Annual Advisors 2017

WORLDWIDE FINANCIAL ADVISOR AWARDS MAGAZINE

ANNUAL ADVISORS 2017

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Worldwide Financial Advisor Awards Magazine Annual Advisors 2017 Worldwide Financial Advisor Awards Magazine is recognised all over the world for our comprehensive awards programs we run, taking votes from countries all over the world to recognise the most prestigious professionals in their specialised areas of practice.

The Annual Advisors Awards 2017 recognises a select number of leading professional firms around the world working both nationally and internationally in their field of expertise.

Worldwide Financial Advisor Awards selects the best professional & financial institutions from around the world and showcases there work ethic and skills within their area of expertise.

The Awards Magazine is aimed at not just the large corporations but the smaller companies of the advisory business sector.

Worldwide Financial Advisor Awards is currently being read by Lawyers, Advisers, Consultants and corporate executives.

We aim to showcase every company individually and to its full potential.

DEEP & FAR Attorneys-at-Law 13th F1., No. 27, Sec. 3, Chung San N. Rd. Taipei 104, Taiwan, R.O.C. Tel: +886-2-2585-6688 Fax: +886-2-25989900/25978989 email@deepnfar.com.tw Deep & Far was founded in 1992 and is one of the largest law firms in this country.

The firm is presently focused on the practice in separate or in combination of all aspects of intellectual property rights (IPRs) including patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, unfair competition, and/or licensing, counseling, litigation and/ or transaction thereof. Since this firm edges itself into the IPRs field, the firm quickly comes to fame. As an illustration, this firm often is one of the largest sources from which foreign filing orders originate.

The fascinating rise of this firm begins from the founder of Deep & Far attorneysat-law, C. F. Tsai, who is the one first patent practitioner in this country who both has technological and law backgrounds and is qualified as a local attorney-at-law.

The patent attorneys and patent engineers in this firm normally hold outstanding and advanced degrees and are generally graduated from the top five universities in this country and/or the university in the US. Our prominent staffs are dedicated to provide the best quality service in IPRs. As a proof, about one half of top 100 incorporations in this country have experiences of seeking patented their techniques, but more than one fifth of the top 100 incorporations are/were clients of this firm.

Furthermore, Hi-Tech companies in the science-based industrial park located at Hsin Chu play an important role in booming the economy of this country. About one half of which have experiences in seeking patented their techniques, and out of more than 60% of the patent-experienced companies in that park have ever entrusted their IPR works to this firm.

We have experienced in seeking IPR-protections for our clients in more than 100 territories all over the world. We have thousands of IPR-cases respectively prosecuted before official Patent Offices of major industrialized countries.

This firm not only is the most competent in IPR-related matters in this country but also is very familiar with IPR-practices in major industrialized countries. As a matter of fact, this firm oftentimes tries and makes precedents of new claim-drafting styles. While we might have become wonderfully famed locally with remarkable appreciation and respects, we would like to extend our services for internationalized or quality service-requiring foreign conglomerated giants, corporations or individuals. We strongly believe that we will win more

www.deepnfar.com.tw

Index ENGIE Global Energy Lawyer of the Year Cavendish Corporate Finance LLP IT & Technology Advisory Firm of the Year – UK Deep & Far Intellectual Property Law Firm of the Year – Taiwan Demotech Inc Financial Analysis Firm of the Year – USA Infinity Partnership Limited Accountancy Business Services of the Year – UK John Harrison and Company Compliance Services Firm of the Year – UK KPMG Corporate Tax Law Firm of the Year – Spain Lee International Mergers & Acquisitions Law Firm of the Year – South Korea Rogerson Law Group Litigation Law Firm of the Year – Canada Sturgeon Ventures LLP Start- Up Compliance Consultancy Firm of the Year – UK TEMPLAR CAPITAL LTD Private Equity Advisory Firm of the Year – United Arab Emirates Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz Mergers & Acquisitions Law Firm of the Year – USA NCI Law Group Immigration Law Firm of the Year - Switzerland

Intellectual Property Law Firm of the Year—Taiwan Deep & Far attorneys-at-law was founded in 1992 and is dealing with all phases of laws with a focus on the practice in separate or in combination of all aspects of intellectual property rights (IPRs) including patents, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets, unfair competition, and/or licensing, counselling, litigation and/or transaction thereof.

Area of Practice: Intellectual Property, including patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret.

The patent attorneys and patent engineers in Deep & Far normally hold outstanding and advanced degrees and are generally graduated from the top five universities in this country. Our prominent staffs are dedicated to provide the best quality service in IPRs in this country. As a proof, about one half of top 100 incorporations in this country have experiences of seeking patented their techniques, but more than one fifth of the top 100 incorporations has ever used services of this firm. Furthermore, Hi-Tech companies in the science-based industrial park located at Hsin Chu had ever played the most important role in booming the economy of this country. About one half of them has experiences in seeking patented their techniques, and out of more than 50% of the patentexperienced companies in that park have ever entrusted their IPR works to this firm.

Experiences: Mr. Yu-Li Tsai, a patent attorney graduated from Department of Electrical Engineering of National Taiwan University (NTUEE), which is the best engineering school in Taiwan. Because of interest in communication system, he then attended in the Graduate Institute of Communication Engineering (GICE) of NTU. During his research life in GICE, he also started to get involved in knowledge and skills of patent-related matters for taking and receiving the qualification of patent attorney.

