ORRICK CONTINUES EXPANSION OF LONDON FINANCE TEAM

Michael Crosby to Head English Law Banking & Finance Group

Orrick announced that Michael Crosby will join the firm as a partner to head up Orrick’s English Law Banking and Finance Practice Group, resident in London. Mr. Crosby will further strengthen Orrick’s English law finance capability to support its global finance practices.

Mr. Crosby was formerly head of Proskauer’s English law finance practice; he will join Orrick at the conclusion of a period of gardening leave. Mr. Crosby focuses on representing alternative credit funds, hedge funds and other special situation lenders, private equity sponsors and banks in leveraged financings across Europe. Orrick’s European platform with nearly 300 lawyers working from 10 European locations provides the international support and scale vital to cross-border financings. Mr. Crosby also has significant experience in financings in the Middle East and North Africa where Orrick has a leading practice.

“Michael brings to Orrick’s London office a robust alternative credit provider practice.  In addition, he will strengthen our capabilities to provide top tier English law support for the finance, energy & infrastructure, real estate and corporate finance transactions the firm handles globally,” said Alex Janes, Managing Partner of Orrick’s European offices.

“Michael has built an excellent reputation through his work on behalf of Europe-focused private debt and alternative credit funds,” said Bill Haft, leader of Orrick’s Banking & Finance Practice Group. “He will be a tremendous asset to our cross-border teams, including our project finance and emerging markets practices in Europe, Africa and beyond.”

Mr. Crosby’s move to Orrick follows the firm’s recent additions to its London office of Stephen Phillips, who serves as co-head of Orrick’s European Restructuring team, and restructuring of counsel Scott Morrison, both from White & Case.  Orrick also last week announced that Shawn Atkinson, a corporate, tech and venture capital partner from Edwards Wildman, will be joining the Orrick’s London office.  In addition, this year Orrick added to its New York finance practice the leading securitization team of William “Butch” Cullen and Janet Barbiere from Kaye Scholer.

Orrick’s global finance practice, which Chambers describes as both “versatile and integrated,” represents investment and commercial banks, investment funds and other credit providers in sophisticated financings for acquisitions, buyouts, restructurings and other corporate finance transactions. Recent European transactions include: representing the lenders in the restructuring of the Sauer Group, which IFLR named Restructuring Deal of the Year; structuring the first-ever bond financed public-private partnership (PPP) in France, which will be used to build the City of Music cultural center on Sequin Island; counseling the Peugeot family in the $4.1 billion capital investment by Dongfeng Motor Group; and representing Notting Hill Housing Group in its joint venture with Sellar Property Group in the acquisition for the development of a seven-acre site in Canada Water. The firm is also playing a leading role in the development of the Italian mini-bond market and is active for Sberbank and others in the Russian banking market. In addition, Orrick is active in every major infrastructure financing underway today across western Africa.

Ranked in Chambers UK as a leader in banking & finance, Mr. Crosby received his LPC/Law Society Finals at the College of Law, London, completed his Common Professional Examination at the College of Law, Guildford, and earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Durham. He is a member of the Supreme Court of England.