Confirming its status as a market-leading outfit for high-value M&A, the team at Linklaters LLP demonstrates extensive expertise in handling the full gamut of corporate work, advising buyers, sellers and financial advisers on public takeovers, carve-outs, joint ventures, and corporate restructurings. Leveraging the expertise of specialist groups in tax, antitrust, employment, and technology, the ‘technically excellent, commercial, and pragmatic’ team is renowned for its ability to manage multi-billion pound, cross-border transactions. Corporate division head Simon Branigan routinely handles transactions in the mining, retail and consumer, oil and gas and financial services sectors, while Aedamar Comiskey, senior partner and chair, continues to act on big-ticket public and private M&A. Elsewhere in the team, James Inglis focuses on public and private M&A, capital raisings and corporate governance advisory work, and Aisling Zarraga maintains a busy practice, leading on some of the largest M&A and joint venture transactions in the market. Other key figures include Fionnghuala Griggs, a specialist in the fintech sector; Ian Hunter, who has specialist knowledge in UK Takeover Code-governed transactions; and Derek Tong, global head of the technology group. Dan Schuster-Woldan left to join Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP in February 2024.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘The service offering is excellent, clear advice however complex the query.'

  • ‘Iain Fenn is our client partner and lead on corporate matters. He is a true expert in his field, very engaged and supportive. He will always offer a clear opinion on a course of action and has strong credibility with our board as a result.’

  • 'Extremely high quality team, technically excellent, commercial and pragmatic. My go-to lawyers and trusted advisers. James Inglis and Jane Cai provide excellent service, backed up by a strong associate team.'

  • 'James Inglis is a market-leading expert on M&A and governance issues, as well as being a long-time adviser and part of our institutional knowledge base. Our go-to person for difficult issues or larger more complex matters.'

Key clients

  • Tate & Lyle
  • Mondi
  • KPMG
  • CK Hutchison
  • Thermo Fisher
  • Unilever
  • National Grid
  • AXA
  • Phoenix
  • Greene King
  • HSBC
  • PWC
  • Sainsburys
  • Vodafone
  • Jardine Matheson
  • Sony
  • Macquarie
  • Diageo
  • Capita
  • Cerberus
  • Yum!
  • EY
  • Nestle

Lawyers

Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Simon Branigan

Other key lawyers

Aedamar Comiskey, Aisling Zarraga, Dan Schuster-Woldan, David Martin, Tracey Lochhead, Ian Hunter, James Inglis, Derek Tong, Fionnghuala Griggs, Michael Honan, Charles Turner, Namrata Shah, Iain Fenn, Jane Cai