Fieldfisher
Fieldfisher has ‘broad experience in the derivatives space and good mixture of young talent and experience’. The firm acts for both buy-side and sell-side clients, among them global investment banks, smaller regional banks and broker/dealers, hedge funds, and traditional asset managers. It has market-leading expertise in repo, securities lending and structured derivative transactions, a strong presence in emerging markets transactions, and has pushed innovative legal technology solutions such as its Condor alternative legal services platform. Practice head Guy Usher has ‘masses of experience developed over many financial and world crises, and an understanding of how to lead the industry’. He recently worked with key partner Edward Miller, who ‘can lead tough negotiations on complex issues in a very efficient manner’, to assist Bank of America Securities with documenting a structural change in its US prime brokerage platform with respect to cash and securities lending ahead of a proposed merger. Emma Spiers has extensive experience of deal-contingent derivatives transactions and finance-linked hedging arrangements. Up-and-coming partner Jenny Warren ‘will run with a matter to completion with minimal interaction with the client, so time is never wasted’. The firm hired Sebastian Reger from Travers Smith LLP in 2023.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
'Partner-led; highly responsive and practical advice.'
'Jenny Warren looks after all our derivatives work. She has a deep understanding of our business and hence can adapt advice accordingly without instructions. Technical knowledge is also excellent and, most helpfully, Jenny will run with a matter to completion with minimal interaction with us so time is never wasted.'
‘Broad experience in the derivatives space and good mixture of young talent and experience. New billing methods were adapted without any issues.’
‘Edward Miller is highly experienced and can lead tough negotiations on complex issues in a very efficient manner.’
‘The team is very practical and has supported our in-house derivatives team on a number of issues from producing an invaluable close out guide with templates to legal opinions.’
‘Guy Usher and Edward Miller, have been derivatives experts for an incredibly long time. With that length of time comes masses of experience developed over many financial and world crises. Its during these times that you want to go to industry experts who have either seen these situations before or have a deep understanding of likely outcomes. With this level of experience also comes an understanding of how to lead the industry, certainly asset managers in industry working groups and developing a better position for our clients.’
Key clients
- Baillie Gifford
- Bank of America
- Nomura
- Citigroup
- Commerzbank
- UniCredit
- Goldman Sachs International
- ICBC Standard Bank Plc
- Intesa Sanpaolo S.p.A
- Jefferies International Limited
Work highlights
- Advised a global investment bank on the entry into a deal-contingent hedging transaction in connection with certain licenses being granted in the context of the acquisition of Tom Ford by Estée Lauder.
- Appointed to undertake a significant proportion of the Bank of America group's 'Phase 6' regulatory initial margin documentation exercise.
- Advised Citi (a major investment bank) in its capacity as hedge provider in relation to the financing aspects of a EUR 750 million acquisition.
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Practice head
The lawyer(s) leading their teams.
Guy Usher