Shearman & Sterling LLP

Senior Partner: David Beveridge
Global Managing Partners: George Casey, Adam Hakki
Number of partners: 216
Number of lawyers: 896

FIRM OVERVIEW:
As one of the first law firms to establish a presence in key global markets, Shearman & Sterling has led the way in serving clients wherever they do business for more than 145 years. From major financial centers to emerging markets, the firm has the global presence and diverse perspectives needed to partner with its clients to provide solutions to their most complex worldwide business needs.

MAIN AREAS OF PRACTICE:
Antitrust:
Shearman & Sterling has market-leading experience dealing with all aspects of U.S. and EU antitrust law and represents clients on some of the world’s most challenging, multi-jurisdictional antitrust cases. These include complex mergers and acquisitions in the United States, Europe and other jurisdictions; unilateral conduct; antitrust/IP interface; cartel investigations; antitrust compliance and counseling; State aid and privatizations; market investigations; and litigation, including in antitrust class action lawsuits and jury trials. The firm’s mandates include cases that broke new ground and have become legal precedents.

Capital Markets:
Shearman & Sterling advises on public and private securities offerings, including global offerings, initial public offerings, follow-on equity offerings, convertible and other equity-linked offerings, spinoffs and split-offs, liability management, acquisition finance and leveraged buyouts, investment-grade debt offerings, high yield debt offerings and securitizations. The firm also advises on securities law and corporate governance issues, including periodic disclosure for domestic and international companies of all sizes, corporate governance advice to boards of directors and their committees, compliance by non-US multinationals subject to US regulatory standards, and advice to trustees and corporate trust intermediaries.

Compensation, Governance & ERISA:
As regulatory and shareholder scrutiny intensifies, public and private companies, corporate boards and committees regularly turn to Shearman & Sterling’s Compensation, Governance & ERISA lawyers to help them successfully manage market demands and carefully navigate complex and sometimes conflicting regulations and stakeholder interests. The firm provides practical, insightful and strategic guidance to help clients stay ahead of the curve across all industry segments.

Derivatives & Structured Products:
Shearman & Sterling’s Derivatives & Structured Products practice is widely recognized for representing the full spectrum of market participants across the complete range of derivatives products and asset classes. The firm is distinguished by the breadth of its client base, the depth of its product experience and its true cross‐border capabilities. With significant high-end capabilities in both the United States and the United Kingdom, the firm advises clients on the full range of structural, legal and documentation considerations that arise in derivatives and structured product transactions across all major asset classes, including credit, equity, fixed-income, currency and commodity-linked instruments.

Emerging Growth:
From the back-of-the-envelope to the opening bell, Shearman & Sterling provides strategic advice for each stage of growth. In order for a promising idea to grow into a successful company, entrepreneurs need insightful, business-minded counsel that can keep up with the pace of innovation. The firm provides tailored, cutting-edge solutions to emerging growth challenges, working with clients as their needs change over time across Capital Markets, Mergers & Acquisitions, Intellectual Property, Litigation, Compensation, Governance & ERISA and other complex areas.

Finance:
Shearman & Sterling’s global Finance practice helps companies and lenders successfully navigate all aspects of the bank financing process and obtain the best possible outcomes. The firm routinely handles cross-border financings and provides comprehensive advice to clients who need both bank and bond financings by creating tailored solutions to address particular financing needs, whether asset-based, leveraged or investment-grade. The firm’s Finance lawyers work closely with their colleagues in Capital Markets, particularly those focused on the high yield market, and have a long tradition of using a variety of securitization structures.

Financial Institutions Advisory & Financial Regulatory:
Shearman & Sterling’s market-leading financial regulatory practice serves clients' businesses in the US, UK, EU, the Middle East, Asia and globally. This focus on regulatory activity across geographies and the excellence of the firm’s US, UK and European practices in particular make Shearman & Sterling the international counsel of choice for clients with difficult regulatory challenges in their home jurisdictions that are also seeking to meet global best practices. Backed by clear technical advice and strong relationships with regulators, the firm advises clients on the laws and regulations of the world’s key financial and commercial centers.

Financial Restructuring & Insolvency:
Shearman & Sterling’s Financial Restructuring & Insolvency practice represents a wide range of companies on the full spectrum of restructuring matters around the world. The firm’s clients include financial institutions, hedge funds, corporate debtors in various industries, ad hoc committees and buyers and sellers of distressed assets. The firm advises on both cross-border and local financial restructuring matters, including developing effective bankruptcy and reorganization strategies to successfully address the many legal challenges facing organizations today.

