Dechert LLP > London, England > Firm Profile

‘The people are engaging and innovative. The availability of experienced colleagues from other disciplines provides a holistic service to clients at all stages of the fund lifecycle and that of investment managers.’

‘Abigail Bell provides focused problem solving.’

‘Very knowledgeable re fund structures, share class accounting, addition of hurdles. Very responsive – always available for ad hoc queries.’

‘Craig Borthwick has extensive knowledge of the hedge funds sector and provides great advice.’

‘Craig Borthwick’s laser mark-ups are much appreciated. He also sees the big picture and focuses the negotiation on the handful of points that matter.’

‘Craig Borthwick: wide array of knowledge about asset management, very responsive, pragmatic, a true expert in his field.’

‘The team is a well respected legal advisor in the hedge fund world. They also have knowledge of what has previously been accepted by counterparties, which aids with negotiations.’

‘Abigail Bell is incredibly diligent and I trust her to negotiate our agreements with our counterparties.’

‘Dechert have in-depth knowledge of how the regulators work and think – so they are brilliantly-placed to stay ahead of the game strategically. They are experts at building the right team for the needs of the case and display real commercial savvy in a criminal setting.’

‘Evan Flowers is energetic, very persuasive and always has innovative problem-solving ideas. He is driven to get results that really work for his clients.’

‘Roger Burlingame is a person of the moment and able to pull off some remarkable results.’

‘This is a very much partner-led team, which means a really high quality product for clients.’

‘Jason Butwick is really superb. He has an encyclopedic understanding of partnership law, particularly in the financial services sector. He is incredibly commercial. It is obvious watching him that clients treat him as a key trusted adviser. I recommend him unhesitatingly.’

‘A deep bench of talented practitioners – they are thoughtful both in the advice they provide and in the wider client-service. Attentive and responsive, they look-after every aspect of the client service. They aspire to a very high level of customer service.’

‘Dan Hawthorne and Jason Butwick form an outstanding team – they are expert advisers with a remarkable attention to detail. They are solution-oriented with a deep understanding of the asset management industry.’

‘Our main contact is Jason Butwick. Simply Jason is excellent, he is an expert in his field and uses his sector knowledge to provide complicated advice in a user friendly way. We recommend and value him highly.’

‘The team at Dechert is immensely hard-working and dedicated to clients, despite challenging deadlines.’

‘They handle complex issues in high-value, multi-party cases with impressive skill.’

‘Daniel Natoff is all over the detail, constantly available and shows good judgement.’

‘Extremely helpful, astute and sharp, clear advice. Very knowledgeable about the investment management industry and practices. Commercial and pragmatic. I highly recommend the team!’

‘Always excellent support provided by Jason Butwick.’

‘In depth experience of labour law from all perspectives and a great ability to apply that for the benefit of their clients.’

‘Emma Byford is very knowledgeable, responsive and commercial in her advice, focused on finding the right outcome for her clients, bringing to bear her in depth experience and helping them through a range of issues.’

‘Always quick to respond, and we rely on the employment law team specifically to respond to legal issues in the finance industry. ’

‘Speed of response, attention to detail, quality of deliverables and understanding of the industry. Jason Butwick.’

‘They are very commercial and instinctively understand how to reach a position that works for all parties.’

‘We highly rate Philip Butler and Bishoy Eskander on their approach to documents from a lender perspective – commercial where they need to be and know where to push back.’

‘Philip Butler has real presence in the market to get things done.’

‘The very technical Bishoy Eskander has deep market insight and knows how to avoid terms creep to protect the lender.’

‘Experienced, proactive, flexible, dedicated, fully available.’

‘They defend their clients very well.’

‘Having worked with all magic circle firms on DCM transactions, in my view, Dechert’s team is miles ahead of them. Patrick Lyons, Jennifer Rees and Amy Rees make up a formidable team that is available around the clock to advise clients. Patrick is fantastic all-round on bonds and sukuk issuances while Jennifer is indispensable on bond issuances.’

‘Patrick Lyons is incredible to work with; extremely knowledgeable and a pleasure to work with. Patrick is complemented by Jennifer Rees on the bond side of transactions. Both of these individuals are at the top of their game.’