Mr. Tsai also attended to receive an IP master from Law School of University of New Hampshire, also known as Franklin Pierce Center for Intellectual Property, had an internship with InterDigital, Inc., and passed the U.S. Patent Bar Examination.

Currently, Mr. Tsai is working for Deep & Far Attorneys-at-Law as a patent attorney.

It is our philosophy to provide competent legal services that other firm cannot comparably provide. The necessitated ensuing problem is how we can so provide?

Deep & Far so achieve by selecting, edifying and nurturing peoples who have the following personalities: learned in expertise, morally earnest and sincerely behaved in mind and strictly disciplined between give and take. It is well-believed that such properties are key factors for peoples to properly and competently behave themselves. Because the clients become more understood in the knowledge of IP and more budget-sensitive, they usually want to select an agent who can more efficiently and effectively deal with their IP matters. They often invite bids, set out tenders and call for interview before they decide to entrust a service provider.

Taking patent for example, they gather information of costs for patent prosecution, previous works, and firm introduction materials in a preliminary choice stage, and hold an interview to obtain further details of the firm which has passed the preliminary choice stage. We represent international giants, e.g. InterDigital, MPS, Schott Glas, Toyo Ink, Motorola, Cypress, Google, Armani.

We always keep updating the newest state of this firm, recruiting elite patent engineers and strictly training them the essential skills, improving the efficiency and quality of service, and developing new strategies that can assist the clients effectively protecting their intellectual property rights. This firm believes that if the efficiency, quality, and enthusiasm of the services can be consistently monitored and maintained, overcoming complexities, challenges or changes is just a result rather than an issue.

Our aspiration and directions would be developing more potential clients either in domestic or foreign countries, and expanding the size of this firm to assist more clients in pursuing most satisfactory IP protection. Although the domestic IP market, especially in the patent field in 2013 shrank a little, we expect this situation may finally change because there is a phenomenon that the gross economy is starting to recover in 2014.

Contact Details: Deep & Far Yu-Li. Tsai Tel: 886-2-25856688#900 Fax: 886-2-25989900//886-2-25978989 Add: 13th Fl., 27 Sec. 3, Chung San N. Rd., Taipei, Taiwan Web: www.deepnfar.com.tw Email: lawtsai@deepnfar.com.tw

IT & Technology Advisory Firm of the Year - UK

For nearly 30 years, Cavendish has only acted for business owners. In the last twelve months, we have advised on the sale of 13 businesses, helping proprietors achieve the best possible price for their companies, in what remains a tough economic environment, and finding new owners who can take those businesses forward and accelerate their growth and performance.

Understanding the range of businesses and technologies to a micro level is the challenge we at Cavendish have set ourselves. Helping us achieve this objective are our specialist team led by experts with backgrounds in fields such as engineering and finance together with years spent in corporate finance.

Our entrenched expertise in so many subsectors is matched by unrivalled contacts with leading UK and multinationals. In addition, we can leverage centres of excellence within Oaklins such as the oil and gas team in Dallas, our aerospace team in Seattle or the automotive and aerospace hub in Germany.

Oaklins is the world’s most experience mid-market M&A advisor. Over the last 5 years, Oaklins specialists have closed over 1,500 deals involving industry specialists, taking a global view and leveraging our deep local connections.

The relationships across the alliance underpin our commitment to continuous investment in innovation, leadership and the incorporation of best practices from across all of our business activities.

The Exit Review is an essential component of the Cavendish approach to marketing businesses because it is the most effective way to achieve the highest value for your business.

This detailed, stringently conducted, strategic process can be concluded within two months at any time from 6 months to 3 years before sale – in corporate terms not a long period but it can yield disproportionately enormous benefits.

To achieve such success, against such a difficult market backdrop, we have developed an unrivalled knowledge of potential buyer pools and established teams of sector specialists, who are recognised authorities in their areas offering business owners expert advice on the best preparation, strategy and likely buyers to ensure a successful sale. Utilising our international network of M&A advisors we have continued to source overseas buyers, who typically pay a premium for UK businesses – about half of the companies we sold last year were to international buyers.

There are almost no other firms that operate in the corporate finance arena that have the sole purpose of selling businesses; most represent buyers as well and this invariably begs the question by astute owners of business, are our advisors completely aligned with us? For over 25 years, Cavendish’s answer has been unequivocally “yes”.

Contact Details: Company: Cavendish Corporate Finance Email: info@cavendish.com Web Address: www.cavendish.com Address: 40 Portland Place, London W1B 1NB Telephone: 020 7908 6000

International Tax Law Firm of the Year – Brazil Intercorp Group is a high level consulting firm specializing in Tax, Estate Planning and Fiduciary structures. Our team consists of professionals with extensive experience. With this, we operate in a very unique way in addressing issues of taxation, accounting and international transactions. Once we have assisted our clients in determining their needs, our primary purpose is to facilitate and coordinate the development and implementation of the steps involved in their project.

Intercorp Group was established under the guidance of Leonardo Braune with the purpose of becoming one of the few truly international tax consulting boutiques, providing high quality tax services as well as estate planning and fiduciary structuring services, delivering to its clients only the most efficient, practical and customized solutions.

