Macfarlanes

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Macfarlanes LLP
Macfarlanes logo black.jpg
HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
No. of officesTwo (London and Brussels)[1]
No. of lawyersApproximately 305[2]
No. of employeesApproximately 505[2]
Major practice areasGeneral practice
Key peopleJulian Howard[3]
(Managing Partner)
Sebastian Prichard Jones[3]
(Senior Partner)
Revenue£237.7 million (2019/20)[4]
Profit per equity partner£1.91 million (2019/20)[4]
Date founded1875 (London)
Company typeLimited liability partnership
Websitewww.macfarlanes.com

Macfarlanes LLP is a corporate law firm headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It advises national and multinational companies, business leaders and high-net-worth individuals in the UK and internationally across the full range of corporate and commercial matters as well as on their private affairs.

In 2019/20, Macfarlanes achieved total revenues of £237.7 million and profits per equity partner of £1.91 million, respectively the 28th-largest and 2nd-highest among UK-based law firms in that year.[4] It is regarded as forming part of the "Silver Circle" of leading UK law firms.[5][6][7][8]

History[]

Macfarlanes was founded in the City of London in 1875 by George Watson Neish.[3] In 1894 Neish was joined in partnership by John Embleton Macfarlane and the firm moved to premises in Watling Street.[3] The firm's offices suffered bomb damage during the Second World War. In 1958, the firm moved to a new office, Dowgate Hill House. In 1962, the firm adopted its current name Macfarlanes, named after then-senior partner Craig Macfarlane.[3] The firm has grown organically over the years to its current size and has never merged.[3]

Vanni Treves was the firm's senior partner from 1987 to 1999.[8][9] Macfarlanes converted to a limited liability partnership in May 2008.[10]

In September 2010, Macfarlanes advised Four Seasons Health Care, the largest UK-based care home group, on the restructuring of its £1.6 billion debt facilities.[11] In October 2010 the firm announced that it would be introducing a new senior solicitor level from early 2011.[12] In July 2012 Macfarlanes advised Stanhope, backed by Mitsui Fudosan UK and the Alberta Investment Management Corporation, on its purchase of the BBC Television Centre.[13]

In January 2012, Macfarlanes was joined by a nine-strong team from the boutique specialist hedge fund law firm, D Harris & Co International Limited, to complement the firm’s existing hedge funds practice.[14]

In September 2013, Macfarlanes advised Verizon Communications on its acquisition of Vodafone's 45 per cent interest in Verizon Wireless for $130 billion,[15] one of the biggest deals in corporate history.[16]

It was named Law Firm of the Year at the British Legal Awards 2014[17] and UK Law Firm of the Year 2015 at the Chambers Europe Awards for Excellence.[18]

Main practice areas[]

Macfarlanes' main practice areas are:[19]

  • Antitrust/competition
  • Commercial, brands and IP
  • Corporate and M&A
  • Corporate and regulatory investigations
  • Data privacy
  • Employment
  • Finance
  • Financial services regulation
  • Hedge funds
  • Investment management
  • Litigation and dispute resolution
  • Pensions
  • Private client
  • Private equity
  • Professional practices and LLPs
  • Projects
  • Real estate
  • Restructuring and insolvency
  • Tax

List of senior partners[]

  • Herbert James (1984-1987)
  • Vanni Treves (1987-1999)
  • Robert Sutton (1999-2008)
  • Charles Martin (2008-2020)
  • Sebastian Prichard Jones (2020-)

Notable alumni[]

Notable alumni of Macfarlanes include:

References[]

  1. ^ "Contact us". Macfarlanes. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Macfarlanes". The Lawyer. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Key Facts". Macfarlanes. Retrieved 26 October 2010.
  4. ^ a b c "UK Top 50 Full Results: PEP Hits a Wall As Uncertainty Lingers". Legal Week. 15 September 2020. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
  5. ^ "Silver Circle". The Lawyer. 3 September 2007. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
  6. ^ "'Silver circle' firms upset the legal order". The Times. 28 August 2005. Retrieved 25 October 2010.
  7. ^ "Focus: Macfarlanes: Mac to the future". The Lawyer. 1 November 2010. Retrieved 3 November 2010.
  8. ^ a b "Macfarlanes". Legal Week. 14 December 2009. Retrieved 26 October 2010.
  9. ^ "Corporate charmer coaxing cash for children's charity". The Guardian. 9 May 2008. Retrieved 26 October 2010.
  10. ^ "New chief spearheads Macfarlanes' LLP switch". The Lawyer. 6 May 2008. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
  11. ^ "Macfarlanes instructed on Four Seasons Debt Restructure". The Lawyer. 20 September 2010. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
  12. ^ "Macfarlanes introduces senior associate tier". The Lawyer. 25 October 2010. Retrieved 26 October 2010.
  13. ^ "Macfarlanes, Hogan Lovells switched on for £200m BBC TV Centre sale". Legal Week. 18 July 2012. Retrieved 14 January 2012.
  14. ^ "Macfarlanes bolts on boutique in funds boost". The Lawyer. 16 January 2012. Retrieved 15 October 2012.
  15. ^ Beioley, Kate. "Macfarlanes and Slaughters lead as Verizon buys Vodafone stake". The Lawyer. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
  16. ^ Peston, Robert. "BBC News - Vodafone sells Verizon stake for $130bn". BBC.co.uk. Retrieved 9 September 2013.
  17. ^ "Macfarlanes, Mishcon de Reya and LV among prize winners at British Legal Awards 2014". LegalWeek.com. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  18. ^ "Winners". Chambers Europe. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  19. ^ "Practice areas". Macfarlanes LLP. Retrieved 22 August 2015.

External links[]

Retrieved from ""