‘Dechert was frequently mandated by our bookrunners as adviser with regard to several of our sovereign bond issues, launched in the international financial market. The firm has always shown its efficiency, deep commitment of its lawyers, transparency and good governance and the know-how of its teams.;

‘Patrick Lyons and Jennifer Rees are the most impressive individuals with whom we have dealt with during the preparation and the execution of all of our deals.’

‘Dechert’s derivatives team is well resourced with knowledgeable experts in the UK and the US and has good links with local experts in other European jurisdictions (eg. Switzerland) when we need local regulatory advice.’

‘There is a good balance within the team between experienced technical lawyers and more junior staff, as well as PSL lawyers support. Consequently, Dechert’s derivatives team are able to deliver timely, commercially-focused and tailored advice at a competitive rate.’

‘Karen Stretch is personable, very hard-working and diligent, as well as an excellent technical expert. She is well respected by all members of our legal team who focus on derivatives and regulatory work. We can trust Karen to advise on any regulatory point relating to derivatives, including the most recent developments.’

‘Karen Stretch has been proactive in raising new legal and regulatory points, which are relevant to our business, giving us the opportunity to review the information and ask questions, which has been very helpful.’

‘Karen Stretch and the team are very responsive at putting in place the legal documentation required, hold regular catch up meetings to ensure items are progressing in a timely fashion.’

‘Karen Stretch is very proactive at ensuring items are progressing and also providing us with guidance to ensure the correct approach is taken.’

‘Richard Chapman, is collaborative when working with him, I have complete trust that he has been thorough and approached with the best interest of our business. He goes the extra mile, highlighting aspects that we should consider outside of the standard legal advice.’

‘The team has a partnership approach with clients, commercially minded, detailed and thorough in their advice and guidance. Dechert’s are focused on the long term client relationship.’

‘The Dechert team is very responsive, always going the extra mile to make sure they get the full extent of the answers for their clients. They take into account what our needs are, the specific fund structures and how our teams work. It often occurs that they flag things to us which would be critical for us before we have found them. They remember what has been important in the past, whether on similar transactions or in general, making sure that we can be confident throughout the process.’

‘Aaron Scott is very knowledgeable and approachable, he is also very good at making sure that Rory (the associate in the team) really gets a chance to show us how good he is. It is rare to see a partner that is so confident in what he does and brings to the table that he is happy to also let more junior team members shine.’

‘Patrick Lyons, Jennifer Rees and Amy Rees make up a formidable team that is available to advise clients with complex structuring of both bonds and sukuk. Patrick is fantastic all round on bonds and sukuk issuances, while Jennifer is indispensable on bond issuances.’

‘Patrick Lyons is incredible to work with; extremely knowledgeable and a pleasure to work with. Patrick is complemented by Jennifer Rees on the bond side of transactions. Both of these individuals are at the top of their game and, with Patrick at the helm, are definitely the leading firm for DCM transactions in Oman.’

‘The firm has always shown its efficiency, deep commitment of its lawyers, transparency and good governance, and the know-how of its teams. Dechert LLP compares favourably in regard to the other firms since it is familiar with the Moroccan laws.’

‘Patrick Lyons and Jennifer Rees are the most impressive individuals with whom we have dealt with during the preparation and the execution of all the deals. They have proven efficiency in terms of the tasks that had been assigned to them.’

‘Litigators Adam Silver and Ricci Potts are excellent.’

‘Very responsive, the team is available on short notice, and has great experience in the African region. Combination of expertise of different teams to provide an advice.’

‘Giles Belsey, Patrick Lyons, Jennifer Rees are available, helpful, practical.’

‘Excellence, dedication and experience.’

‘What truly distinguishes the Dechert team is their extensive experience over at least the past decade in Egypt’s capital market field. This expertise encompasses not only profound legal knowledge and a thorough understanding of the ecosystem but also an adeptness in grasping the unique mentality of Egyptian clients.’

‘Known for his approachable and pleasant demeanor, Patrick Lyons is a skilled problem solver. His team, Jennifer Rees and Amy Rees, exemplify the same qualities and expertise, ensuring a cohesive and effective legal service.’

‘The team are very responsive and creative in their approach to problem solving.’