Our initial step is to assign one of our qualified coordinators, who will act throughout the entire advisory and consulting process. Our coordinators have access to an international network of professionals and specialists in many areas and are responsible for "playing the role of the client", being therefore extremely capable of clarifying questions and giving suggestions and practical solutions to their issues. Commitment, creativity, technicality, quality and reliability are our core strengths. At Intercorp Group, our clients can have direct or indirect access to a unique global network of specialists and professionals who will work in a simple, clear and objective manner. Our goal is to make our clients feel confident and comfortable that we are handling their matters properly and efficiently.

For over 20 years, Leonardo Braune has acted as a tax consultant in the areas of international tax, real estate planning, wealth preservation, fiduciary advice, implementation and management of international structures and project management. He began his career as a trainee at Arthur Andersen where he quickly became Senior Manager of the tax consulting area, acting significantly in many segments there and working very closely with several international offices on significant global projects.

With a vast experience in tax, an extremely diversified client base and a very strong global network of top specialists in many different business related areas, Leonardo Braune has been a part of a large number of successful projects in several industries such as oil and gas, telecommunications, real estate, international services, investment funds and asset management.

Contact Details leonardo@intercorpgroup.com Rio de Janeiro T + 55 21 3282 5288

London T + 44 20 3427 3308

Financial Analysis Firm of the Year - USA Demotech, Inc. is a financial analysis firm located in Columbus, Ohio. Since 1985, Demotech has been serving the insurance industry by providing actuarial consulting as well as accurate and proven Financial Stability Ratings® (FSRs) for Property & Casualty insurance companies and Title underwriters. FSRs are a leading indicator of the financial stability of an insurer. In 1989 Demotech became the first insurer rating services in the United States to review and rate independent, regional and specialty insurers based upon the company’s execution of its business model and not its size. The rating process provides an objective baseline as well as insight as to the financial stability of an insurer. Demotech levels the playing field by offering FSRs to insurers of all sizes.

Demotech distinguishes itself from other rating services in many ways. Four distinguishing characteristics are the industry experience of our analysts, long tenure of our analysts, our focus on an insurer’s business model rather than its size, and the transparency of our analysis process. In total, our four primary analysts average more than 30 years of progressively responsible insurance experience. Furthermore, the same four primary analysts average more than twenty years of tenure with Demotech. As a result, carriers that contact Demotech can be assured of comparable treatment, institutional memory and consistent outcomes due to the professionalism and tenure of our staff.

As noted, our analysts, including myself, are experienced professionals. I am an actuary with forty years of insurance and financial analysis experience. Sharon Romano Petrelli, co-founder of Demotech, has earned the designations of CPCU, AIAF, CCP and ARC. She has served on the board of an insurer as well as the board of governors of the CPCU Society. She has thirty years of insurance experience. Barry J. Koestler, II, Chief Ratings Officer, a Chartered Financial Analyst, has more than twenty years of insurance and financial analysis experience including rate filings, loss and loss adjustment expense reserving and financial analysis. He has coordinated the development and monitoring of FSRs since 1996. Robert M. Warren, CPCU, CPA, Client Services Manager, has served as the chief financial officer of several insurers. His forty years of experience includes more than ten years with Demotech.

Although other rating agencies seem fascinated by the size of an insurer and its diversification, neither size nor diversification has kept insurers out of liquidation. In fact, some of the largest insolvencies in the history of insurance were substantial publicly traded carriers that touted their diversification. As such, Demotech focuses on a carrier’s business model and its execution of that model. In 2007 we introduced our Company Classification System to initiate dialogue on business models.

A Comment from Joseph Petrelli: “I am the President and Founder of Demotech, Inc. Organized in 1985, Demotech is a Columbus, Ohio based financial analysis company. Demotech reviews and rates more than 420 carriers domiciled in the United States. Our clients include larger, publicly traded carriers as well as regional insurance companies, title underwriters, risk retention groups and specialty insurance markets. Financial Stability Ratings® of A or better are accepted by the secondary mortgage marketplace, virtually all mortgage lenders and an increasing number of umbrella insurance markets, insurance agents errors and omissions insurance carriers, reinsurance carriers and other informed third parties.

Prior to forming Demotech, I was employed by Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, Countryway Insurance and ISO. I am a member in good standing of the Casualty Actuarial Society, American Academy of Actuaries,

The Conference of Consulting Actuaries, and the Society of Actuaries. I graduated from The College of Insurance and have an MBA from The Ohio State University.”

In addition to our efforts reviewing and rating insurance carriers, two of our clients during 2015 were the State of Ohio Office of Risk Management and State of Iowa Title Guaranty Division. When these public entities needed experienced, credentialed actuaries to assist them with the pricing and evaluation of their casualty insurance exposure and title guaranty exposure, respectively, our actuaries were the first choice. Recent acknowledgements of our insurer rating capabilities include HUD’s re-affirmation of our acceptance in its Section 232 Handbook and expanding our acceptance to its Section 241(a) program, Fannie Mae Multifamily acceptance of risk retention groups and captive insurers rated A or better, our nomination for Intelligent Insurer’s Global Award – Best Rating Agency (2014 and 2015) and securing the ACQ5 award for US – Niche Financial Analysis Provider – Insurance, two consecutive years, 2014 and 2015. In addition Demotech was nominated for the Rating Agency of the Year at the fall 2015 Reactions North America Gala. We were also honored with the Florida Association for Insurance Reform’s Founder’s Award at its 2015 annual meeting. More recently we secured the Financial Monthly – M&A Awards 2015 – Financial Analysis Firm of the Year – USA and the Corporate Vision – Corporate Excellence Award 2015 – Best Evaluator of US Regional and Specialty Insurers & Sustained Excellence in Insurer Financial Analysis.

