Slaughter and May’s commercial contracts group routinely advises on high-value, strategic agreements. The team excels in handling highly complex matters, with recent engagements including advising major consumer goods companies on restructuring production and distribution models internationally, and supporting leading telecoms operators on various multi-jurisdictional, business-critical transactions across Europe. Duncan Blaikie is a driving force in the practice, advising on complex agreements across sectors including telecoms, financial services, retail, life sciences, and technology. Oliver Moir focuses on contracts in the infrastructure, energy, and natural resource sectors. Richard McDonnell regularly contributes to some of the team’s most complex matters, such as those involving Vodafone. Laura Houston and David Ives are also important members of the team.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘The team is very strong. They are commercial in their approach. Very responsive. Easy to work with and proactive. Great business partners. They have the ability to deal with very complex and challenging work as well as getting the day-to-day work done. ’
‘The team always provides excellent and timely advice. They understand our business and will always provide just what we need, not what they think we need. ’
‘Rob Sumroy, Laura Houston and Ioanna Antcheva are my main contacts and always provide a great service. What I really value is that I know I can be honest with them about exactly what is needed and also if what is received needs adjusting. It's a really great working relationship and I value their input not just for legal expertise but the experience they have across many industries.’
‘We have worked with Slaughter & May on a number of M&A projects, and they have been exceptional across all of the deals. Some of the team members have been consistent across projects, but even when new associates start working with us they are extremely well briefed and up to speed straight away. We have received excellent advice from them - they really understand our business and objectives and advise on much wider issues than strict legal points. They have really helped get deals agreed because they have been pragmatic and have been able to tell us as the client where we are being unreasonable or what sensible compromises would be.’
‘All the individuals we've worked with have been of very high quality, from trainees to partners. The two partners we've worked with most are Duncan Blaikie and Rob Sumroy. They are always available and have provided excellent advice. They have managed the teams very effectively to ensure we always have the right level of support available. They are also genuinely nice people to work with and have kept everyone motivated even in the toughest of negotiations. All the associates are excellent, but in particular, George Mole and Matthew Harman have consistently gone above and beyond. They have a deep understanding of our business and the commercial topics (often more knowledgeable about how our business works than our internal people!), which really helps inform the appropriate positions to take.'
Key clients
- Vodafone Group plc
- Diageo
- INEOS
- Coca Cola Europacific Partners
- Daily Mail & General Trust plc
- Centrica plc
- Close Brothers
- Legal & General Investment Management
- Reckitt Benckiser
- Bunzl
Work highlights
Advising Vodafone Group in connection with all aspects of the proposed joint venture with CK Hutchison, comprising the merger of Vodafone Limited and Three UK including the drafting and negotiation of over 15 strategic supply, services and collaboration arrangements that will provide business critical, and business generating, services to the merged business.
Advised Diageo plc on the creation and implementation of a new commercial model for the production and distribution of Guinness (together with certain locally manufactured spirits) in both Ghana and Nigeria, which involved the creation of a broad range of commercial agreements to underpin and support the model.
Advised Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (“CCEP”) on the creation of its joint venture with Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc, and the critical services agreements established between the joint venture and: (i) The Coca-Cola Company (in relation to the joint venture’s key bottling operations in the Philippines) and (ii) CCEP (in relation to integrating the joint venture’s business into CCEP’s wider group services framework).
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Leading associates
Leading associates with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.
Richard McDonnell
Practice head
Duncan Blaikie; Oliver Moir
Other key lawyers
Laura Houston; David Ives; Richard McDonnell