‘They give practical advice and are available when we need them.’

‘Knowledgeable, practical and complete understanding of the interplay between FCA and SEC requirements.’

‘Karen Anderberg, is knowledgeable, calm, practical and thinks commercially.’

‘An organised, approachable and knowledgeable team.’

‘The team at Dechert are able to provide not just technical advice but also practical solutions to navigate regulatory complexities at a global level.’

‘Mikhaelle Schiappacasse and Karen Stretch both excellent in their respective fields.’

‘Matt Mazur was always well-prepared, knew the details when they mattered and was exceptionally helpful.’

‘Dechert have in-depth knowledge of how the regulators work and think – so they are brilliantly-placed to stay ahead of the game strategically. They are experts at building the right team for the needs of the case.’

‘Evan Flowers is energetic, very persuasive and always has innovative problem-solving ideas. He is driven to get results that really work for his clients.’

‘Roger Burlingame is highly sought after on US-UK extradition matters and can assemble a powerful team on the big ticket cases.’

‘Roger Burlingame is a smart, savvy, very personable lawyer with a keen sense for what matters and what is and is not persuasive.’

‘Roger Burlingame is the stand out individual in this area. Active, agile and hugely accomplished as well as being very international.’

‘Adam Silver and Ricci Potts are responsive and clever, with a commercial and pragmatic outlook. Lisa Borthwick is an excellent associate with a keen eye for detail.’

‘Ricci Potts made partnership relatively recently, and it was well deserved. He is building a good reputation and has been involved in some high profile commercial and financial cases, including a series of well-known Lebanese banking case. Richard Herstell is relatively newly qualified and relatively new the team, and an impressive associate solicitor and seems to be a very good team player.’

‘Depth of experience in the banking litigation. This team has done several of the leading cases in the area and their expertise is impressive.’

‘Adam Silver stands out as truly knowledgeable. He also thinks “outside the box” and is fantastic to work with.’

‘The Dechert team has developed a niche practice in Lebanese banking litigation. They are very much experts in this area.’

‘Daniel Natoff is a young partner with great energy, confidence and an extraordinary work ethic. He really pushes a case along. Three associates stand out – two senior (Annabelle Nelsson and Emma Dillon) and one junior (Harley Evans). They are all absolutely first rate – clever, efficient, calm and thorough.’

‘The team at Dechert have been immensely hard-working and dedicated to their clients, despite challenging deadlines. They’ve handled complex issues on a high value, multi-party case with impressive skill.’

‘Daniel Natoff is a standout partner and has a bright future.’

‘The team at Dechert have been immensely hard-working and dedicated to their clients, despite challenging deadlines. They’ve handled complex issues on a high value, multi-party case with impressive skill.’

‘Daniel Natoff: a relatively junior partner, but all over the detail, constantly available, and showing good judgment.’

‘Clever and dedicated team with excellent and pragmatic litigation nous.’

‘Adam Silver is highly experienced and no-nonsense senior figure. Ricci Potts is energetic and capable new partner.’

‘You very much get big-firm service: there is always a team member available, able to respond at short notice. The team never sleeps. There are certainly no makeweights, each member of the team being able to work out the issues for him/herself.’

‘Abdul Azeem is calm, understated, but a very sharp thinker. Good sense of humour with it (a rarity at big law). Richard Herstell is also immediately impressive. Both of them are fluent in Arabic.’

‘They are a fantastic, driven and incredibly well-oiled machine. What makes them standout is their incisive strategic thinking; excellent client management; and outstanding work ethic. A top, top team.’

‘Adam Silver is a stand-out partner and at the top of his game. He is a brilliant leader and well-loved by clients for his keen legal instincts and strategic acumen. Abdul Azeem is a future partner, with meticulous eye for detail, a tenacious approach to litigation, and excellent communication skills. We would have no hesitation on working with him on the most complex and high value claims.’

‘Although relatively small, the team at Dechert is led by partners with considerable experience and expertise, backed by a team of motivated and engaged associates with broad experience of commercial litigation, who are well able to manage any case in the Commercial Court or arbitration very effectively – and therefore hold their own with much larger insurance practice groups.’

