPOs on both the Official List and on AIM, secondary issues, private equity funding, outsourcing, and technology. Our lawyers take an industry-focused approach, assisting a variety of clients including both start-ups and blue-chip US, UK, European, and North American clients on wide-ranging commercial and corporate issues. Additionally we advise on public and private offerings of debt and equity securities for issuers and underwriters, LBOs, joint ventures, and financing for mergers and acquisitions. We have extensive experience in managing the international legal affairs of public and private retail and consumer product companies, including deep in-house experience in acquisitions and financing, intellectual property and brand protection, franchisee networks, and joint ventures.
• Real Estate. We have over 30 years practitioners’ experience in retail real estate matters. We handle all property needs for brand owners, retailers, and leisure operators. We manage acquisitions and disposals in all types of locations with a special emphasis on the clients’ lease needs and concerns, including service charges, alterations, and reinstatement. We provide a practical and commercial approach, driving deals and focusing on the critical. We provide advice in many areas including: Heads of Terms; Sunday Trading legislation; Acquisitions; Disposals; Leases; Litigation; Corporate Real Estate and Design and Construction.
• Employment. Our employment practice covers UK employment law counseling, litigation, and business immigration. In advising clients, our approach is practical and solution driven. The team advises clients on employment contracts and policies suitable for the UK and across Europe, the protection of confidential information, enforcement of non-compete clauses, executive compensation, disciplinary and poor performance issues, hiring of key employees/consultants, harassment, discrimination, and termination of employment, including redundancies and layoffs in both union and non-union environments. We also handle the employment aspects of mergers, outsourcings, and consolidations, including employee consultation, changing contracts of employment, and TUPE.
• Telecommunications. We advise UK, other European, and North American telecommunications operators, service providers, and ISPs on regulatory and commercial issues. We are frequently consulted by regulatory authorities and financial institutions on regulatory issues affecting the telecommunications sector. Additionally, our lawyers advise clients on matters pertaining to data protection, emerging new technology, and new media issues.