5 January 2012
Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP today announced the launch of an English law practice in its London office with the arrival of Simon Witty, one of London’s premier lawyers. The addition of English law capabilities to the firm’s long-established U.S. law practice in London is a strategically important step. It enhances Davis Polk’s ability to serve its clients across the leading international legal systems in the world’s critical financial centers and also strengthens its core strategic focus on the needs of financial institution clients. Davis Polk had previously moved to offer clients Hong Kong and English legal advice in Hong Kong and São Paulo.
Mr. Witty is widely considered one of the leading lawyers in the U.K. He is joining Davis Polk from the London office of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, where he was a partner for 15 years. He has been ranked in the top tier of equity capital markets lawyers in Chambers U.K. each of the last three years.
“We have seen Simon’s work first-hand in handling some of the most complex equity transactions in Europe. He is ideally suited to help us launch our English law practice in London and to develop our existing English law capabilities in China and Brazil,” said Thomas J. Reid, Davis Polk’s managing partner. “With the launch of an English law practice in London, we can strengthen our leadership in global securities offerings that we already handle in Europe, Asia and Latin America, and we can expand the services we offer in the U.K. We expect to make additional senior strategic hires in our London office like Simon who fit well in our collaborative culture and practice in our core areas.”
Simon Witty said: “I’ve greatly enjoyed my time at Freshfields, but the opportunity to continue my practice at Davis Polk provides a new and exciting challenge. I will be privileged to have been a partner at two such fine law firms.”
About Davis Polk’s London office. Davis Polk’s London office, which opened in 1973, is the headquarters of the firm’s Europe practice. The London lawyers represent companies and financial institutions on a wide range of corporate transactions throughout Europe and further afield in Asia, Latin American and Africa. The firm’s London-based capital markets lawyers advise major issuers and underwriters throughout Europe on global offerings of equity and debt securities, and also develop innovative securities that allow European financial institutions to meet regulatory capital requirements efficiently. The firm’s London office has also been involved in some of the largest European M&A transactions in recent years.
About Davis Polk. Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP is a global law firm. For over 160 years, its lawyers have advised industry-leading companies and global financial institutions on their most challenging legal and business matters. Davis Polk ranks among the world’s preeminent law firms across the entire range of its practice, which spans such areas as capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, credit, litigation, private equity, tax, financial regulation, investment management, insolvency and restructuring, executive compensation, intellectual property, real estate and trusts and estates. Davis Polk (including its associated entities) has more than 750 lawyers in offices in New York, Menlo Park, CA, Washington DC, São Paulo, London, Paris, Madrid, Hong Kong, Beijing and Tokyo. For more information: http://www.davispolk.com.
