Samira Afrasiabi

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...

Clients value the support, guidance, and leadership that Phillip Taylor brings to a situation and his technical and commercial approach to delivering innovative solutions to the most complex issues involving international restructuring, special situations, and insolvency. He represents companies, creditors, and investors in all parts of the capital structure, as well as corporate trustees, agents, directors, and insolvency practitioners. Phillip routinely handles both contentious and non-cont...

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...

Joel D. Harrison is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Information Technology Law and Outsourcing. Joel D. practices law in London, United Kingdom Best Lawyers has recognized Joel D. Harrison since 2022. 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 Joel D. Harrison is held by other lawyers.

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...

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 ...

Gillian Sproul is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Competition Law. Gillian practices law in London, United Kingdom Best Lawyers has recognized Gillian Sproul since 2025. 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 Gillian Sproul is held by other lawyers.

Alistair Watson is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Planning. Alistair practices law in London, United Kingdom Best Lawyers has recognized Alistair Watson 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 Alistair Watson is held by other lawyers.

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...

Nicholas Moser is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Insolvency and Restructuring Law. Nicholas practices law in London, United Kingdom Best Lawyers has recognized Nicholas Moser since 2009. 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 Nicholas Moser is held by other lawyers.