Allen & Overy LLP’s cross-border and cross-departmental Brexit client advisory team advises on the development and implementation of Brexit strategies including corporate reorganisations and expansive contingency plans. The group is noted for its financial services sector expertise and regularly assists with issues arising from the impact of Brexit on operating models and licence applications. Recent highlights include advising Nomura on the Brexit contingency plan for its wholesale global markets and investment banking business, including providing regulatory advice on alternative financial centres in the European Economic Area (EEA), building out its French credit institution, and establishing and licensing a new investment firm entity in Germany. It also assisted the Commonwealth Bank of Australia with its contingency planning and post-Brexit structuring and operations in Europe. Capital markers expert Daniel Shurman leads the team, which also fields regulatory specialists Damian Carolan and Kate Sumpter, insurance partner Philip Jarvis, corporate expert Matthew Townsend and Bob Penn, who rejoined the firm from Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton.

Clifford Chance LLP’s practice leverages the firm’s public policy, trade and electoral law strength to handle the full breadth of Brexit-related issues. Group leader Phillip Souta also heads up the firm’s UK public policy offering, which also benefits from the expertise of Simon Gleeson and Brussels-based Thomas Vinje. Other key individuals include Christopher Bates, who leads the financial regulatory practice and regularly assists banks, securities firms and financial institutions with Brexit issues; tax partner Dan Neidle, who has a noted focus on EU law; and Owen Lysak, who handles financial market regulatory work. The practice counts corporates, industry associations, lenders, funds, investors, insurers and government bodies as clients, which it advises on a national and international basis. Leveraging the firm’s German offices, the group is assisting a German manufacturer with identifying the implications of the withdrawal agreement and a transition period in comparison to a hard Brexit; the team has also advised HM Treasury on a range of issues relating to the UK’s exit negotiations with the EU and acted for various financial services clients on the proposed EU digital services tax and the equivalent UK proposals. The practice is also noted for its aviation sector experience; Melissa Fogarty and public law partner Jessica Gladstone advised easyJet on the impact of Brexit on the regulations and restriction around airline ownership and pilot licences, while Gladstone and André Duminy assisted Airbus with its no-deal Brexit contingency planning.

Herbert Smith Freehills LLP handles the full breadth of Brexit issues with particular expertise in trade work, benefitting from the firm’s highly regarded EU and international trade law practice, which specialises in EU trade, WTO and Free Trade Agreement (FTA) matters. Lode Van Den Hende, who splits his time between London and Brussels, is a noteworthy name in the trade department, which also includes consultant Eric White. Other departments that contribute to the firm’s Brexit group include the public international law team, energy practice, financial services regulatory teams and TMT practice. Andrew Cannon is a key contact for public law work, consultant Dorothy Livingston combines her experience in the financial sector with EU law knowledge to handle Brexit-related work, senior partner James Palmer specialises in regulatory issues, and Silke Goldberg focuses on European energy law and advises on the impact of Brexit on the energy sector. As Brexit director for the firm, Paul Butcher leads the group and co-ordinates the firm’s cross-practice and cross-office approach. Demonstrating the firm’s traditional financial services strength, the group recently assisted Scottish Widows with the transfer of the portion of its insurance business sold in the European Economic Area (EEA) on an EEA passporting basis to a Luxembourg-based subsidiary; the group also advised several WTO members on the impact of Brexit on international trade relations and a new trade agreement between the UK and WTO members regarding the country’s independent trade policy.

Linklaters LLP fields a global team of experts, led by global competition chair  Christopher Bellamy QC and corporate partner  Lucy Fergusson  to advise clients on the full range of Brexit-related risks and strategies. The cross-practice group is particularly active with financial services clients, handling a variety of issues including contingency planning and cross-border reorganisations .Other  key names in this group include global head of finance and projects Michael Kent, Peter Bevan, who leads the financial regulation group, and global co-head of fintech Harry Eddis. Deepak Sitlani and Mark Brown are the primary contacts for capitals markets-related issues, Nicole Kar heads up the UK competition group, and Charlotte Morgan leads the global energy and infrastructure practice.

