Sidley Austin LLP - Who's Who Legal 70

What is the Who's Who Legal 70?

Sidley Austin LLP in Who's Who Legal

	Life Sciences
	13

	Competition
	5

	Aviation
	1

	Insolvency & Restructuring
	4

	Private funds
	8

	Business Crime Defence
	2

	Real Estate
	1

	Oil & Gas
	2

	Corporate Tax
	5

	Corporate Governance
	2

	Patents
	5

	Environment
	13

	Mergers & Acquisitions
	5

	Environment
	13

	Commercial Litigation
	6

	Banking
	5

	Insurance & Reinsurance
	7

	Internet & e-Commerce
	3

	Corporate Immigration
	2

	Trade & Customs
	10

	Product Liability Defence
	5

	Arbitration
	2

	Regulatory Communications
	3

	Capital Markets
	13

Sidley Austin LLP is a “world class” international firm with 17 offices located in major cities around the world, covering Europe, North America and the Asia Pacific region. A total of 116 lawyers across 23 practice areas are recognised in this edition. Three quarters are based in the US, and with 89 listings Sidley is better represented than any other firm in the States, earning it our USA Law Firm of the Year award for the first time. The firm’s Chicago power base once again sees Sidley earn our Illinois award as the leading firm in the state – an award the firm has won every year since its inception - and Sidley earns further success as the world’s leading firm in our trade and customs research.

With 10 nominees selected for inclusion in the corresponding chapter, Sidley once again has more of its lawyers recognised than any other firm worldwide and earns our award for the seventh consecutive year. In DC, international trade and dispute resolution practice head Andrew Shoyer is “second to none” for disputes work, while the “superb” Daniel Price was the senior White House official responsible for international economic issues during the second Bush administration. Lisa Crosby is considered “exceptional” by her clients and peers. Richard Weiner divides his time between DC and Brussels and boasts a “first-rate” knowledge of EU and US regulatory law. Alongside him in the latter is the highly rated Arnoud Willems. Scott Andersen is co-managing partner of the Geneva office and one of the most highly regarded practitioners in our research worldwide. He is one of three highly rated individuals from the firm in Switzerland.

Sidley is a “very strong firm” for capital markets, and clients and peers alike were impressed by the “breadth of expertise and consistent quality” of its lawyers. Fourteen are listed in the US research, giving the firm more representatives than any other in the country. Joseph McLaughlin in New York is “spectacularly good” according to our sources, while Norman Slonaker is recognised worldwide for the quality of his securities work. Further nominees were selected in London and Chicago, as well as the “tremendous” Thomas Albrecht in Hong Kong. Formerly of the Chicago office, Albrecht is now managing partner for the Asia Pacific region as well as co-head of the global structured finance and securitisation practice. His presence alongside Matthew Sheridan “gives the firm a leading presence in the Far East” according to local commentators. With four further nominees in London, Sidley is one of the most highly respected firms in our capital markets research overall.

Equally, Sidley fields 13 lawyers in the life sciences chapter, with six based in Chicago including the “very impressive” David Pritikin who has a dual listing in the patents chapter as “a fine patent litigator”. Jeffrey Rothstein, Richard Raskin and Pran Jha have extensive experience advising companies that develop and market medical products and pharmaceuticals. Thomas Beck in New York stands out for his patent work. Michael Davis is head of the firm’s products liability and mass torts practice, with an emphasis on pharmaceutical, food and chemical litigation. He also appears in the product liability defence chapter, as does the “world class” Sara Gourley who contributors “would not hesitate to recommend” for the life sciences and product liability defence work. She and Davis appear in both chapters, alongside the “outstanding” Debra Pole. Maarten Meulenbelt joined the Brussels office in 2011 and focuses on EU regulation, litigation and competition issues. The firm also boasts inclusions in New York, Los Angeles and Beijing, as well as in DC where Scott Bass heads the global practice and is regarded as a “pre-eminent authority on FDA-related enforcement and regulatory issues.” Taken as a whole, Sidley is considered to have “one of the best” life science practices in the world.

The firm is also well represented with 12 lawyers listed in the environment chapter. In DC the “first-class” David Buente heads the environmental group and is one of the most highly regarded lawyers worldwide. He represents clients in complex federal environmental litigation with an emphasis on Clean Air Act, superfund, criminal and toxic tort matters. He is joined by Roger Martella, former general counsel of the EPA, and an “expert” on climate change issues. The “highly esteemed” Angus Macbeth has 35 years’ experience in the field and advises clients on water contamination from power plant operation. Samuel Gutter previously served for eight years with the offices of general counsel, enforcement and federal activities of the EPA. In Brussels Kristina Nordlander is a “great professional on environmental regulatory matters”. She focuses on EU regulation in connection with chemical regulation and features in the environment and competition chapters. Four further competition specialists are selected alongside her in the corresponding chapter, including the “profoundly eminent” Stephen Kinsella OBE.

The insurance chapter sees seven further partners selected for inclusion. Five are based in Chicago, with William Sneed deemed “one of the best in town” and Susan Stone praised as “practical, commercial and she really knows her stuff”. Jeff Liebmann gives the firm a presence in the New York research, and Sidley can also boast two of the most highly regarded figures in London: Dorothy Cory-Wright has a “fantastic legal mind” and Nigel Montgomery stands out for his “first-class” insurance insolvency practice.

The firm is strong in a range of further areas. Sally Neely in Los Angeles is hailed as “one of the brightest insolvency minds in the country” and leads a contingent of six feted partners in that chapter. Co-chair of the corporate reorganisation and bankruptcy group Larry Nyhan is a “big name” in Chicago, where he is joined by fellow co-chair James Conlan, and Patrick Corr enjoys a “great reputation” in the London office.

On the disputes side, three high ranking nominations in the arbitration chapter complement six for litigation. Carter Phillips is managing partner of the Washington, DC office and his total of 71 arguments before the Supreme Court is the most of any lawyer currently in private practice. In California, co-chair of global appellate practice Mark Haddad is a “phenomenal litigator”, and global co-chair of the securities litigation practice Sara Brody also received a range of recommendations.

The firm’s private funds practice is also highly rated. Six partners are featured, including Michael Schmidtberger in New York, co-head of the investment funds, advisers and derivatives group, and Effie Vasilopoulos, head of Sidley’s investment funds practice in Asia. With five further nominees in the tax chapter and further representation in several further sectors, the breadth of its inclusions is a testament to Sidley’s stature as one of the world’s leading firms.