London
O'Melveny's London office represents a diverse group of prominent private equity houses, financial institutions and corporate clients. Our lawyers specialise in private equity, including investment funds, M&A and corporate finance, entertainment and media, and dispute resolution. The London office works closely with the Firm’s international network to provide a seamless global service.
In August 2012, our investment funds team advised Coller Capital on the approximately £1.03 billion acquisition by a fund financed by Coller International Partners VI (CIP VI) of a portfolio of private equity-related investments, as well as the transfer of £220 million of undrawn commitments, from Lloyds Banking Group plc. This transaction is believed to be the largest unsyndicated secondaries deal ever completed. In July 2012, O'Melveny advised Coller on its successful US$5.5 billion fund-raising for CIP VI, which was the second largest secondaries fundraising ever.
Additional representations of our private equity, M&A and corporate finance teams include representing RIT Capital Partners plc in the establishment of a joint venture fund management company operating in China; representing the Government of Singapore as one of the largest cornerstone investors in the IPO of Glencore; and advising Development Partners International in the acquisition of its interest in companies in North Africa operating in the natural resources industry.
O’Melveny has a global entertainment and media practice offering a sophisticated range of knowledge and experience. At the practice's core is the representation of clients in transactions involving the production, financing, and distribution of motion pictures and television programming aimed at audiences around the world. In London, our team focuses on commercial work for filmmakers and television content providers, including distribution arrangements and the purchase and sale, formation and funding of entertainment companies.
O’Melveny’s Dispute Resolution practice has conducted numerous ad hoc and institutional arbitrations in a variety of European seats, as well as represented clients in the English High Court. Our lawyers have extensive experience dealing with cases covering a wide range of industries, with particular expertise in the financial services, oil and gas and energy sectors. Our team regularly acts on substantial, multi-million pound cases, and our clients are often prestigious and well-known corporations.
Key Facts
- O’Melveny was named “Private Equity Team of the Year” at the Legal Business Awards 2013 (February 2013).
- Chambers UK 2013 recognises five of the Firm's London partners for excellence in their respective practice areas and has commented on our London team’s mandates from a range of European clients and our “superb international network” allowing our lawyers to draw on global resources.
- Global Arbitration Review, a prestigious arbitration publication, ranks O’Melveny as one of the world’s leading arbitration practices in its survey of the top specialist arbitration firms (2008-2013).
- Investment Funds partner Solomon Wifa was named to The Lawyer's "Hot 100" list (January 2013).
- Our representation of Coller Capital in its acquisition of Lloyds Banking Group's portfolio of £1.05bn private equity assets was recognized as one of The Lawyer’s “Top Ten Biggest Deals of Summer 2012” (August 2012).
- Tax partner Jan Birtwell received the International Law Office’s "Client Choice Award 2012" in the UK Corporate Tax category (February 2012).
- Entertainment partner Libby Savill was named to The Lawyer’s “Hot 100” list (January 2011), was The Times’ “Lawyer of the Week” (January 2012), and was named an "International Impact Player" by Variety (October 2012).
- The office received top scores in several categories from the Black Solicitors Network’s "7th Annual Diversity League Table," including ranking 1st overall for international firms and 1st overall for percentage of Ethnic Minority Partners (November 2012).
- Private Equity International has named us one of the top three fund formation practices in Europe.
- We represented a syndicate including Coller Capital, HarbourVest, and DFJ Esprit LLP, in the acquisition of a venture capital portfolio owned by 3i Group Plc in the Venture Capital Deal of the Year (Private Equity International).
- We represented Coller Capital in its cornerstone commitment in SVG Capital PLC's £210m emergency rights issue and placing in the Private Equity Deal of the Year (Private Equity International).
- O'Melveny lawyers in London are committed to the Firm’s international pro bono drive advising domestic and international charities and not-for-profit organisations. Many of our lawyers are engaged actively in community projects including mentoring and taking board/committee positions at charities and community establishments.
Related Services
*The London office of O'Melveny & Myers LLP is a limited liability partnership registered in England (registered number OC307988) and is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA number 407228). A list of members' names and their professional qualifications and jurisdiction of qualification may be inspected at our registered office, Warwick Court, 5 Paternoster Square, London EC4M 7DX. Please refer to
www.omm.com/uknotice for important information on our regulatory position. The SRA Code of Conduct can be found at
www.sra.org.uk/solicitors/handbook/code/content.page. We operate in combination with our associated California, USA, limited liability partnership, O'Melveny & Myers LLP in the following offices: Beijing, Brussels, Century City, Hong Kong, Jakarta*, Los Angeles, Newport Beach, New York, San Francisco, Shanghai, Silicon Valley, Singapore, Tokyo and Washington, D.C.
* in Association with Tumbuan & Partners.