‘Brilliant technical lawyers with good commercial sense and judgement’, Ropes & Gray regularly works with a number of high-profile sponsors and portfolio companies on the gamut of corporate deals. The firm has made a number of lateral hires over recent years, most notably Dan Oates, who arrived from Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP. Oates joined from Fried Frank alongside Angela Becker and Simon Saitowitz, both of whom are noted for their transactional acumen. John Newton is a highly experienced partner who draws particular praise for his expertise in healthcare and life sciences-driven work. Drawing superlative praise from clients, the ‘outstanding’ Helen Croke‘s capabilities span both large cap and mid-market deals, while Elizabeth Todd’s recent engagements include cross-border acquisitions concerning targets in the media and logistics sectors. Shona Ha, who was promoted to partner in November 2022, is lauded for her ‘incredibly impressive, knowledgeable and commercial’ practice. Former London managing partner Will Rosen left the firm to join Bain Capital as its European general counsel in November 2022.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘Helen Croke is the most outstanding lawyer I have worked with in my career. She is outstanding in all regards - extremely intellectual, sharp and thinks on her feet, solutions-oriented, great bedside manner, and represents our firm and brand well in negotiations. Her intellect is unmatched - she will be my first call for any complex issues. I have seen buyers of our assets use Helen after our transactions because they have been so impressed by her on the sell-side. She also consistently promotes diversity among her teams, particularly women and minorities, and her efforts should be commended. Helen does not promote herself enough - it is just not in her nature - I hope she finally gets the recognition she deserves because she is truly world-class.’
‘We have worked with Elizabeth Todd and John Newton on transactions for Mitsubishi Financial, Bain and Baring EQT funds. They are super bright and methodical. They also manage to stay calm and focused when the going gets tough.’
- 'Shona Ha is incredibly impressive, knowledgeable and commercial.'
‘They are a top-tier private equity practice and they really know their stuff. They have a slick operation and provide a fantastic service to their clients. They provide an impressive blend of intellect and commerciality, always focusing on the client's outcomes. From a service level, nothing is too much trouble. They are an all round pleasure to work with.’
‘Helen Croke is one of the leaders in her field and is an exceptional private equity lawyer. She is sharp and gets straight to the point, and is very well regarded by the market. John Newton is another very seasoned private equity lawyer, who really knows his stuff. Victoria McGrath, Elizabeth Todd and Shona Ha are all incredibly impressive partners, who form part of the next generation. They all bring to the table a focus on delivery, first-rate legal analysis and commercial pragmatism.'
- 'John Newton is very well-connected in the private equity life sciences space. His relationships can be really helpful giving us an advantage against other bidders.'
‘Brilliant technical lawyers with good commercial sense and judgement.'
Key clients
- 3i Group plc
- Advent International
- AEA Investors Y
- American Industrial Partners (AIP)
- Aquiline Capital Partners
- Arsenal Capital Management
- Astorg
- Athyrium
- Audax Group
- Avista Capital Partners
- Baillie Gifford
- Bain Capital
- BPEA EQT (formerly known as Baring Private Equity Asia)
- Bridgepoint
- British International Investment (formerly known as CDC)
- BV Investment Partners
- Cambridge Information Group (CIG)
- Cathexis
- Charlesbank Capital Partners
- Covalis Capital
- Cove Hill
- CVC Capital
- FinDev Canada
- Francisco Partners
- Generation Investment Management
- GHO Capital
- Goldman Sachs Asset Management
- H.I.G Capital
- IK Partners
- Inflexion
- Intermediate Capital Group
- Lee Equity Partners
- Livingbridge
- Nature Infrastructure Capital
- New Mountain Capital
- Nordic Capital
- Northpond Ventures
- Oakley Capital
- PAI Partners
- Partners Group
- PIMCO
- Sands Capital
- Sixth Street
- Summit Partners
- TPG Capital
- TSG Consumer Partners
- Welsh Carson Anderson & Stowe
Work highlights
- Advised Astorg on the £1.61 billion acquisition of the financial publisher of Euromoney by Astorg and Epiri.
- Advising funds affiliated with BPEA EQT on its acquisition of IGT Solutions from AION Investments, an investment vehicle of Apollo Global Management.
- Advised TPG Growth on its investment in Musixmatch. TPG is making its investment through TPG Growth, the firm’s middle market and growth equity platform.
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.
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.