WilmerHale, Lawyers Practices Recognized in 2024 Edition of The Legal 500 UK

• 10.4.2023

In the 2024 edition of The Legal 500 UK, WilmerHale is named a top-tier firm for international arbitration and is recommended in six other practice areas. The guide names six partners to its "Leading Lawyers" and “Hall of Fame” lists, one to its “Next Generation Partners” list, one counsel to its “Rising Stars” list and recognizes 10 of the firm's London-based lawyers overall.

In addition to the top-tier ranking, WilmerHale was recognized for:

• Fraud: White Collar Crime;
• Regulatory Investigations and Corporate Crime;
• Corporate and Commercial: Financial Services, Contentious;
• Public International Law
• TMT (technology, media and telecoms)—Intellectual Property: Patents; and
• Professional Discipline

Partners Gary Born, Richard Burger, Steven Finizio, Stephen Pollard, Franz Schwarz and Justin Watts were named as elite lawyers in their practices spanning seven Legal 500 categories. Mr. Pollard was listed in Fraud: White Collar Crime; Corporate and Commercial: Financial Services, Contentious; and Regulatory Investigations and Corporate Crime. Mr. Born was listed in International Arbitration and Public International Law; Mr. Finizio and Mr. Schwarz in International Arbitration; Mr. Burger in Professional Discipline; and Mr. Watts in TMT—Intellectual Property: Patents. Jonathan Lim was named a “Next Generation Partner” in International Arbitration and Public International Law and Counsel Christina Guazzi was named a “Rising Star” in Intellectual Property: Patent.

The below commentary from The Legal 500 UK highlights the WilmerHale lawyers recognized in the 2024 edition.

International Arbitration

The 'truly specialist international arbitration practice group' within WilmerHale‘s London office has a leading market reputation for both commercial and investor-state arbitration work. With a track record of serving as counsel in over 675 arbitrations, practice chair Gary Born is 'well known as the preeminent expert in international arbitration'; Charlie Caher has particular experience in energy, construction, telecoms, insurance, joint venture and M&A-related disputes; Steven Finizio is an 'incredibly knowledgeable and talented partner', who specialises in investment treaty and public international law issues; and Franz Schwarz has enviable experience in winning high-profile arbitration cases. The second line of key practitioners features 'extraordinarily gifted lawyer and forceful advocate', Jonathan Lim, a triple-qualified English solicitor, Singapore advocate and New York lawyer, who was elevated from counsel to partner in January 2023.

Public International Law

The London group at 'outstanding firm' WilmerHale has longstanding experience in heavyweight PIL disputes. Its coverage encompasses territorial boundary issues, PIL matters that arise in national courts, sovereign immunity, and foreign judgment enforcements. The team also handles legal proceedings before international and national tribunals, particularly in relation to freedom of speech and belief. With decades of experience as lead counsel in PIL-related cases, Gary Born is 'an encyclopaedia of international arbitration'; and Steven Finizio is particularly focused on cases involving freedom of expression issues. Raised to partner in January 2023, Jonathan Lim is a complex international disputes specialist.

Fraud: White Collar Crime

Consistently advising clients in multi-jurisdictional SFO investigations, the London WilmerHale team effectively combines ‘US law firm heft’ with  ‘gold-standard’ UK lawyers, according to one client. The group has considerable expertise handling white-collar proceedings being investigated by the NCA, FCA, and HMRC, along with international cases involving the US DOJ and SEC. The ‘legendary’ Stephen Pollard heads the practice, specialising in financial services fraud, market manipulation, and internal investigations, while the arrival of Richard Burger as a partner from DWF in January 2023 adds more than 25 years’ experience in domestic and global regulatory enforcement and criminal proceedings to the department. Meanwhile, counsel, Lloyd Firth , is highly knowledgeable in all matters relating to bribery and corruption, money laundering, and insider dealing. David Rundle left the firm for Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner in May 2023.

Corporate and Commercial: Financial Services, Contentious

With ‘market-leading‘ practice head Stephen Pollard at the helm, WilmerHale continues to be a firm of choice for stellar individual-side representation. Senior executives facing regulatory exposure value the firm’s ‘high quality advice‘ and breadth of experience with leading financial regulators, including the FCA and FRC. In January 2023, Richard Burger joined the team from DWF, bringing with him extensive experience acting in complex domestic and international regulatory enforcement proceedings and criminal investigations.

Regulatory Investigations and Corporate Crime

The WilmerHale practice is headed by ‘the Top Gun in the London white-collar market’, Stephen Pollard, who brings vast expertise in advising clients in high-profile proceedings brought by the SFO, FCA, and NCA. The team’s client list includes notable companies from within the extractives and technology spheres, along with authorities from across the globe, as the department is highly regarded for dealing with proceedings arising from allegations of historic bribery and market manipulation. Richard Burger joined the firm as partner from DWF in January 2023, specialising in complex international regulatory enforcement and criminal investigations, whilst counsel Lloyd Firth focuses on money laundering and tax evasion issues.

TMT (technology, media and telecoms)—Intellectual Property: Patents

Regarded as a ‘hugely experienced’ and ‘innovative’ team, WilmerHale maintains a strong practice in the tech space, handling numerous different types, from mobile phones to pharma products. Recent examples of contentious work include some large multijurisdictional patent litigation, working on cutting-edge SEP/FRAND issues. Justin Watts helms the team with vast experience in litigation, being particularly active in the pharma, medical devices, biotech, communications and hardware and software industries. ‘Calm and motivating team builder’ Anthony Trenton routinely leads on complex litigation, and Matthew Shade also possesses capabilities across pharma, medical devices, consumer electronics and technology spaces. ‘Clear star of the future’ Annsley Ward, who was promoted to partner in January 2023, counts innovative technology companies in her roster; she also possesses significant expertise in cross-border litigation. Counsel Christina Guazzi is also recommended for her capabilities across life sciences and consumer electronics sectors.

The Legal 500 recommends law firms and individuals based purely on merit. Researchers surveyed and interviewed more than 300,000 corporate counsel and clients over the course of 12 months. The list of WilmerHale's rankings, including commentary, can be viewed on The Legal 500 website.