Our clients operate in an environment dominated by low interest rates and the pressure that places on earnings from an underwriting profit. Emerging coverages, such as cyber liability, data breach, or gap coverages associated with addressing the need to supplement personal automobile insurance policies for commercial use associated with transportation network companies focus our experienced, professional analysts on a collaborative role with clients. Our analysts are well versed in the traditional aspects of insurance and reinsurance. Concurrently, as educated professionals they are comfortable with the development or analysis of creative strategies and products to address emerging consumer needs. Our experienced and credentialed analysts often provided clients with peer review and independent feedback on aspects of the client’s current and future operations.

Demotech is focused on continuing to grow and serve our current and our future clients. With a team of experienced, credentialed professionals, we are uniquely positioned to address the current as well as the emerging issues that must be addressed. In May 2016, we will host a seminar addressing the needs of regional and specialty carriers in the important areas of product development, client retention, and the identification and response to emerging issues.

Contact Details: Joseph Petrelli Demotech, Inc. 2715 Tuller Parkway Dublin, Ohio 43017-2310 Main: (800)354-7207 Direct: (614) 526-2160 FAX: (614) 526-2161 JPetrelli@demotech.com www.demotech.com

Full Service Law Firm of the Year – Portugal Raposo Bernardo is full service international law firm born 20 years ago, with offices in 9 countries, two continents (Portugal, Spain, Poland, Romania, Angola, Cape Verde, GuineaBissau, Mozambique, Sao Tome and Principe). Our 70 lawyers are specialized in the structural economic sectors such as Banking and Financial Markets, Energy and Infrastructure, Construction and Real Estate, Health and Pharmaceutical, Insurance, Tourism or Transports.

The firm has been consistently recommended by Legal500 EMEA, Chambers and Partners and IFLR1000 in all the relevant practice areas covered for the jurisdictions where it acts.

Furthermore, Raposo Bernardo has been recognized by its performance by Finance Monthly, Corporate INTL, ACQ, and many other specialized legal publications.

The firm stands for delivering top quality in every operation performed, wherever its jurisdiction, thus enhancing the sharing of relevant knowledge and local experience and transforming it into something useful by all our lawyers in their daily work.

We believe this award is further evidence our firm makes a valuable long-term difference in our clients’ businesses.

Areas of expertise: Corporate and M&A Banking and Finance Capital Markets Energy and Natural Resources EU and Competition Employment Tax Dispute Resolution Arbitration Public Law Real Estate Intellectual Property Raposo Bernardo managing partners are strong technically, academically best reputable lecturers, and experimented lawyers in complex and innovative international operations.

The managing skills are clearly identified by the hierarchy of managing global partners and country managers, who are able to produce a sustainable decision making process to respond to the needs of the international network, in real time.

Nelson Raposo Bernardo is the global managing partner of Raposo Bernardo. His reference practice areas are banking and finance, capital markets, corporate law, M&A, project finance and private equity. He advises national and multinational leading players in operations concerning debt, equity, structured finance and securitisation, M&A, project finance, private equity, restructuring and regulation. He is also strongly experienced and reputed in legislating, being co-author of the present Portuguese Securities Code and has led several legislative reform committees, in several countries, in banking, financial, real estate and construction areas. He has published books and articles on corporate law, banking and contract law, and participated as a speaker in seminars and conferences in Portugal and abroad. He was a member of a commission of the Conselho Superior da Magistratura (Supreme Judicial Council), for the approval of ad-hoc judges (2000) and consultant for Capital Markets of the Portuguese Auditors Association (1998-2006).

He holds a degree in Law from the Law School of the University of Lisbon, a Masters in Juridical Sciences (Corporate Law) from the same School, where is he is also presently working on his doctorate in Corporate Law. Assistant Professor of Corporate and Commercial Law at Law School of the University of Lisbon and in Entrepreneurship and Family Enterprise Start-Up and Management courses at INDEG/ISCTE (Audax) (2005present), one of the best reputed business schools in Portugal. He is chairman of boards of general meetings of several companies and associations. He is fluent in Portuguese, English, French and Spanish.

Joana Andrade Correia co-heads Raposo Bernardo’s corporate and M&A department. For over ten years, she has dedicated her work to this area, building a solid experience and notable reputation. Throughout her career, she was involved in numerous relevant domestic and international operations, concerning corporate restructuring and mergers and acquisitions for reference players of different sectors, like pharmaceutical, banking and finance, tourism and energy, among others. Outside the Portuguese jurisdiction, Joana has also participated in elaborating several legislative packages, by invitation of different governments and of the World Bank. She holds a degree in Law from the University of the Lisbon Law School and is a post-graduate in Business and Corporate Law (by the Catholic University of Lisbon), in Legistics (by the University of Lisbon Law School) and in Tourism Law (by the Estoril Tourism School). She is fluent in Portuguese, Spanish, French and English.

Contact details Av. Fontes Pereira de Melo, Ed. Aviz, nº 35, 18º, 1050-118 Lisboa – Portugal Tel: (00351) 21 312 1330 Fax: (00351) 21 356 2908 • E-mail: lisboa@raposobernardo.com • www.raposobernardo.com

IP Law Firm of the Year – Mexico With more than 75 years of experience, Goodrich has a long tradition of standing alongside its clients when helping them make their business objectives a reality. By means of a cross practice among service areas and industry teams, our carefully trained lawyers achieve an innovative approach towards the rendering of contemporary legal services tailored to the demanding business community worldwide.

