A&O Shearman is an elite transatlantic firm formed in May 2024 from the merger of Allen & Overy and Shearman & Sterling. The firm advises on high-end banking, capital markets and corporate/M&A mandates, leveraging an integrated UK–US platform. Denise Gibson serves as the firm’s first UK Managing Partner and is supported by standout practitioners including Robin Harvey, Annette Kurdian and Greg Brown.

The firm is recognised as a global market leader in equity and debt capital markets, with one of the deepest and most experienced finance benches in London. The London team is particularly noted for its expertise in IPOs, rights issues and high-yield and investment-grade bond offerings and is consistently at the forefront of innovation. The firm also has Tier 1 capabilities across bank lending, M&A, project finance and development, restructuring and financial services regulatory.

Key clients
3i, Absa Bank, Apollo, Apax, Ares, Aviva, Barclays, Bridgepoint, Brookfield, Canaccord Genuity Group, Central Bank of Cyprus, Citigroup, CVC, Davidson Kempner, Deutsche Bank, Exponent, Goldman Sachs, Goldman Sachs Alternatives, Intuit, Intercontinental Exchange, International Consolidated Airlines Group, JP Morgan, Mubadala, Nomura, PAI Partners, Republic of South Africa, Santander, SwapAgent, Tradeweb Europe, UK Finance, Zopa Bank

Highlights
Led by esteemed practitioner John Kicken and supported by the sponsor-side finance team, A&O Shearman advised Froneri on its USD 5bn debut high-yield bond and incremental loan financing, marking the largest-ever European underwritten dividend recap and the largest-ever single-asset continuation fund transactions in Europe to date. The deal was recognised as “High Yield Deal of the Year” at the IFLR Europe Awards 2026.

The team also won “Equity Deal of the Year” for its role on the Magnum Ice Cream Company Triple Listing; one of the most ambitious and complex equity listings in the market. A&O Shearman is consistently at the forefront of innovation in capital markets and has one of the deepest and most experienced finance benches in London.

The finance team advised a consortium of 15 banks in connection with Verisure’s new financing package supporting Verisure’s recent EUR13.7bn IPO, marking the largest public HoldCo PIK in connection with an IPO in 2025.

The firm also has a market leading financial services regulatory practice, led by Bob Penn, recipient of the Market Reform award at the IFLR Europe Awards 2026. The team advises leading financial institutions on complex regulatory change projects, including CRD VI implementation for global banks, and reforms to the UK bank ring-fencing regime for UK Finance.

Testimonials
“We value the team’s deep expertise in e-money regulation, as well as its strong capabilities in corporate matters and strategic litigation.” – Financial services regulatory

“A&O Shearman stands out for its exceptional responsiveness and availability, combined with a consistently high level of expertise. The team performs particularly well under tight timelines and demonstrates in-depth knowledge across all areas on which we have engaged them.” – Bank lending

“The team features exceptional partners and senior associates with outstanding technical expertise and the ability to resource large teams across multiple transactions simultaneously.” – Bank lending

“Accessibility, speed of response and experience on comparable projects were particularly valuable. The team also excels at explaining complex concepts in clear and accessible terms.” – Bank lending

“We are highly satisfied with the services provided by A&O Shearman and have maintained a strong working relationship with the team for more than a decade. They consistently deliver exceptional work, demonstrating both technical expertise and a deep understanding of our business needs. Beyond specific engagements, they proactively provide valuable guidance on regulatory developments that may affect our business, helping us stay ahead in a complex and evolving environment. Their professionalism, reliability and commitment to client success make them a trusted and valued partner.” – Capital markets

“The team demonstrates great knowledge of our business and corporate structure, combined with a highly approachable and responsive manner.” – Capital markets

“The team, led by Theo Trayhurn, has an excellent understanding of the market, including current trends and future developments. Theo and his colleagues combine strong commercial judgement with a pragmatic, solutions-focused approach across multiple jurisdictions. Theo in particular excels at understanding complex business issues and translating them into practical legal solutions. The team communicates effectively, is exceptionally responsive and demonstrates the highest level of professionalism.” – Capital markets

“The team combines excellent market knowledge, a deep bench of talent, strong commercial acumen and extensive industry expertise.” – Capital markets

“The expertise and quality of client service provided by Odysseas Theofanis and Brad Weyland are particularly impressive.” – Capital markets

“A&O Shearman provides deep experience of the UK market and excels at advising on the complexities of our innovative business model. The team is highly regarded by regulators and is able to engage directly with them on our behalf when required.” – Financial services regulatory

“The team is highly responsive and readily available. Their deep technical knowledge is complemented by a practical approach to applying the law to real-world issues and challenges.” – Financial services regulatory

“The team stands out for its ability to identify practical solutions, provide timely responses and demonstrate strong knowledge of the sector.” – Project finance

“A&O Shearman is a trusted adviser on structured products transactions across Europe. Sally Onions is particularly exceptional, combining deep technical expertise with a highly commercial and practical approach. She is consistently focused on finding solutions and has been involved in many landmark transactions in Greece and across Europe. What sets Sally and the wider team apart is their reliability, ability to identify key legal and commercial issues quickly, and sound judgement in navigating complex situations. Tim Monahan has also delivered excellent results on several transactions. More broadly, the firm has the depth, scale and experience to act as drafting counsel on large and complex transactions involving multiple counterparties and workstreams.” – Structured finance and securitisation

“The team is distinguished by its responsiveness, willingness to take on work at short notice, speed of execution and expertise in significant risk transfer and complex structured finance transactions.” – Structured finance and securitisation