UK Commercial Firms (Top 100 listing)

EAPD UK LLP has a disputes-focused London practice having merged in early 2008 with Kendall Freeman, which was well known for its insurance work, including product liability and aviation insurance. Other notable rankings on the contentious side include public international, commercial litigation and administrative and public law. It moves up in insurance and reinsurance litigation this year, and is new to the defamation and IP rankings.


US Firms in London – Transatlantic

The firm now has more than 600 attorneys and solicitors practicing in London, the 11 US offices, and its associate office in Hong Kong. The firm is outstanding in the insurance sector, and is also active in several other contentious areas. Notably, it represented Hertfordshire Oil Storage Limited, one of the defendants in litigation over the explosion at Buncefield oil depot, one of the most significant cases in 2008.


Administrative and Public Law

EAPD UK LLP has a commercially oriented practice, covering disciplinary matters and judicial reviews. The team features Laurence Harris, Colin Joseph and James Maton.


Aviation Insurance

EAPD UK LLP has continued to build on the UK merger of Kendall Freeman with the US firm, bedding down a unified aviation insurance and reinsurance department with a number of significant panel appointments. Under Mark Meyer's stewardship, the firm acts for insurers, including Global Aerospace, as well as manufacturers and airport operators, with recent highlights including advising on the crash of a Citation Jet near Farnborough in Kent.


Commercial Litigation

EAPD UK LLP boasts a very strong track record in major commercial disputes, and through its former guise as Kendall Freeman also has a niche in insurance related cases. Kevin Perry heads the highly rated practice, which also includes high-profile individuals such as Laurence Harris. Recent highlights include representing Hertfordshire Oil Storage Limited, the joint venture between Total and Chevron, on the Buncefield Oil litigation.


Insurance and reinsurance litigation

EAPD UK LLP provides a "top notch" service, and David Kendall is "one of the best around". The team is acting for Centre Re and Munich Re as reinsurers of T&N's £500m asbestos liability policy, in one of the largest and most complex cross-border asbestos disputes. The "dependable and professional" Richard Hopley is recommended for his product liability work, and Mark Everiss for his experience in the run-off sector. This team also does a considerable amount of Bermuda Form arbitration work.


Insurance: Corporate and Regulatory

EAPD UK LLP has a fine reputation for alternative risk transfer transactions. Richard Spiller (noted for his "attention to detail and responsiveness") co-chairs the regulatory and transactional practice group, and Ambereen Salamat is another primary contact. It recently advised Munich Re on several large reinsurance contracts, while other clients include American Insurance Association and new client Montpelier Re.


Insurance: Insolvency and Restructuring

EAPD UK LLP has been attracting some good instructions with a cross-border dimension. The team expanded at a senior level with the addition of Peter Fidler from CMS Cameron McKenna LLP. The firm acted for Reinsurance Solutions through KPMG to prepare solvent schemes of arrangement for 82 companies participating in four of the EW Payne reinsurance pools. Major clients include KPMG and Compre.


M&A Smaller deals

Insurance sector M&A is a core focus for Richard Spiller's three-partner team at EAPD UK LLP.


Public International Law

Led by Alan Perry and Tim Daniel, EAPD UK LLP regularly acts on asset recovery cases, in particular for African states, and is currently representing the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission on one such matter. The team also frequently advises on boundary disputes, and in 2008 continued to act for the National Boundary Commission of Nigeria in the implementation of the 2002 ICJ judgement in the Nigeria / Cameroon case, in particular on the maritime boundary issues relating to straddling oil deposits.


Insurance: Product liability defendant

EAPD UK LLP acts for both insurance companies, such as Centre Re, Munich Re and Swiss Re, and insured companies, including Hertfordshire Oil Storage, one of the major defendants in the Buncefield litigation. Laurence Harris and David Kendall head the London team.


TMT: Intellectual Property

EAPD UK LLP has hired John Olsen and a team of 15 fee-earners from Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP. He is a "premier UK and EU lawyer", a "very experienced professional who does an excellent job", and brings a substantial trade mark filing practice and clients including Mastercard International, Elizabeth Arden, and American Greetings Corp. He co-chairs the firm's transatlantic trade mark practice. Patent litigation partner Rajita Sharma joined in 2008 from Reed Smith, and has a life sciences focus.