We pride ourselves in knowing what drives key industry sectors and are able to provide on a daily basis, the best creative and cost-effective business solutions beforehand. Our clients are medium-size, as well as leading global companies of numerous nationalities and economic sectors.

We ensure that our clients are competently represented wherever their businesses take them. This is why, in addition to our network of correspondents in Mexico and our own office in Paris (since 1971), Goodrich actively participates as founder firm of the Bomchil Group, an association of independent law firms with offices in practically every Latin American country.

Today, Goodrich has a professional and administrative staff of over 250.

Professional ethics and effective team work, leading to solid solutions and constant innovation are embedded throughout our firm. In addition to sponsoring training programs for our lawyers, both, nationally and internationally, we encourage the participation of our partners as part time lecturers and research fellows in high ranking law schools in Mexico. Goodrich actively participates in trade associations, local and international bars. Some of our members are frequently invited to speak at both, domestic and foreign conferences, as well as to hold leadership positions in sections of bar associations and industry organizations. Last but not least, sustainability, corporate social responsibility, pro bono work and gender equality are also essential elements of our existence.

In our firm we are constantly striving to renew ourselves and in being prepared to face the ever-changing legal challenges that lie ahead. We are a firm of young lawyers with the highest professional and ethical standards.

Practice Areas: Antitrust Banking & Finance Bankruptcy Corporate & M&A Environment Law & Climate Change Immigration Intellectual Property Labor Law & Social Security Litigation & ADR Mining & Natural Resources

Oil & Gas Power Generation & Clean Energies Real Estate & Tourism Tax Law & International Trade TMT Transportation The vast majority of our intellectual property work is for non-Mexican companies conducting business in Mexico. Our staff of attorneys, engineers and computer specialists helps adapt foreign patent specifications and claims to Mexican law, secure patent inventions and trademark registration and maintain them by handling the necessary renewals. Our computer system, which is linked to the Mexican Patent and Trademark Department, permits us to provide our clients with a timely notice of their intellectual property matters. We also perform trademark searches and prepare and register license agreements. Due to recent changes in technology, we are increasingly being called on for assistance in licensing and litigation relating to computer software as well as for complex licensing negotiations and settlements involving patents, trademarks and copyrights. Our lawyers handle litigation for clients in all areas such as licensing, patent and trademark infringement, including counterfeiting, unfair competition cases, pirating and unlawful duplication of computer software. We are active players in Entertainment and Sport deals.

In keeping with our pioneering spirit and desire to be in the vanguard of international legal developments, Goodrich opened a European office in 1971 in Paris. Today the Paris office is attended by qualified Mexican attorneys who speak French. They handle the needs of our European clients with interests in Latin America. The lawyers travel widely throughout Europe, maintaining close contacts with leading European law firms, companies and business organizations and participating in international conferences and forums on matters affecting Latin America. Modern communications allow us to support our Paris office with the full resources of the Mexico City office.

Goodrich recognized long ago that our clients’ needs required us to extend our presence beyond Mexico City. Today, we have collaborating attorneys throughout Mexico. Our office in Paris and participation in the Bomchil Group associated with offices in every Latin American country enable us to ensure that our clients are competently represented wherever their businesses take them. As our clients’ needs continue to change, Goodrich, Riquelme will grow to satisfy them.

Contact Details: Paseo De La Reforma 265 06500 Mexion D.F. mailcentral@goodrichriquelme.com Telephone: (52 55) 55 33 00 40 Fax: (52 55) 55 25 12 27

Cost Consultancy Law Firm of the Year - UK WHO WE ARE A&M Bacon Limited are an award winning national firm of Civil Litigation Costs Specialists.

We have been established for over 25 years and were founded by Michael Bacon, the father of the Leading Costs Counsel, Nicholas Bacon QC. The practice is led by Jessica Swannell and together with Senior Costs Lawyer Caroline Cousins were both awarded the Gold Cup for qualifying as Costs Lawyers as top of their class.

A&M are an industry leading practice with a wealth of knowledge in all areas of Legal Costs.

A&M are fully regulated by the Costs Lawyers Standards Board and must comply with a strict code of conduct. As fully qualified Costs Lawyers, we have rights of audience in all costs matters up to but excluding the Court of Appeal.

We are a special advisors to the Law Society Practice department on practical costs budgeting.

WHY A&M A&M are a highly respected firm of Legal Costs Specialists in the Legal Industry. We provide up to date, in-depth knowledge of Legal Costs and we are heavily involved in key industry leading cases and have the experience to back it up.

A&M offers technical expertise in all areas of legal costs law. We are concerned with costs relating to every type of legal matter that crosses a Solicitor’s desk.

Our Costs Lawyers are therefore not restricted to one narrow area of law and acquire knowledge of law and procedure enabling them to deal effectively with a wide variety of costs work. We handle cases from Tribunals, Arbitrations and the full Court system, Supreme Court, Court of Appeal and Privy Council.