Intellectual Property Transactions:
As the most valuable corporate assets become increasingly intangible, it is essential to identify and solve intellectual property-related issues arising in complex corporate transactions. Clients look to Shearman & Sterling’s Intellectual Property Transactions practice for guidance on intellectual property issues arising in all types of corporate and financial transactions including acquisitions and divestitures of IP and technology assets; joint ventures and joint development arrangements; licensing and technology transactions; research and development agreements; securitization of intellectual property in debt transactions; technology services agreements; IP portfolio development counseling; IP due diligence; and Internet and new media issues.

International Arbitration:
Shearman & Sterling’s International Arbitration team provides advice and advocacy to companies, States and State entities in investment treaty and commercial arbitrations conducted in accordance with all major international arbitration rules. Widely regarded as one of the very best on the market, the team, led by Emmanuel Gaillard, includes more than 100 lawyers fully dedicated to international arbitration. The firm works with clients, ahead of and throughout the dispute, to devise and implement a strategy that meets their objectives and leads to the optimal resolution of their thorniest legal problems.

Investment Funds:
Shearman & Sterling’s full-service Investment Funds team is led by lawyers based in New York, London, Hong Kong, Beijing and Tokyo, with support from the firm’s global network of offices. By combining multidisciplinary knowledge with a globally integrated approach, the firm provides a comprehensive range of investment funds services to clients on a worldwide basis. The team has extensive experience assisting fund sponsors and investors across the Americas, Asia, Europe and Africa in finding innovative solutions to the challenges they face. They are also skilled at reconciling complex regulatory and tax regimes with the competing requirements of fund sponsors, their investment strategies and their target investors.

Litigation:
Shearman & Sterling's Litigation practice is strongly positioned to counsel and protect clients in today's challenging environment. With more than 130 attorneys in the United States, Europe and Asia, the team is ready to assist in any crisis, whether the adversary is a government regulator, a competitor or a well-funded class action attorney. The team has experience in a wide range of substantive areas including securities, criminal law enforcement, antitrust, commercial disputes, intellectual property and arbitration. Partners include several former prosecutors who have tried dozens of jury trials in United States courts. The team has regularly represented parties in major trials in state and federal courts, and are equally strong in arbitration.

Mergers & Acquisitions:
Mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures and strategic investments are fundamental tools of corporations, financial institutions and private equity investors. With M&A lawyers on the ground across the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, Shearman & Sterling advises both principals and their financial advisors on the full spectrum of domestic and cross-border public and private M&A deals, whether negotiated or unsolicited. Clients rely on the team to guide them through transactions that will ultimately transform their organizations. Corporations and financial sponsors trust that they understand their business needs and will offer pragmatic and solutions-oriented advice, negotiate aggressively on their behalf and provide focused execution throughout each deal.

Privacy & Data:
Protection From startups to multinational companies, business executives, privacy officers and board of directors across every industry sector are looking for knowledgeable and experienced advisors for their mission-critical initiatives and compliance issues. Whether advising clients in financial services, healthcare, telecommunications, cloud computing, online retailing, internet advertising or manufacturing, Shearman & Sterling’s global Privacy & Data Protection team is well-known for its actionable intelligence and data-driven solutions. The firm’s cross-disciplinary and responsive team takes a practical approach and provides global compliance strategies and solutions for international data transfers, product counseling for new and enhanced product launches, and assistance with data security breaches.

Private Client:
Individuals, family offices, privately owned companies and charitable organizations, both in the United States and across the globe, turn to Shearman & Sterling for the firm’s extensive experience in issues affecting private clients. Drawing on a multidisciplinary team of lawyers dedicated to serving the unique needs of family offices and family businesses, the firm also represents clients in corporate, regulatory, real estate, tax and litigation matters.

Project Development & Finance:
Project financings are increasingly complex in today’s ever-changing and dynamic environment. A range of geopolitical, commercial and legal challenges must be considered, along with clients’ business objectives and policy priorities (such as environmental and social standards). This sometimes-difficult balancing act requires a law firm with the knowledge and experience to manage these varied interests. With this in mind, Shearman & Sterling takes a client-centered approach, providing directly relevant advice that is both commercial and industry-focused. Lawyers within the Project Development & Finance practice are skilled in a wide range of sectors, including oil and gas, mining and metals, transportation, thermal, nuclear and renewable power, and power infrastructure.

Public International Law:
Public International Law is increasingly becoming a significant feature in international commerce. Issues that traditionally arose in the context of State-to-State relations are now raised in the context of international commercial and investment disputes. They may concern, for example, natural resource development, infrastructure programs or project financing. Shearman & Sterling’s Public International Law practice includes both advisory and advocacy work on all aspects of public international law and advises States, international organizations and multinational companies.

