Liam O'Connell

Neil Robson decodes complex UK and EU regulations to provide practical regulatory and compliance advice to financial services firms. He represents a range of financial market participants — hedge and private equity fund managers, investment advisors, broker-dealers and proprietary traders — that are based or doing business in the UK or the EU. Neil's extensive working knowledge of this complicated sector allows his clients to both meet their business objectives and satisfy regulat...

Charlie Caher is a partner in the Firm's Litigation/Controversy Department, and a member of the International Arbitration Practice Group. He joined the Firm in 2008. Mr. Caher is based in the London office, where he practices International Arbitration and English High Court Litigation.

Steven Davis is a partner in the Corporate Department, co-head of our global Private Equity and M&A Group and co-head of the London office.Steven’s practice focuses on buyouts, buy-ins, and strategic mergers & acquisitions. He has considerable industry knowledge in the consumer, retail, financial, business services, sports and healthcare sectors, and has advised a broad range of clients, including private equity sponsors, management teams, financial institutions and public and p...

Pawel Szaja is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Capital Markets Law. Pawel practices law in London, United Kingdom Best Lawyers has recognized Pawel Szaja since 2024. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Pawel Szaja is held by other lawyers.

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.

Stephen A. Thierbach is a US-qualified corporate partner in the London office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. A senior U.S. securities lawyer, he advises issuers, underwriters and selling shareholders on complex, innovative and multi-jurisdictional offerings of equity, equity-related and debt securities. He has a broad capital markets transactions practice, with a focus on initial public offerings and secondary offerings, and has represented corporates, investment banks, private equity firms ...

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.

Franz Schwarz focuses on complex multi-jurisdictional disputes. He has extensive experience with arbitral practice, procedure and advocacy both in civil and common law systems. Mr. Schwarz has been involved in more than 250 arbitrations as counsel and arbitrator, both ad-hoc and before all major arbitral institutions (including ICC, LCIA, Vienna and Stockholm), at multiple seats and governed by a broad variety of substantive and procedural laws. He has a particular focus on joint venture, M&a...

Helen Croke joined Ropes & Gray as a partner in its private equity transactions group in October 2016. She specialises in UK and international private equity and M&A, including acting for institutional investors, corporates and founders. Helen is recommended by Chambers UK and The Legal 500 as a leading individual in private equity who clients say is “fantastic” with a “unique ability to articulate complicated aspects in layman’s terms.” Helen was recogni...

Nigel van Zyl specializes in advising asset managers, institutional investors and investment advisors across the full spectrum of investment fund matters. Praised for his keen business sense and practical approach, Nigel advises leading international fund managers on all aspects of their fund business, including the formation, raising, maintenance and ongoing operation and compliance of their investment funds. He also advises on internal governance, compliance and organization, carried intere...