‘Stephen Surgeoner is excellent – experienced, knowledgeable, very good at thinking around problems and with good strategic and tactical judgement. Also an effective manager of a litigation team.’

‘Suzi Goodchild is an incredibly hard-working and effective lawyer. Just the kind of person you want managing the case day-to-day. Great judgement across all the detail, bright and with strong communication skills.’

‘Dechert have a growing and deserved reputation for the quality of their policyholder work. They are very hard-working, and have an impressive ability to manage and co-ordinate the most complex and large-scale claims.’

‘Stephen Surgeoner and John Bedford are excellent; they are always across the detail and very clear-sighted in understanding the tactical landscape of even the most complex and challenging international claims.’

‘Dorothy Cory-Wright ticks every box: highly intelligent, engaged, clear, quicker to the heart of what matters than most. Stephen Surgeoner has an extremely strong commercial acumen and an ability to look beyond the horizon. John Bedford is a strong, intelligent, details-focused litigator – one to have on your team.’

‘Highly commercial and innovative team always willing to think broadly to get the best possible outcome.’

‘All super smart and engaged in providing a great service.’

‘Chris Gardner is very commercial, has taken the time to really understand our business and is very responsive. I really appreciate his clear and practical advice, the fact that he is just as responsive and willing to help with small ad hoc issues.’ 

‘Dechert’s private funds department seems really well backed by technology, conferences and talks. The team is large so seems to encompass a lot of different specialities resulting in some great in-depth knowledge of relevant structures and market practice. ’

‘Sam Kay stands out as very responsive, intelligent, proactive and cheerful on all occasions. We find him a pleasure to deal with.’

‘The team are some of the best in the business. They bring a great mix of technical expertise and commercial solutions-focused support to their clients. ’

‘Sam Kay is an excellent lawyer and partner to our business. He is very knowledgeable, combining excellent technical skills with a very commercial and pragmatic approach. When Sam changed firms we moved with him.’

‘When it comes to fund structuring and the negotiation and drafting of associated contracts and transaction documents, there is, simply put, no better counsel than Thiha Tun. He is brilliant in capturing and asserting the salient commercial points and always proactively ensures to realise each client’s objectives.’ 

‘Excellent mix of tax experience and commercial knowledge.’

‘Very responsive, hugely knowledgeable and commercial advisors, so much more than just tax.’

‘The key difference that this team offers is that each member is very approachable, personable and fast to respond. This is in addition to the prerequisite technical skills at the level to advise major clients.’

‘We have worked with Dechert on deal tax reviews and fund structuring matters. The Dechert tax team are technical and responsive.’

‘The team demonstrated deep expertise and a comprehensive approach to tax issues and corporate matters, while ensuring dedicated attention and a responsive approach.’

‘Their expertise and ability to deliver results promptly set them apart from competitors and enabled us to ensure timely corporate and tax compliance.’

‘Very knowledgeable and business-oriented.’

‘Client-oriented and prompt in addressing complicated matters.’

‘Highly capable and commercial team. Would hire them in connection with complex transactions, in particular complex shareholder arrangements.’

‘Mark Evans is easy to work with and is very commercial and talented in cutting through complex issues to find a solution.’

‘Jason Butwick is exceptional – a technical expert with a wealth of experience in employee incentive schemes and in our industry. He is highly commercial and a trusted adviser to our business.’

‘The team is commercial, responsive and client-oriented. We found Daniel Hawthorne and his team delivered prompt advice which addressed our questions clearly and succinctly.’

‘Daniel Hawthorne provided clear, commercial advice within tight deadlines and gave clear comprehensible advice in respect of complex structures.’

‘Daniel Hawthorne is an exceptional attorney.’

‘Daniel Hawthorne makes himself available on short notice, gives excellent and practical advice, and is a top drafter of documents. He understands the complex legal issues in his area and is able to explain them clearly and professionally including to non-lawyers.’

‘Kay Morley is an exceptional lawyer who takes time to understand client needs, is an expert in her field and has provided a high level of legal advice to myself and my company over a number of years.’

‘Very knowledgeable and business oriented.’

‘Client oriented and prompt in addressing complicated matters.’

‘Rose Limaye is keen, available, and very quick to turn around client requests, with good focus on detail.’