Norton Rose Fulbright fields a dedicated multi-disciplinary Brexit team, which draws from the firm’s expertise acting for financial institutions, insurance companies, transport clients and energy sector companies, assisting with the full range of Brexit work including technology mandates, tax issues, employment and immigration matters and trade treaties. Structured and asset finance specialist Emma Giddings leads the firm’s approach to Brexit and also contributes to the firm’s aviation expertise. The team recently advised Delta Air Lines on the Brexit-related aspects of its joint venture with Virgin Atlantic Airways and Air France-KLM, and advised easyJet on its Brexit restructuring project. Financial services global head Jonathan Herbst and corporate partner Glenn Hall, who also leads the firm’s government relations and public policy practice, are also highly regarded. Other key practitioners include financial services regulatory partner Hannah Meakin, corporate finance experts Bob Haken and Maria Ross, and competition specialist Ian Giles. Mark Simpson also heads up the firm’s recently established WTO and international trade practice and Harry Theochari is global head of the transport group.

Under the leadership of Clare Francis, Pinsent Masons LLP's national cross-departmental Brexit advisory team leverages the firm’s government affairs and public policy strength, a key area of expertise for Andrew Henderson, to assist  corporates, governmental departments and industry bodies with Brexit-related legislative issues and the practical application of Brexit strategies. Francis is also the key contact for the firm’s Brexit contracting solution offering, which advises clients on the Brexit risk in their current contracts and the wider risk this poses to the supply chain. In the firm’s Edinburgh office, Euan Smith handles corporate immigration work, while Birmingham-based Cerys Wyn Davies leads the IP and information law Brexit work. Iain Connor is noted for his IP expertise with a particular focus on the soft IP issues faced by clients in the IT, pharmaceuticals and retail sectors, Liz Budd handles financial regulation and investment funds work, and Alan Davis leads the competition, EU and trade group. In a recent highlight, Hammad Akhtar advised Royal London on its Brexit strategy and implementation including a cross-border reorganisation. Former team head Guy Lougher retired.

Spanning multiple practice areas, Slaughter and May's Brexit taskforce draws heavily from the firm’s financial services practice and also benefits from strong corporate and dispute resolution teams, as well as experience acting for government clients and public sector bodies. On the financial services side, the group counts UK and EU-headquartered banks and insurers, asset managers and private equity firms as clients, which it advises on corporate restructurings and business transfers. It recently advised Standard Life Assurance and Prudential Assurance Company on their separate corporate restructurings including establishing EU entities and branches and transferring the EU business from the UK to the new EU bases. Jeff Twentyman and Jan Putnis jointly lead the team; Twentyman also leads the firm’s private equity group and Putnis heads up the financial regulation practice. Other noteworthy practitioners include corporate partner Richard De Carle, insurance specialist Craig Cleaver, data protection expert Rebecca Cousin, Ian Johnson, who heads up the restructuring and insurance practice, and Sara Luder, who leads the tax group.

At Ashurst, Helen Burton, Rob Aird and James Perry jointly lead the Brexit task force and specialise in finance, corporate and financial services work respectively. The firm takes a multi-disciplinary approach to Brexit and utilises its global network to assist clients in the UK and beyond. The group has been particularly active in the asset management, energy and transport sectors and acts for corporates, governments, trade bodies and industry associations on the full spectrum of Brexit advice, including contingency planning work, reorganisations and advisory work. Recent matters include advising an international inter-dealer broker on the restructuring of its group and trading models, assisting a financial institution with its cross-border restructuring and providing a retail bank with Brexit contingency planning assistance. Jake Green is noted for his regulatory expertise, James Coiley stands out for his structured finance and derivatives knowledge, and Matthew Saunders focuses on public international law and treaty construction issues. Newly promoted partner Tim Cant is also singled out for his market structure work.