Real Estate:
Shearman & Sterling’s Real Estate practice assists clients in achieving their strategic goals around the world, partnering with private and institutional investors, developers, owners, lenders and underwriters in real estate joint ventures, financings, development projects, leasing, and acquisitions and dispositions. The team has deep experience in regional, national and international markets and through decades of market cycles. Clients include buyers, sellers, investors, institutional and non-institutional lenders, developers, sponsors, public and private funds, sovereign wealth funds, public agencies, family offices, tenants-in-common, general and limited partners, and preferred and subordinated equity investors.

Tax:
Ranked among the leading advisors in domestic and international tax, Shearman & Sterling’s Tax practice plays an integral role in the firm’s corporate and cross-border practice and provides tax capability in France, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States. Clients regularly entrust the firm with their most complex and strategic tax matters, resulting in the firm’s involvement in groundbreaking transactions throughout the world. The team also advises clients with respect to a full range of tax controversies and disputes.

OFFICES:
Belgium
Brussels
Avenue des Arts 56
Brussels
1000 Belgium
Tel: +32 2 500 9800

Brazil
São Paulo
Avenida Brigadeiro Faria Lima, 3400
São Paulo - SP
04538-132 Brazil
Tel: +55 11 3702 2200

Canada
Toronto
Commerce Court West
Suite 4405
PO Box 247
Toronto
Ontario
M5L 1E8
Canada
Tel:+1 416 360 8484

China
Beijing
Unit 3209
China Central Place Tower 2
79 Jianguo Road, Chaoyang District
Beijing 100025
China
Tel: +86 10 5922 8000

Hong Kong
12/F, Gloucester Tower
The Landmark
15 Queen's Road
Central
Hong Kong
Tel: +852 2978 8000

Shanghai
Jing’An Kerry Center I
2501 - 2502
1515 Nanjing Road West
Shanghai
200040
China
Tel: +86 21 6136 5000

France
Paris
7 rue Jacques Bingen
Paris
75017
France
Tel: +33 1 53 89 70 00

Germany
Frankfurt
Bockenheimer Landstrasse 2-4
Frankfurt am Main
60306
Germany
Tel:+49 69 9711 1000

Italy
Milan
Corso Venezia 16
Milano
20121
Italy
Tel:+39 02 0064 1500

Rome
Via Borgognona 47
Roma
00187
Italy
Tel:+39 06 697 679 1

Japan
Tokyo
Fukoku Seimei Building, 5th Floor
2-2-2 Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda-ku
Tokyo 100-0011
Japan
Tel: +81 3 5251 1601

Saudi Arabia
Riyadh
Office Unit 10, Floor 3,
Bldg. WH01-04, Al Raidah, Digital City, Al-Nakheel
PO Box 90217, Riyadh
11613 Riyadh
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Tel:+966 11 213 7800

Singapore
6 Battery Road #25-03
Singapore
049909
Singapore
Tel: +65 6230 3800

United Arab Emirates
Abu Dhabi
Etihad Towers
21st Floor, Office Tower 3
Corniche Road
PO Box 2948
Abu Dhabi
United Arab Emirates
Tel:+971 2 410 8100

Dubai
Dubai International Financial Centre
Gate Village 4, Level 2
Office 208
PO Box 506771
Dubai United Arab Emirates
Tel: +971 2 410 8187

United Kingdom
London
9 Appold Street
London EC2A 2AP
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 20 7655 5000

United States
Austin
111 Congress Avenue
Suite 1700
Austin, Texas 78701
United States
Tel: +1 512 647 1900

Houston
1100 Louisiana Street
Suite 3300
Houston, Texas 77002
United States
Tel: +1 713 354 4900

Menlo Park
1460 El Camino Real
2nd Floor
Menlo Park, California 94025-4110
United States
Tel: +1 650 838 3600

New York
599 Lexington Avenue
New York, New York 10022-6069
United States
Tel:+1 212 848 4000

San Francisco
535 Mission Street
25th Floor San Francisco,
California 94105-2997
United States
Tel: +1 415 616 1100

Washington, D.C.
401 9th Street, NW
Suite 800
Washington, D.C. 20004-2128
United States
Tel: +1 202 508 8000

South Korea
Seoul
15/F, Gwanghwamun Kyobo Building
1, Jong-ro, Jongno-gu
Seoul 03154
Tel: +82 2 2010 8972