WINNER
UK - AIM ADVISORY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR - Kerman & Co LLP - ENERGY LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR - Kerman & Co LLP - SPORT LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR - Kerman & Co LLP
Kerman & Co LLP are delighted to receive three ACQ Law Awards 2013 which reflect the successful year the Firm has enjoyed. AIM For the fourth consecutive year Kerman & Co LLP’s Alternative Investment Market (“AIM”) team has been recognised by ACQ as leaders in this market. Despite the economic downturn the team has worked on a steady stream of transactions for its listed clients on AIM and the ISDX Growth Market (formerly PLUS). The Firm advises clients with international interests in jurisdictions including the USA, Russian Federation, Australia, Philippines, Peru and Colombia and many African countries. These growth clients see AIM as an attractive option for potential investors. The Firm’s performance in the basic materials sector, and in relation to oil and gas, has remained strong. The Firm has acted on admissions, placings, acquisitions, and other equity and debt raising transactions including the increased use of convertible debt instruments, off-take arrangements and royalties (reflecting the difficult market conditions). Kerman & Co LLP have recently acted on the listing of Northcote Energy Ltd (on-shore oil and gas, North America) and Dekel Oil Public Limited (a palm oil business based in the Ivory Coast). In addition the company has undertaken secondary issues for a number of existing long-standing clients (including West African Minerals Corp., Top Level Domain Holdings Limited, Victoria Oil & Gas Plc, Equatorial Palm Oil Plc) as well as advising clients on significant and wide ranging M&A activity. Energy Kerman & Co LLP’s award winning energy team is a well regarded and diversified practice serving the needs of its clients in the global energy industry. It has been particularly successful in advising clients listed on AIM. The firm is consistently ranked in the top three for the number of its oil and gas clients on AIM (Hemscott/Adviser Rankings Limited). The team has advised on a broad range of areas from the exploration and exploitation of oil and gas and other fossil fuels such as anthracite coal; and uranium to developing and implementing alternative energy concepts. This includes advising clients who are active in developing cleantech offerings including: solar, wind and water power. The team recently advised Victoria Oil & Gas Plc on its over-subscribed £23.4 million placing. The Firm’s energy litigation
ACQ 113 GLOBAL AWARDS 2013
practice has also played a crucial role in safe guarding its clients’ assets and interests overseas. The team also regularly handled international commercial energy litigation disputes arbitration and alternative dispute resolution proceedings. Sport The Firm’s Sport team provides practical commercial advice to global brands, international sporting bodies, the world’s greatest sports events, agency/management companies and highprofile individuals and is at the forefront of the development of areas such as ticketing, event management, licensing and brand protection. In addition, Kerman & Co LLP regularly provides advice on copyright infringement, image rights, passing off and trademark infringement, particularly in the run up to, and during, the events. The team is often instructed to draft and implement antiinfringement programs and to maintain on-site offices to ensure 24/7 coverage. The Sport team has years of expertise in advising on sponsorship contracts which has recently included the drafting of all of the sponsorship and supplier contracts for the Ryder Cup, London Marathon and RideLondon. The team has also drafted regulations and provided advice concerning the scope and interpretation of regulations (including the interaction with European Competition Law) for a number of disciplines. Kerman & Co LLP handles all categories of contentious work including the enforcement of contracts. It has particular expertise in obtaining Injunctions in relation to the enforcement of proprietary rights. The team also recently represented the RFU in their application for Norwich Pharmacal relief against the ticket exchange website Viagogo. The case was appealed to the Supreme Court, following a landmark ruling in the High Court, by Consolidated Information Services Ltd (Formerly Viagogo Ltd) (In Liquidation). The appeal was unanimously dismissed by the Supreme Court in November 2012 and has set an important precedent for enabling rights holders to take action against previously unknown ticket resellers. It is envisaged that more rights holders will seek to implement a ticketing policy that will help to prevent the unlawful reselling of their tickets.
Kerman & Co LLP 200 Strand, London, WC2R 1DJ T 020 7539 7272 F 020 7240 5780
Keith Dempster e: keith.dempster@kermanco.com
Michael Bennett e: michael.bennett@kermanco.com
Joan Yu e: joan.yu@kermanco.com
Nick Bitel e: nick.bitel@kermanco.com