Taylor Wessing announces 12 senior promotions for 2021, including six to partnership

Today we welcome six UK lawyers to the partnership, including one new partner based in its US offices. All promotions take effect from 1 May 2021.

The firm has promoted lawyers with a diverse range of specialisms to support its clients with complex cross-border transactions, litigation and regulatory advice. These promotions demonstrate the firm's continued investment in its key sectors including Technology, Life Sciences and Private Wealth, as well as recognition of the talent and expertise in in patents, contentious trusts and corporate M&A. 

Commenting on these latest promotions, Managing Partner Shane Gleghorn said: "We are delighted that each of these partner promotions will strengthen our business. They are also essential to supporting our clients and the growth of their businesses. They have all shown excellence in client service, underpinned by their extensive knowledge of the sectors and practice areas in which they work. Their commitment to finding creative solutions to support our clients and colleagues stood out this year."

The new partners are:

Caroline Tayler - Private Client 
Caroline advises on all manner of contentious trust and succession matters including the resolution of disputes and court applications in relation to the formation and administration of trusts, wills, tax planning and the administration of estates. She has extensive international experience advising in relation to complex multijurisdictional trust and estate disputes. Recent cases have included disputes in The Bahamas, Bermuda, BVI, France and Jersey. Caroline’s recent notable experience also includes domestic advice relating to validity claims, capacity and construction issues and claims under the Inheritance, Provision for Family and Dependants, Act 1975. Caroline also has experience in dealing with proceedings in the Court of Protection in relation to the appointment of a deputy and applications for a statutory will or codicil.

Siobhán Langwade - Corporate Technology & Life Sciences
Siobhán specialises in cross-border M&A in the technology and life sciences sector with a particular focus on transactions arising out of North America. Siobhán also advises companies on growth financings and corporate restructurings.

Fiona Coady - Banking & Finance 
Fiona has extensive experience advising both lenders and borrowers in a range of transactions including leveraged and acquisition finance, receivables and asset based lending, private placements, equity margin loans, venture debt, project and infrastructure finance, and structured finance. Fiona principally acts on cross-border transactions and has extensive restructuring experience. Most recently Fiona has also been particularly active advising on issues concerning the cessation of LIBOR.

Gabriel Estevez - Banking & Finance 
Gabriel specialises in private wealth, venture debt finance and real estate finance (investment and development). He also has extensive experience advising on sponsor/borrower-side leveraged acquisitions as well as receivables and asset backed finance transactions. Gabriel's broad range of expertise means he has experience in acting for ultra-high-net-worth clients and their family offices, start-ups, private equity houses, debt funds and alternative lenders in relation to a wide variety of banking and finance matters across multiple jurisdictions.

David Bates - Corporate Technology & Life Sciences
David co-heads our office in Silicon Valley and has over 20 years' experience in international mergers & acquisitions, venture capital investments, joint ventures, and other complex corporate & commercial transactions in the technology sector. David concentrates on advising US clients and assisting them with their M&A activity, investments and expansion plans into Europe. 

Michael Washbrook - Patents 
Mike is a partner in the Patents & Innovation group who specialises in Tech and Life sciences patent litigation. Mike has advised a wide range of clients from multinational companies to SMEs on patent matters across a variety of technologies including pharmaceuticals, medical devices and telecommunications. He has experience of advising clients in relation to cross-border litigation across Europe, and in European Patent Office proceedings. Mike also has a particular focus on the relationship between intellectual property rights and competition law.

The new senior counsels are: 

• Natasha Cooper, Corporate Real Estate & Private Capital
• Kate Silbermann, Private Client
• Jo Joyce, Commercial Technology and Data
• Michael Yates, IP and Media
• Stephen O'Grady, Disputes & Investigation
• Edward Spencer, Disputes & Investigation

Notes to editors

In the past 12 months we have expanded our teams in our core sectors of technology, life sciences and private wealth, with the hire and promotion of partners globally, and the addition of three new team hires: 

• In 2021, we established one of the largest private wealth teams in Europe.
• In 2021, we also expanded our real estate sector group with the hire of a team from Greenberg Traurig and Andrew McClean from Stephenson Harwood, following the hire of real estate star Matthew Swainston.
• In 2021, we expanded our corporate offering with the hire of a new team of partners from Stephenson Harwood, including Andrew Edge, Karima Hudson and Chris Cowley.
• Murray North joined the firm in May 2020 as a partner in the Private Client team.
• Alison Dennis joined the firm in May 2020 as International Co-Head of our Life Sciences and Healthcare team.
• Ross McNaughton joined the firm in July 2020 as partner in our corporate technology team.
• Ian Moore joined the firm in October 2020 as a partner in its corporate technology and private equity teams.
• In May 2020, the firm appointed five new partners to the UK partnership.

Our new partner cohort have also been involved in a number of major deals:

Caroline Tayler - Private Client 
Dawson-Damer v Taylor Wessing: Relief for trustees as English Court preserves privilege

Siobhan Langwade - Corporate Technology
Advising on Africa's largest ever seed round for challenger bank Kuda
Advising UK fintech Curve on $95M funding round ahead of US launch

Fiona Coady - Banking and Finance 
Advising on complex public M&A transaction for Boku Inc.
Lead adviser on sale of British Steel

Gabriel Estevez - Banking and Finance 
Advising Accor on investment into AGO Hotels
Advising McLaren Property on £175 million deal

David Bates - Corporate Technology
Taylor Wessing advises DigiCert on QuoVadis acquisition

ABOUT TAYLOR WESSING

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