For Baker McKenzie, its Brexit expertise is particularly prevalent in the work of its international trade and WTO practice, which has extensive knowledge of export controls, sanctions, customs, WTO law, trade remedies and other EU trade law. Ross Denton leads the trade group, which also includes Jennifer Revis, who heads up the customs and excise team. The cross-departmental group also benefits from the firm’s substantial global network and the strength of the firm’s tax, regulatory, immigration, financial services, commercial contracts, IP, data protection and competition teams. Kate Alexander focuses on UK and international tax mandates, Emily Carlisle is the key contact for structuring, implementing and managing cross-border reorganisations, Graham Stuart handles product regulation issues, while senior associate Tony Haque leads the firm’s global immigration and mobility department.

Bindmans LLP is the main name in the market for Brexit-related litigation and judicial reviews, as well as assisting businesses, trade unions and NGOs with immigration issues. John Halford and Liz Barratt jointly lead the group and specialise in public law and immigration respectively. Amy Rowe is recommended for her international children work and Alison Stanley focuses on immigration matters. Halford acted for Chris Leslie MP and Tom Brake MP as intervener MPs in a challenge before the European Court of Justice relating to the circumstances in which any notice given under Article 50 can be revoked, and is advising the Fair Vote campaign group on efforts to establish a public inquiry into the EU referendum campaign. He has also worked with Tamsin Allen assisting People’s Vote with withdrawal agreement issues, and has partnered with  Barratt to advise Here for Good on EU and discrimination law issues affecting European nationals planning to live in the UK post-Brexit. Associate Ashley Fleming is also active in complex nationality issues and newly promoted partner Olivia Piercy focuses on family law mandates.

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP’s Brexit taskforce is led by Chris Bryant, who is a competition and international trade expert, and leads the firm’s advice to clients on what a potential free trade agreement or reliance on WTO rules would mean for their businesses. Alongside its trade strength, the firm has been notably active providing no-deal Brexit advice and has assisted several clients with reorganisations and business transfers. It recently led advice to Reliance and QBE on a Part VII transfer of the business written through the Italian and Spanish branches of QBE. Polly James is the key contact for financial services regulatory issues including passporting rights work and contingency plans for banks, insurers and other financial services clients. Matthew Baker focuses on the investment management sector, Geraldine Quirk handles insurance work and James Marshall is the key antitrust and competition name with particular expertise in the energy, aviation, water and transports sectors.

Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP’s Brexit group is jointly led by Ros Kellaway and Annabel Borg, who are members of the firm’s competition, EU and trade group. The team has particular expertise assisting with the Brexit elements of EU law, trade mandates and environment work and also has a designated parliamentary advisory service. The firm’s European network, which includes its Brussels office, enhances its EU law expertise, which includes advising multinational and UK clients on their goods and services in EU jurisdictions and the potential regulatory fallout of Brexit. On the trade side, the group is experienced in WTO rules, customs issues, contractual agreements, tariff changes, quotas and other trade barriers. James Lindop heads the international trade practice and has assisted clients with customs and WTO issues. Other key individuals include Manchester-based Tom Bridgford, who leads the international outsourcing group; and state aid and public procurement specialist Totis Kotsonis. Andrew Henderson is a partner in the financial institutions group. He recently advised multiple asset managers on their arrangements for providing services in the EU after Brexit.

RPC’s cross-departmental group has been notably active in the insurance and financial services sectors. It recently advised RSA Insurance on the Brexit-related restructuring of its European business and assisted The Equitable Life Assurance Society with the transfer of its Irish and German life insurance business  into a newly incorporated Irish subsidiary. Practices that contribute regularly to the firm’s Brexit coverage include the commercial, IP, data privacy, employment, regulatory, tax and corporate teams, and the firm also leverages its position as part of the TerraLex network to enhance its multijurisdictional offering. IP and technology partner Ciara Cullen leads the group, which also fields insurance and non-contentious regulatory expert Matthew Griffith and corporate specialist Neil Brown.

