Haynes Boone is pleased to welcome a distinguished group of capital markets lawyers to the firm’s London office led by Partner Nick Davis, the newly appointed co-head of the firm’s London office. The lawyers joining from Memery Crystal also include Partners Edward Baker, Robert Bines-Black and Nick Heap, who collectively bring decades of experience advising on high-profile deals across various markets in the United Kingdom and globally. Haynes Boone is also welcoming three Corporate Associates as part of the team, further strengthening the group’s depth.
This expansion underscores Haynes Boone’s strategic commitment to growing its presence in London and enhancing its ability to advise clients on sophisticated corporate matters. The new additions have an impressive track record in IPOs, equity capital markets transactions and private and public mergers and acquisitions, with experience spanning various sectors, including oil and gas, mining, renewables and technology.
“Driven by client demand, we are committed to growing our London office and further developing our global capital markets and corporate practices,” said Haynes Boone Managing Partner Taylor Wilson. “The addition of Nick and his team aligns with our strategic growth in the world’s leading legal markets and enhances our ability to serve clients in a globalized marketplace.”
Davis, a widely respected corporate lawyer who spent the last 24 years with Memery Crystal, brings a wealth of experience advising clients on capital markets transactions and public and private M&A. With a keen understanding of both U.K. and North American markets, Davis has advised clients on flotations, equity capital fundraisings and M&A in key sectors, including oil and gas, mining, life sciences and technology. He advises on public company listings on both the Main Market and AIM and has extensive experience acting for issuers, NOMAD/brokers and sponsors. Davis, the only lawyer who sits on the AIM advisory group, regularly speaks at seminars and conferences globally in relation to London capital markets.
“The team and I are delighted and excited to be joining Haynes Boone and to integrate with the firm’s global capital markets and corporate finance footprint,” Davis said. “With our combined experience, particularly in international corporate finance transactions and M&A, we are well positioned to help clients navigate complex deals across key markets.”
Baker has built an esteemed career primarily advising on private and public M&A matters. He was seconded to the Panel on Takeovers and Mergers, and he has led the Memery Crystal public M&A team, which has been remarkably active in the last 16 months advising on six takeovers. In his career, he has also acted for both buyers and sellers on numerous cross-border and domestic private M&A transactions.
Bines-Black brings extensive experience in equity capital markets and both public and private M&A, having led a wide variety of equity fundraising transactions, public company flotations, takeovers and reorganizations. In addition to advising a wealth of U.K. clients, he has acted on some of the largest cross-border listings in London for U.S., Canadian and Australian companies, with particular sector focus on natural resources, renewables, healthcare and tech. His role on the advisor panel of Aquis, the U.K.’s challenger stock exchange, and deep knowledge of AIM and Main Market-listed companies, make him a trusted advisor across the space.
Heap focuses on equity capital markets transactions, assisting clients with IPOs and follow-on capital raises, offering strategic guidance on a broad range of corporate finance matters, including both private and public M&A. He has particular knowledge for clients operating in the natural resources sector, including oil and gas and mining, as well as in life sciences, healthcare and technology. In 2024, he advised on a variety of transactions, including the London listing of a helium exploration company based in Montana, U.S. and a competitive public takeover of an existing AIM-listed oil and gas company based in Trinidad and Tobago.
Haynes Boone expanded its capabilities to London in 2016, originally starting an office in England’s capital with 13 lawyers. With the addition of the new team this week, the London office now boasts 55 lawyers and is Haynes Boone’s fourth largest by headcount.