A&M offer a personal service providing detailed attention to every case. We are not believers in the ‘production line’ approach but we can react quickly to urgent cases and turn them round promptly in order to maximize our clients’ cash flow. We ensure our service is tailored to suit the needs of both your client and your firm. We provide detailed, accurate and timely costs information to make the process of legal costs as smooth as possible. A&M do not have different departments for different types of work, the Costs Lawyer who works on your case will be the Costs Lawyer who conducts the file right through to a hearing. You will only ever have to deal with one person on your file throughout the process to ensure consistency and trust.

A&M are large enough to cope but small enough to care.

THE KEY TEAM

Jessica Swannell, Senior Costs Lawyer and Practice Manager Jessica Swannell started her career with A&M in 2007 as a Trainee Costs Lawyer. She became a fully qualified Costs Lawyer in December 2011 after sitting the Costs Lawyer examination in which she achieved a 95% pass mark and was awarded the gold cup for achieving the highest marks. Jessica has also attended many training conferences on Management & Leadership to ensure the smooth running of A&M. Jessica provides a personal service to all her clients to ensure that each client has a unique service applicable to their costs needs. Jessica collates a large amount of Management Information to ensure the success of A&M and to continue to improve the high standards of work A&M provide.

Jessica Swannell is the designated first choice Costs Lawyer for Gallagher Bassett on Ministry of Defence work. Jessica Swannell was involved in the High Court decision of Patterson v. MoD in which A&M saved the Ministry of Defence millions of pounds. A&M were successful in having the success fee applicable to Non-Freezing Cold Injury cases reduced to 25% based on an Injury rather than 62.5% based on an Industrial Disease. Jessica has vast experience on High Value Complex adverse and recovery cases.

E: Jessica.swannell@aandmbacon.co.uk T: 01733 359024

Faith Cosgrove, LLB (Hons), CILEx, Trainee Costs Lawyer and Team Leader Faith joined A & M Bacon in March 2014. Having completed her A-Levels Faith went onto study Law at DeMontfort University in Leicester obtaining a 2:1 degree. She was active with mooting and debating throughout her degree and was Mistress of the Moots for two years. She went onto represent her University in various national competitions. After completing her degree Faith secured a place on the BPTC at Nottingham Trent University. After completion of the BPTC Faith secured a job in legal costs and has continued to work in the sector since. She has worked for several costs companies in and around London, predominantly focused on Defendant work, before relocating back to the Peterborough Area. Faith works as an advocate on Costs hearings and continues to deal with all manner of hearings from applications to CCMC’s and full detailed assessments, even representing clients on a Costs Appeals.

She is now in her first year of the Costs Lawyer Course and is an Associate member of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives and is hoping to become a Fellow in 2016.

Faith is also a team leader of A&M to ensure that the high standard of work is maintained in her team.

E:faith.cosgrove@aandmbacon.co.uk T: 01733 359028

Hayley Moore, Trainee Costs Lawyer and Team Leader Hayley joined A&M in June 2012, after starting her career as an investigator into legal liability claims. She started with A&M as a Trainee Costs Lawyer / Legal Costs Consultant, having already had experience in legal costs. Hayley started her first year of the Association of Costs Lawyer course in September 2012 and has now successfully completed the first two years and is now currently working towards her third and final module. Hayley regularly attends training conferences for legal costs, civil and commercial litigation.

Whilst working with A&M Hayley has developed a good knowledge of After the Event Insurance and the recoverability of the same. Hayley was involved in the recently published case of Finglands Coachways Ltd v O’Hare which was heard on appeal at the Manchester High Court. A&M were successful in defending the permission to Appeal and the Appeal was dismissed. Hayley has experience in drafting high value Bills of Costs after assisting with 3million Bill of Costs.

Hayley is also a team leader of A&M to ensure that the high standard of work is maintained in her team.

E:Hayley.Moore@aandmbacon.co.uk T: 01733 359022 A&M also has a highly professional team of a dozen fee earners, these are Costs Lawyers, Solicitors, Trainee Costs Lawyers, dedicated support team and a network of highly respected Costs Counsel.

SERVICES A&M provide an in depth service in respect of the following: Costs Budgeting - Adverse Costs - Costs Recovery - Advocacy Advice and Consultancy - Panel Auditing -

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CONTACT DETAILS: 300 Eastrea Road Peterborough PE7 2AR 01733 350880 mail@aandmbacon.co.uk

Intellectual Property Law Firm of the Year – India The Firm Singh & Singh Lall & Sethi (SSL&S) is a merger of two highly acclaimed IP Law Firms of the country. The merger took place in April 2015. The merger brought professionals passionately dedicated to create perfect synergy with specialist IP practitioners and litigators in different fields of intellectual property law. The firm serves as a one stop solution for IP, Telecom, Competition laws, Information Technology and related aspects, as also technology, media and telecommunication laws with a wide bandwidth to handle large portfolios and litigation across all areas.

The firm also handles a large number of non-IP matters especially in the field of pharma regulatory, arbitrations, policy making in IP and Telecom Sectors, including Compulsory Licensing and Copyright Amendment Act 2012.

The firm not only represents a large volume of Patent and Trademark litigation cases in India, but also provides unrivalled IP services, including but not limited to domestic and international filing and prosecution.

The firm currently has offices in New Delhi, Mumbai, Colombo and Kathmandu.

The Founders and Partners The founders are four of the most prolific litigators of the country. Mr. Sandeep Sethi, Mr. Maninder Singh and Ms. Prathiba M. Singh are all designated Senior Advocates. Mr. Chander M. Lall took over the mantle from the founders and is the Founding and Managing Partner of the merged firm.

