Travers Smith LLP has announced the promotion of four Senior Counsel as part of its 2019 promotion round.
The Senior Counsel appointments follow the recent promotion of four lawyers to the Travers Smith partnership. All appointments are effective from 1 July. The new Senior Counsel and their principal areas are:
Ashley Avery – Commercial, IP & Technology
Ashley specialises in technology, IP and data protection and advises clients in the technology, pensions, retail, and financial services sectors. She has a wide range of experience advising clients on complex data privacy and confidentiality issues (including in respect of business critical data breaches). She also advises clients on IT implementations, software development and licensing issues and has particular expertise in handling complex and demanding separation exercises in support of M&A transactions. Her work includes advising a number of the firm's key clients, including Micro Focus, on the compliance requirements of the GDPR, advising TES Global Limited on various copyright issues arising from the use of its online platform, and advising on the separation aspects of Ascential's sale of Media Business Insight, Health Services Journal and Infrastructure Journal (to name a few). Ashley has been on secondment to Deliveroo and Ambassador Theatre Group during her time at Travers Smith.
Karen Sahota – Pensions
Karen has extensive experience advising trustees and sponsors on a wide range of advisory, transactional and contentious work alongside Head of Pensions Daniel Gerring. She is a senior member of the team providing day-to-day advice to the AXA UK Pension Scheme and has recently advised on the implications of the sale of AXA’s £650 million wealth business. Karen also advises the Unilever UK Pension Fund and the BAE Systems Pension Scheme, alongside Pensions Partner Paul Stannard. Karen has represented clients on a wide range of complex issues relating to the interpretation of scheme rules, statutory requirements, the abolition of contracting-out and GMP reconciliation and rectification. Together with Pensions Partner Susie Daykin, she advised in relation to the winding up of the Lehman Brothers Pension Scheme and its £670 million buyout with Rothesay Life and regularly advises trustees on member disputes including those referred to the Pensions Ombudsman. Karen is a member of the Education and Seminars Sub-Committee of the Association of Pension Lawyers and a member of the Black, Asian, Minority and Ethnic (BAME) Group at Travers Smith. She is also named as a "Next Generation Lawyer" by the Legal 500.
Brent Sanders – Corporate Finance
Brent is a US qualified corporate finance lawyer specialising in US securities law and equity capital markets. He acts for a wide range of clients across various industries and sectors. Recent work includes advising Brewin Dolphin Holdings plc on its placing to, in part, fund the acquisition of an Irish wealth management business, Zegona Communications plc on its placing to fund purchases in shares of a Spanish listed telecommunications company, Smithson Investment Trust plc on its £822 million initial public offering and listing on the London Stock Exchange and Carpetright plc on its placing and open offer, company voluntary arrangement and debt refinancing.
Jonathan Woodall - Tax
Jonathan is a tax lawyer whose practice involves advising corporates, asset managers, property investors and pension funds on a wide variety of direct and indirect tax matters. He has a particular interest in real estate taxation, and regularly advises on the acquisition, development and disposal of a broad range of commercial and residential assets. Jonathan's recent experience includes advising: a client on the purchase of an SPV owning a substantial retail outlet; a third sector asset manager on the structure of a property lending fund; a corporate real estate group on a JV of a key infrastructure asset; and various corporates and asset managers in relation to the impact of the new non-resident property gains tax rules.