Willkie Farr & Gallagher (UK) LLP > London, England > Firm Profile

Willkie Farr & Gallagher (UK) LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings

Insurance > Insurance: corporate and regulatory Tier 1

Supported by its US counterparts, Willkie Farr & Gallagher (UK) LLP is a popular choice for life and property-casualty insurers, reinsurers, brokers, private equity investors, insurance sector funds and banks. Its far-reaching expertise spans ILS and Lloyd’s market matters, insurance financing structures, and the pension and longevity risk transfer market. Practice head Joseph Ferraro enjoys a stellar reputation in M&A transactions and corporate finance matters. Supporting the practice is Melanie James, who is skilled across the board of non-contentious insurance matters; Nicholas Bugler, who has considerable knowledge of the Lloyd’s market, as well as the reinsurance and capital markets industries; Jennifer Tait, who focuses her practice on capital markets and ILS offerings; Kirsty Maclean, whose expertise lies in complex life risk transfer transactions; Tim Baumgartner, who shines in corporate insurance transactions; Eilidh Brown, who specialises in risk transfer transactions in the life sector; and Andrew Tromans.

Risk advisory > Regulatory investigations and corporate crime (advice to corporates) Tier 2

Fielding an ‘incredibly focused, hard-working‘ team, Willkie Farr & Gallagher (UK) LLP stands out for its strength in transatlantic anti-bribery and corruption, AML, and sanctions investigations, particularly for clients operating in the energy and heavy industry sectors. ‘Stand-out’ senior partner Peter Burrell leads the group and regularly defends companies before the SFO, FCA, and HMRC, as well as appearing before the High Court on cases concerning financial fraud, securities, tax evasion, and insider dealing issues. Rita Mitchell, dual-qualified in the UK and the US, has a notable emphasis on multijurisdictional internal investigations and enforcement proceedings, while Simon Osborn-King takes point on financial crime work for financial institutions.

Crime, fraud and licensing > Fraud: civil Tier 3

With ‘the capacity and skillset to go toe-to-toe with the best’, Willkie Farr & Gallagher (UK) LLP‘s London team assists with the investigation, litigation and resolution of wrongdoing-related cases. Representing corporations, financial institutions and private equity firms, the practice consistently acts in large fraud cases in the Commercial Court, It is also experienced in parallel UK-US cases. Peter Burrell, who acts in disputes involving financial fraud, securities, insider dealing, tax evasion and financial reporting issues, ‘can find a way through the most intractable problem’; Simon Osborn-King is an expert in fraud allegation-related claims; and Jerry Healy ‘has excellent judgement’.

Dispute resolution > Competition litigation Tier 3

Maintaining relationships with a number of key corporate clients, Willkie Farr & Gallagher (UK) LLP is well respected for its representation of claimants and defendants across all manner of competition litigation. ‘A top-rate team that runs on full steam‘, the group is a key destination for clients engaged in both collective actions and cartel cases. ‘Hugely experienced in competition litigation, very sharp strategically and a fine lawyer‘, Boris Bronfentrinker is noted for his capabilities in novel areas of competition law. Follow-on litigation, regulatory challenges, and cartel investigations are all mainstays of Elaine Whiteford‘s broad competition practice. Michelle Clark has niche experience concerning the increasing links between data protection and competition law.

Finance > Corporate restructuring & insolvency Tier 3

Afforded greater partner strength following Jason Taylor's recent internal promotion and the arrival in December 2023 of the highly regarded Simon Baskerville from Latham & Watkins, Willkie Farr & Gallagher (UK) LLP has the resources and expertise to service a vibrant and balanced mix of stakeholders across the full range of restructurings and workouts, in both domestic and cross-border settings. The team has an ‘innovative approach to structuring solutions to complex problems’ which has manifested itself in relation to work on UK restructuring plans (including for regulated businesses), niche advice to convertible bondholders on their rights in restructurings, and work with the US offices to advise on the English law aspects of Chapter 11 cases. The ‘technically excellent’ Graham Lane, who co-heads the team alongside Baskerville, is particularly effective at representing funds looking to capitalise on restructuring opportunities and to protect and optimise existing investments. Iben Madsen and the ‘exceptionally bright’ Edward Downer are also adept at working with fund clients, with all the aforementioned partners often working in a collaborative fashion with the firm’s broader private equity and capital markets teams. Alexander Roy became in-house counsel for a financial services firm.

