David Thomas

David Birchall advises clients on the full range of energy transactions in the mid- and downstream fields, including types of commodity trading matters, conventional, renewables and clean-tech projects, energy and infrastructure projects, regulation and waste, including waste-to-energy schemes. Having practised as an energy corporate, regulatory and projects lawyer since 1993, he also worked from the start of the renewables and physical commodities trading legal market, in the UK, throughout ...

Christopher Agnoli is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Tax Law. Christopher, who practices law in London, United Kingdom, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Christopher is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Sandy Bhogal is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Tax Law. Sandy, who practices law in London, United Kingdom, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Sandy is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

James Fisher is a partner in the Finance Group in Alston & Bird’s London office, focusing on debt capital markets, structured finance, securitisation, and derivatives transactions, with a particular specialty in advising corporate trust, agency, and issuer clients across a broad spectrum of cross-border and domestic financings.

Deborah Ruff leads Pillsbury’s Arbitration - U.S. & International practice. She has extensive experience in multi-jurisdiction disputes, with a focus on high-value and complex international arbitration in the energy, infrastructure and construction, telecommunications and financial sectors. Deborah conducts international arbitration disputes often over JOAs, the construction of and off-take from refineries and petrochemical plants, as well as rig, energy trading and transport, and c...

Al Gourley is a Partner at the firm’s London office. He is a globally-recognised resource lawyer, having led many UK and Canadian initial public offerings, secondary and alternative finance transactions, as well as mergers and acquisitions, in the resource sector, particularly cross-border transactions involving Europe, Africa, Australia and Canada. Al is also the Chairman of the World Initiative of Mining Lawyers based in Europe. Al is known for his knowledge of “pure” mini...

George Knighton is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Mergers and Acquisitions Law and Private Equity Law. George, who practices law in London, United Kingdom, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which George is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Mark Sperotto is a partner in the London office of Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher and a member of the Corporate Transactional practice group. Mr. Sperotto has broad experience in both the UK and Italian markets, covering all aspects of corporate, private equity and investment banking with a focus on cross-border M&A, leveraged buy-outs, fund establishment and international corporate finance and equity capital markets transactions. Mr. Sperotto’s experience extends to advising private equ...

Penny Madden is an English qualified Queen’s Counsel and serves as Co-Partner-in-Charge of the London office at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. She is Co-Chair of the International Arbitration Practice Group and a member of the firm’s Transnational Litigation Practice Group. She has a wide range of experience in all key aspects of international arbitration with particular expertise in shareholder, telecommunications, SPA, energy, international trade and insurance disputes. She repres...

Aymen Mahmoud is the co-head of the London Finance, Restructuring and Special Situations Group. He focuses his practice on complex debt financing transactions for private equity funds and their portfolio companies, hedge funds, corporate borrowers and issuers and other financial institutions including banks, direct lenders, family offices and other alternative sophisticated capital. His experience includes acting in respect of direct lending, leveraged buyouts, domestic and cross-border syndi...