Financial Restructuring Practice
Recognised as the premier bondholder practice in the market, Bingham’s ‘diligent, responsive and commercial’ team...continues to attract instructions on the majority of major restructurings in the market. — The Legal 500
Our London lawyers represent many of the world’s largest insurance companies, pension funds, investment banks, hedge funds, distressed debt investors, international agencies, governments and multinational corporate groups. Bingham has recently represented the creditors on the restructurings of numerous major European corporates, including Lehman Brothers, Taylor Wimpey, M.J. Maillis, Phoenix Pharmahandel and Technicolor S.A. (formerly Thomson S.A.); bondholders of the three Icelandic banks (Glitnir, Kaupthing and Landsbanki); bondholders of, among others, Elektrim, Head, Independent News & Media, Kremikovtzi, LyondellBasell, Truvo, and Wind Hellas; lenders to LBOs, including European Directories S.A., Gala Coral, Ineos, Mauser, Monier, TI Automotive and Zapf; noteholders of real estate securitisation vehicles, including Level One, Plantation Place and White Tower; and bondholders in nearly all of the restructurings of high-yield bonds in Norway, including Petromena and Skeie Drilling. Our prominence in this field has led Practical Law Company to award us a top-tier ranking for restructuring and insolvency in England for five consecutive years. Members of the practice have in-depth experience in insolvency procedures in the UK, other European Union countries and elsewhere in the world.
The financial restructuring practice in London is closely integrated with our restructuring and insolvency practice in the United States, Tokyo and Hong Kong, leading the International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers to name Bingham as Global Insolvency and Restructuring Law Firm of the Year in 2006 and 2007. Our financial restructuring partners are consistently ranked as leading individuals in key industry publications. To view our recent accolades, please click here.
London Finance Practice
Its experience of representing noteholders and institutional investors is unparalleled. — Chambers UK
Bingham’s finance lawyers are often at the centre of today’s most significant, innovative and complex transactions. We have extensive experience in London in co-ordinating multiparty financings involving commercial lending and banking, private placements, distressed lending, and mezzanine finance. With both English and US law capabilities, and experience in transactions in numerous jurisdictions, we help clients manage the intricacies of cross-border, multi-creditor and multi-currency transactions and cross-collateral arrangements.
Litigation Practice
These are effective litigators — they leave almost no stone unturned and represent excellent value for money. — Chambers UK
Our London litigation practice focuses on representing financial institutions — including banks, hedge funds and investment management companies — on high-value disputes. Our clients benefit from working hand-in-hand with senior lawyers who have extensive experience advancing clients’ interests, both before the English Courts and other tribunals. The team provides European and US-based clients with advice on all aspects of resolving disputes by litigation, arbitration and alternative dispute resolution, including commercial litigation before the English courts; providing assistance to regulatory and government agencies; asset tracing investigations arising out of fraud; international and domestic arbitration; mediation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution. Our litigation team also works alongside our market-leading financial services team in Financial Services Authority (FSA) investigations.
UK Financial Regulatory Practice
Praised for its ‘speed of response and down to earth approach.’ — The Legal 500
Bingham’s Financial Regulatory Practice provides both UK and US-based clients with advice on all aspects of the UK financial services regulatory framework. The London team is recognised as a market leader in FSA investigations and enforcement proceedings with a particular focus on retail markets. In addition, the team has an active advisory practice which advises on a wide spectrum of issues. The team has experience acting for both regulated institutions and regulators. The Financial Regulatory Practice expands the international resources of Bingham’s premier securities practices, which provide clients with a fully integrated set of legal services focused on securities law and regulation. Dedicated lawyers from the broker-dealer, investment management and financial institutions/securities litigation practice groups, combined with our Financial Regulatory Practice, provide counselling, regulatory compliance and defence services to broker-dealers, investment advisers, investment managers, investment banks, mutual funds, hedge funds and other private investment funds, accounting firms, insurance companies, public companies, officers and directors. Our practical experience, coupled with our transatlantic capability, differentiates us from other firms.
UK Funds
London is one of the headquarters of Bingham’s market-leading Investment Management Practice Group. Lawyers in our London office provide investment advisers, funds and other financial institutions with integrated advice on US, UK and European laws and regulations. Our UK practice offers a team of experienced US and UK investment management and funds lawyers backed by the vast resources of a global law firm fielding more than 1,000 lawyers. Our London lawyers have handled countless fund launches and provide up-to-the-minute advice on current market terms and best practices. Post-launch, they have the skills to help funds, fund managers and directors/operators of funds address the legal minefield of managing a successful fund in a world of unending new regulations and increasing litigation risk.
Corporate Practice
We represent approximately half of the London-listed closed-end funds of hedge funds by market capitalisation, including the world’s largest exchange-traded fund of hedge funds.
Bingham’s corporate and funds practice in London advises principally hedge funds, other financial investors and investment institutions (including banks and insurance companies) on merger arbitrage, special situation investments and innovative methods of listing financial vehicles on London’s stock exchanges. The focused nature of our corporate department has resulted in the development of a market-leading practice which focuses on advising hedge funds and other investment funds on the full range of transactional activities, including capital raising, investments and sales, merger arbitrage, activist shareholder, initial public offerings, debt issuance, public and private M&A and takeovers — both in the UK and internationally.
EU/UK Competition Practice
Our EU/UK competition law practice advises multinationals, corporates, hedge fund managers, investment banks and other financial institutions across Europe on the full range of competition law services, including mergers, acquisitions and joint ventures, technology transfer/IP licensing, cartels, investigations by government agencies and regulators, and state aid/restructuring. Our team advises clients before the European Commission and other EU institutions, the Office of Fair Trading, the Competition Commission, and the Competition Appeal Tribunal, as well as litigating before the European and UK courts. We provide strategic, regulatory advice across a wide number of industries, including financial services, energy, technology and environmental. Our UK practice expands our market-leading antitrust and trade regulation practice group in the United States to a broader base of EU clients. It also demonstrates Bingham’s commitment to advancing our competition and antitrust capabilities to the EU and to servicing our broader financial institutions client base.
Tax Practice
Praised by clients for ‘distilling complex issues into manageable opinions.’ — Chambers UK
The London tax practice advises clients on all aspects of direct and indirect UK taxation, with a focus on representing financial institutions in restructurings and reorganisations, mergers and acquisitions, capital market issuances, funds, securities, and derivatives. We also provide standalone tax consultancy services and represent clients on tax audits, enquiries and litigation. Much of our work has a significant international aspect, and we act closely with our colleagues in the US and leading local counsel in other jurisdictions to provide a fully integrated service on cross-border projects. Our practice reflects the focused nature of the firm and is shaped towards providing innovative and practical tax solutions in a commercial context and delivering the highest-quality tax advice and service to our clients.