Brown Rudnick Adds Three Partners To The Firm’s Corporate Practice

Leading international law firm Brown Rudnick LLP today announced the appointment of a group of three partners, Neil Foster, Tim Davison and Sarah Melaney, who join from Baker Botts.

The group is led by Mr. Foster who joins the Firm as Global Co-Chair and European Head of Technology. Neil and his team have over 60 years of experience among them of advising companies and their investors on complex domestic and international transactions, including M&A, JVs and financings as well as capital markets advisory. Their expertise spans TMT, fintech, life sciences, energy and impact investing, and they have worked on some of the most high-value deals in some of the most innovative and high-growth segments of technology, including:

– Environmental technology
– Blockchain
– Crypto assets
– Digital health and diagnostics
– Genomics
– Therapeutics
– Digital media
– Ed-tech
– Robotics
– Autonomous vehicles

Bill Baldiga, Brown Rudnick’s CEO said: “These additions are not only strategically important for our clients in Europe, but key to our firm and to our investor and corporate clients internationally. Europe is a hotbed of innovation and home to some of the most sophisticated pools of capital, and London is the epicentre. We are thrilled that Neil will be joining us in a global leadership role.”

Mark Dorff, Chair of the Firm’s International Corporate Group and Co-Chair of the Firm’s Global Life Sciences team said: “The extensive deal-making experience of Neil and his team across Europe and the USA, and their specialist sector knowledge of some of the hottest areas of technology, will be a tremendous asset to the Firm and to our corporate and investor clients. This move is also closely aligned with the Firm’s growth plans in the USA.”

Neil Foster is a corporate technology Solicitor with over 20 years advising on complex transactions. His practice covers mergers & acquisitions, venture capital & private equity and corporate finance. His principal sector experience is in the areas of technology and telecommunications, fintech, media and entertainment, life sciences and energy technology. As well as advising UK companies, venture funds and intermediaries, Neil represents many large U.S., Middle Eastern, South African and Asian corporations on their UK and European deals. Neil qualified in 1996 and became a partner in 2003.

Foster is experienced in complex cross-border transactions. This work is balanced between in-bound deals for large international corporates and deals for UK companies especially where IP and/or technology are the key assets.

Tim Davison has significant experience in the areas of TMT, life sciences and healthcare sectors and advises on a wide range of transactions including corporate finance, M&A, reorganisations, joint ventures and other general corporate and commercial matters. In addition, Mr. Davison advises on general company procedure, corporate law and governance.

Within the technology sector, Davison’s practice includes advising on strategic alliances, licensing and complex technology and sourcing transactions covering the whole range of hardware, software, security and data usage, online assets, IT services, engineering assets, cleantech and alternative energy. In the media and telecoms industries, he advises clients in the sectors of digital media, online and offline brands, mobile and other telecoms, broadcasting, games, television channels, distribution and content. His practice in the life sciences sector covers discovery and therapeutics, devices, diagnostics, services and software.

Melaney has advised on a broad range of corporate transactions, including share acquisitions, joint ventures and private and public equity finance. Her principal sector focuses are in the areas of financial services, media and technology, energy and cleantech. In addition, Melaney has also provided advice to Official List companies, AIM-quoted companies, financial advisers and NOMADs on general company procedure, corporate law and governance and the application of the Listing Rules/ AIM Rules.