Helen Smith

Cy Benson is a U.S. and English qualified partner in the London office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher and serves as Co-Chair of the firm’s International Arbitration Practice Group. Mr Benson represents clients from a wide variety of sectors before commercial and investment treaty tribunals with particular experience in telecoms, oil & gas, mining and infrastructure disputes. He continues to represent a Dutch and a Luxembourg investor in two separate multi-billion dollar arbitration ...

Marian heads the UK insurance and disputes practices working closely with the firm’s established trade and export finance team, and U.S.-based disputes team, offering advice on insurance, risk management and commercial dispute resolution.With over 20 years' experience, Marian advises banks, insurance brokers, investment funds, government agencies and corporates on commercial insurance arrangements which support structured trade, commodity and pre-export financing as well as corporate fi...

Dorothee Fischer-Appelt is a New York and English-qualified shareholder with 24 years' experience in international capital markets and M&A transactions. She represents companies, financial institutions and selling shareholders in connection with international equity and debt capital markets transactions, including IPOs, secondary equity offerings, structured equity offerings, convertibles, warrants, block trades, high yield offerings, Rule 144A debt offerings, covered bonds, exchange offe...

Andrew Savage focuses his practice on international commercial and finance litigation and international arbitration. Over a period of more than 25 years he has a gained a wealth of experience across all sectors and industries, including finance, insolvency, energy, insurance (for policy holders), commodities, shipping, construction, IT and art theft. Much of his casework has involved dealing with issues of fraud and corruption and the need for global asset tracing and international enforcement.

Justin Watts is an experienced patent litigator who has an established and well-regarded intellectual property practice. Clients rely on his industry knowledge and years of experience to handle their complex, multinational disputes. Dr. Watts represents a variety of clients, with an emphasis on those in the pharmaceutical, medical devices, biotechnology, communications, and hardware and software industries, in disputes involving standards, competition law and patents. Dr. Watts' experience en...

Sandro de Bernardini is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Mergers and Acquisitions Law. Sandro, 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 Sandro is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Raminta Dereskeviciute focuses her practice on product compliance, trade regulation (sanctions and export controls) and ESG. She has significant experience in advising on EU and UK chemical legislation (REACH), product safety and liability rules and frequently represents clients before the European Chemicals Agency Board of Appeal. Raminta also advises businesses on the implications Brexit has in relation to a range of regulatory compliance issues. Raminta counsels clients on the EU and the U...

Gary Born is the chair of the International Arbitration Practice Group. Mr. Born is widely regarded as the world's preeminent authority on international commercial arbitration and international litigation. He has been ranked for more than 20 years as one of the world's leading international arbitration advocates and the leading arbitration practitioner in London.

Mark Fine focuses his practice on complex debt financing transactions for private equity houses, borrowers and lenders including direct lending, leveraged buyouts, domestic and cross-border syndicated lending, junior debt issuances, high yield offerings, special situations, distressed debt trading, portfolio acquisitions and restructurings. Mark has previously held the position of European General Counsel at Bain Capital Credit in London.

John Houghton, Chair of the London Restructuring & Bankruptcy Practice, advises creditors, sponsors, insolvent companies, directors and insolvency practitioners on virtually all areas of international restructurings, insolvency, and corporate rescues. He has a substantial experience of restructuring via schemes of arrangement and the new restructuring process. According to the Chambers UK 2020 Guide, John “is highly competent and skilled, and is able to guide a management team and d...