SSL&S is a professionally managed firm with 9 partners, over 40 attorneys and patent agents and a total strength of over 120 personnel. Out of the 9 partners in the Firm, the Managing Partner and two other Partners are involved in Patent litigation. One Partner heads the Patent Prosecution. Four Partners are heading IP Prosecution and Enforcement teams and one partner is involved in Telecom & Broadcasting. There is an entire team of lawyers and patent agents working under each Partner.

Patents The patent professionals of SSL&S have wide ranged experience in drafting applications of various technologies and liaising with inventors, technical experts and in-house patent counsels in the preparation of specifications. Because of its day to day experience in patent litigation, SSL&S is able to provide assistance in strategizing complex innovation related issues, enforcement of patents, and analysing strength of patents prior to enforceability, streamline prosecution etc.

SSL&S is estimated to be engaged in over 70% of the patent litigations currently pending in the country concerning technologies like pharmaceuticals, bio-similar, medical devices, mechanical engineering, chemicals, electrical and electronics, to name a few. In the area of Standard Essential Patents (SEPs), the firm is engaged in virtually all pending cases in India and is instrumental in assisting development of the law in this field.

Trademarks On the trademarks front, SSL&S has been instrumental in laying down the law in several areas such as comparative advertising, trade dress protection and a wide variety of internet and IT law related issues. The firm has been involved in many civil and criminal anti-counterfeiting actions. The firm currently represents 7 of the top 25 of the world renowned trademarks listed by Interbrand. SSL&S is

the preferred firm not just in India but the entire South Asian region, including Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Maldives and Bhutan.

Telecom and Broadcasting SSL&S practices extend beyond core IP. It has a strong presence in the area of telecom and broadcasting representing a large number of broadcasters in different forums including the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT).

Bespoke IP Management Software All the work is carried out on a unique bespoke IP management software platform ClickIPR. The software has IP law engines for all jurisdictions around the world ensuring automated docketing of files worldwide and populating of forms. The use of the software system, which is far superior to any known IP software system, ensures that deadlines are never missed and costs are kept low. The firm was perhaps the first in the world to maintain all its files in electronic form.

Clients SSL&S has a very wide list of clients from all over the world which include The Coca-Cola Company, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Eli Lilly, GSK, Bayer, Merck KgaA, Monsanto, Citibank, Mondelez, KraftHeinz, Diageo, Warner Bros., Twentieth Century Fox, United Technologies Corporation, Kimberly-Clark, Lacoste, Gant, Hewlett Packard, Nike, Ebay, Cisco, Amazon, Samsung, Reckitt Benckiser, Panasonic, DuPont, to name a few International one with an equally impressive list of Indian clients which includes Zee, Marico, Havells, Woodland, HCL, NIIT, Essel, ITC, Eicher, HeroEco and Fabindia.

Awards SSL&S is the more extensive awarded firm of 2016 being acknowledged as a leader in IP law. The firm has bagged several awards and maintains highest rankings in many categories. The `Managing Intellectual Property` has ranked Singh & Singh Lall & Sethi as Tier 1 for Patent Contentious, Trade Mark Contentious and Copyright respectively for 2016. The `Chambers & Partners` has ranked the firm as `Band 1 in Intellectual Property` and Chander Lall as `Band 1 Intellectual Property Litigation Lawyer in India`. `Legal Era` positioned Singh & Singh Lall & Sethi as the `IP Law Firm of 2015`.

The firm also bagged `WTR Gold award for Enforcement and Litigation` and Chander bagged the `Gold award` in individual category. The firm shot the `Deal of the Year 2015` award for representing Glenmark Pharmaceuticals in Merck Sharp & Dohme and Sun Pharma v Glenmark Pharmaceuticals

by India Business Law Journal besides bagging the `2015 - Indian Law Firm Awards - Intellectual Property`. The M&A magazine declared the firm as the Law Firm of the Year - Intellectual Property – India. `Professional Sector Network` has accolade the firm with `IP Law Firm of the Year – India`.

WIPR chose Chander Lall as `Leaders 2016 in Patents & Trademark`, while Sudeep Chatterjee was chosen for Trademarks.

CHANDER M. LALL- FOUNDER & SENIOR PARTNER Co- founder of the previously reigning IP boutique, Lall & Sethi Advocates, Mr. Chander M. Lall is currently the Managing Partner and spear-head of the merged entity ‘Singh & Singh Lall & Sethi’ (Singh & Singh is India’s leading IP litigation firm – the two firms merged to form this IP Powerhouse since April 2015).

An adventure sports enthusiast by heart and a successful Advocate by profession, Mr. Lall is a renaissance man, who has many firsts in his name in the legal profession. He was the first to have the foresight to commence patent drafting outsourcing to India in the year 2002, when the concept was relatively unknown. Under his mentoring and leadership, in the year 2007, his firm developed one of the world’s first proprietary IP Management Software (Click IPR) for international filing and management. His firm went completely paperless as long back as in the year 2010, perhaps one of the first, internationally. He argued his first case with the complete file on a tablet in that year itself.

In court, Mr. Lall is rated amongst the best IP litigators. He was counsel for a winning cause in two of the lead decisions (whirlpool and Ocuflox) of the Supreme Court of India on well-known and famous marks – decisions which were path-breaking not just in India, but internationally. His litigation and enforcement foresight is legendary when one considers the impact his strategies had on bringing down film piracy levels in India whilst representing a consortium consisting of the Motion Pictures Association of America, the leading Hollywood studios and many leading Indian film producers. The Supreme Court decision on curtailing cable piracy stands at the forefront of this initiative. He is widely acknowledged as one of the best in the field of copyright and copyright litigation.