The Brexit taskforce at Dechert LLP focuses on fund and financial services work, leveraging the firm’s European and global network to handle issues for UK-based and international clients. Other departments which contribute to the firm’s Brexit expertise include the international trade and government regulation practice, and the corporate, tax, IP, data protection and labour and employment teams. Competition specialist Alec Burnside, who divides his time between London and Brussels, leads the group, which also fields global co-chair of the financial services department Gus Black, private equity and corporate expert Christopher Field, tax specialist Mark Stapleton and Paul Kavanagh, who focuses on the IP issues arising as a consequence of Brexit. Senior director Richard Tauwhare is also recommended. The team saw some senior exits from its trade group with  Miriam Gonzalez now at Cohen & Gresser LLP, Andrew Hood joining Fieldfisher and Roger Matthews moving to Dentons.

Fieldfisher’s Brexit taskforce is headed up by Andrew Hood, who specialises in EU, trade, regulatory and public international work and recently joined the firm from Dechert LLP. The group acts for industry bodies, government and public organisations, and companies across a variety of sectors, with particular expertise in the financial services, life sciences and technology industries. The group has also been notably active handling full Brexit strategies and regulatory advisory work for clients. It recently advised PRA Health Services on the impact of Brexit on its operations in the UK and the EU, particularly the life sciences regulatory regimes, and also assisted Sport England with preparing for the regulatory impact Brexit will have on the programmes it supports and funds. John Cassels is a key contact for regulatory issues and competition work, Azad Ali focuses on financial services regulatory issues, and Alison Dennis handles IP, commercial and regulatory work in the pharmaceuticals, biotech and medical device industries.

Kingsley Napley LLP’s immigration practice is at the forefront of EU law and Brexit work, and regularly assists companies looking to help UK-based EU staff and other individuals on residency issues arising from Brexit. Nicolas Rollason heads up the immigration team, and also jointly heads the Brexit group with employment partner Richard Fox and family lawyer Jane Keir. Fox regularly acts for corporates, professional partnerships, organisations and senior individuals on a variety of employment matters, with notable expertise in the banking, financial services, media and sport sectors.  Keir is a key contact for wealth protection work and matrimonial issues. Charlotte Bradley is also singled out for her experience in European family cases. The firm’s public law group contributes to the Brexit coverage, and the team is also able to support French speaking clients.

With substantial expertise in the financial services sector, Shearman & Sterling LLP counts UK, EU and global banks, investment banks, brokers, insurers, trading venues and fund managers as clients, which it advises on cross-border issues and transactional work, regulatory mandates and the impact of domestic and European legislative changes. The team also leverages the firm’s transatlantic strength to assist with regulatory issues, and draws on the firm’s trade, IP, data and funds practices. Brexit group head Barnabas (Barney) Reynolds also leads the global financial institutions advisory and financial regulatory group and is a high-profile name in Brexit commentary. Other key individuals include Thomas Donegan, who handles financial regulatory and compliance issues; and John Adams, who leads the UK investment funds group. Recent highlights include assisting a UK headquartered bank with its Brexit analysis and strategy, and advising several multinational insurance companies on their Brexit contingency plans.

Travers Smith LLP’s Brexit working group is led by senior partner Chris Hale and takes a cross-departmental approach to assisting clients, involving lawyers from the employment, financial products, environment, trade and commercial departments. The group has particular expertise in the financial services sector, with notable clients including Euroclear and Bain Capital; assisting the latter with its business immigration issues and the implications of Brexit for its EU national staff based in the UK. Ben Chivers focuses on commercial and trade issues and also leads the leisure and hospitality group, Mark Evans heads up the financial products and payments practice, Doug Bryden is the key contact for EU regulatory advice, and Ed Mills leads the employment group and also handles immigration mandates.