Finance > Debt capital markets Tier 3

Willkie Farr & Gallagher (UK) LLP has a three-partner capital markets practice in London that handles debt, equity, investment grade and high yield bonds, and private placement. The firm has a strong niche in insurance-linked securities, and it frequently acts for its large roster of private equity clients in the DCM space. London head of capital markets Jennifer Tait is dual-qualified in English and New York law. She recently worked with newly promoted partner David Griffiths, who is a key adviser on insurance-linked securities, on a multibillion-dollar financing for a private equity sponsor. Head of corporate insurance capital markets Joseph Ferraro also plays a key role in the practice.

Finance > High yield Tier 3

The capital markets group at Willkie Farr & Gallagher (UK) LLP includes a small but dedicated high yield group in London, led by New York-qualified Jennifer Tait. She focuses on high yield bond issuance, including private placements, as well as restructurings and distressed situations. She also supports the firm's highly active private equity group, which acts for more than 300 sponsors. Newly promoted partner David Griffiths also plays a key role in the practice, particularly for issuer and sponsor clients. The two partners recently worked with the New York team on bond-related matters, including major refinancings and restructurings.

Corporate and commercial > Equity capital markets – mid-large cap Tier 4

Willkie Farr & Gallagher (UK) LLP maintains a robust transatlantic capital markets offering which encompasses the full spectrum of advice on public and private placements and rights offerings, de-SPACs, and liability management transactions. The practice regularly advises UK-listed investors and brokers on the US securities aspects of their equity transactions, and it stands out in particular for its expertise in the insurance capital markets space, with Joseph Ferraro regularly advising UK-based and offshore corporate insurers on their fundraising activities. Ferraro co-heads the team with Jennifer Tait, who handles both US and UK equity issuances. David Griffiths is a further name to note and handles a range of public M&A and ECM transactions.

Corporate and commercial > Private equity: transactions – high-value deals (£500m+) Tier 4

A ‘broad team with diverse expertise’, Willkie Farr & Gallagher (UK) LLP draws on its strong European platform as it works with multinational sponsors and their portfolio companies, handling a significant volume of complex public and private M&A. Team head Gavin Gordon has an established transactional practice with a recent strong track record in big-ticket take-privates and leveraged buyouts. Claire McDaid acts for a trusted pool of clients in domestic and cross-border transactions, handling private M&A, growth equity, recapitilisations, and distressed deals. David Arnold and Andrew Gray are lauded as ‘exceptional’; the duo are chiefly noted for their skill in European and North American buyouts, M&A, divestments, restructurings and capital raises. Philip Coletto is often called upon by some of the firm’s largest PE clients, especially concerning deals in the financial services and tech sectors.

Finance > Acquisition finance Tier 4

Often working closely with its strong London and Paris private equity groups, the partner-led team at Willkie Farr & Gallagher (UK) LLP delivers 'outstanding results' for funds on mid-market European leveraged finance matters, as well as in the context of stressed/special situations-related work. Team head Ashley Young has recently handled a number of take-private mandates for sponsor clients and while he is far better known for his borrower expertise, he also handles a small amount of direct lending work for key funds clients. Daniel Gendron is also a key member of the team whose fund-based workflow includes new money mandates, refinancing work for portfolio companies and special situations mandates.

Investment fund formation and management > Private funds Tier 4

Corporate and commercial > EU and competition Tier 5

Willkie Farr & Gallagher (UK) LLP‘s ‘very skilled’ competition group is trusted by a diverse range of blue-chip corporate clients for its expertise in multijurisdictional merger control, compliance reviews, and abuse of dominance inquiries. Rahul Saha specialises in merger control and foreign investment matters, with a particular focus on private equity transactions.

Dispute resolution > International arbitration Tier 5

With ‘a strong focus and dedication to cases’, Willkie Farr & Gallagher (UK) LLP‘s London team has acted in over 200 international ad hoc and institutional arbitrations to date. The practice regularly works on arbitrations alongside the firm’s offices in New York, Washington DC, Houston, Chicago, San Francisco, Paris, Frankfurt, and Milan. Global co-chair of the international arbitration practice group, Duncan Speller has ‘good insight into complex litigation’, while international arbitration specialist Dharshini Prasad was raised to partner in January 2024.

Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: premium Tier 6

Distinguished by its fraud and financial crime practice, Willkie Farr & Gallagher (UK) LLP represents clients in fraud and breach of contract claims, as well as restructuring litigation and insurance cases, and shareholder disputes. Practice head Peter Burrell focuses his litigation practice on corporate crime and boasts particular expertise in financial disputes. Praised for his ‘no-nonsense’ approach, Simon Osborn-King specialises in disputes with parallel US and UK proceedings, from contractual disputes to sanctions claims. Jerry Healy is also especially active in cross-border disputes. Giles Harvey is another name to note.