Post his graduation, Mr. Lall enrolled as an advocate with the Bar Council of India in 1989. He has been practicing in various forums including the Supreme Court of India, Delhi High Court, in addition to other High Courts around the country for over 25 years. He was also a part of the Core Group to make amendments in the copyright laws of India. Mr. Lall is a leading member of the Pharmaceutical Trade Marks Group and advises and represents many leading pharmaceutical companies including Pfizer, Eli Lilly, Bayer and Merck on various IP issues. His firms protects 8 of the top 30 brands of the world listed in the Interbrand 2014 Rankings.

Besides having an illustrious career as a litigator, Mr. Lall is also a proud member of various globally renowned network and associations. He was perhaps the youngest, and the first Indian and south Asian member to be on the Board of Directors of the International Trademarks Association (INTA), a worldwide association of trademark owners & professionals from the year 1998 to 2000. He was also the Chairperson of the World-Wide Anti-Counterfeiting and Enforcement Committee at INTA for a two year term and also serves as the President of the Intellectual Property Rights Attorney Association.

Besides his exceptional litigating skills, Mr. Lall demonstrated his outstanding writing abilities by being the contributing Author and Editor for the publication entitled "Trademark Anti-Counterfeiting in Asia and the Pacific Rim". He has also authored the chapter on Indian law in both the editions of the publication of INTA entitled "Trademark Law and the Internet".

Mr. Lall has is consistently listed as one of the leading IP practitioners in India by virtually all leading international publications. He frequently attends and speaks at national and international IP conferences and is on the WIPO Panel of speakers and resource persons for their Training of Trainers (TOT) Programs. He has participated in well over 20 TOT programs in over 3 continents including Africa, South America and Asia.

In addition to being a distinguished lawyer, Mr. Lall is an advanced certified scuba diver, a fervent mountaineer, an avid and former national lever cyclist, a bold bungee jumper, a one-time sky diver, a wanna-be Harley Davidson Hog and a passionate water and alpine skier.

Contact Details Chander M. Lall cmlall@indiaip.com D - 17, South Extension II, New Delhi - 110 049, India Ph: 91-11-4289 9999 Website

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Overall Tax Law Firm of the Year – Belgium AFSCHRIFT is a niche tax boutique: its lawyers, most of which teach at the University, practice almost exclusively tax cases. Services are highly personalized and confidentiality is jealously preserved.

AFSCHRIFT (Listed several times in www.worldfinance100.com and 3 times recipient of the Belgian legal awards) is a multi-awarded 24 lawyer’s boutique law firm established in Brussels, Antwerp, Geneva, Luxembourg, Madrid, Tel Aviv and Hong Kong.

The firm provides personalized consultancy services on the fields of direct and indirect taxation, especially (international) tax optimization and (corporate, estate and real estate) planning, while defending taxpayers in tax and white collar crime cases before the courts; it has participated in the major tax trials of the past 20 years.

The firm’s clientele includes individuals, industrial and commercial companies, Luxembourgian, Swiss and Belgian banks, as well as companies established out of Belgium. Due to the partners’ expertise on European tax law, as well as their specific knowledge of Swiss, Belgian, Luxembourgian, Spanish and Israeli tax law, AFSCHRIFT’s lawyers are in position to help companies to achieve the best optimization of their tax situation and individuals to optimize the planning of their estate.

Managing partner and founder Thierry Afschrift, professor to the Free University of Brussels, deputy judge to the Court of appeal and referred as “Best Tax LawyerBelgium 2009” (World Finance Magazine), is admitted to the Brussels, Antwerp and Madrid Bar, while being member of Luxembourg, Geneva and Hong Kong bars.

Companies and individuals have to face the three principal problems in Belgium: over-regulation (but not always of optimal quality), constant increase of the State’s powers and, also constant, increase of taxes. In this frame, Afschrift’s role is to help its clients to prepare, efficiently and legally, future operations… and/or to mend existing ones.

That means that the crisis did not really touched the firm, except on the field of consultancy on commercial operations, as business have been slowed down by the crisis.

No special measures have been taken, nor have changes of the firm’s policy been made.

AFSCHRIFT’s lawyers still work in the same manner, trying to always achieve the best results for their clients.

From a business point of view, our goal is to reinforce our position in the Benelux and Switzerland and Luxembourg, where the lawmakers prove themselves of a great creativity on the tax field.

The firm will also probably spread its activities in Asia, as the situation in Europe risks to worsen, given the increase of sovereign debts, and the austerity policy followed by the most of the European countries, which will probably result in an new increase of taxes, while the business and labor markets will, in the best of the scenarios, only stabilize.

This recession, which will probably touch also the Scandinavian countries, as well as the stagnation of the economic growth, will force a number of European companies to extend their activities in other, more distant, markets.

Contact Details Avenue Louise, 208 1050 BRUSSELS BELGIUM T +32 2 646 46 36 F +32 2 644 38 00

Amine Ghellal – Lawyer of the Year – Africa Over the last 25 years, Ghellal & Mekerba has been the trusted legal counsellor of prominent foreign and domestic corporations operating in Algeria.

Constant efforts to achieve outstanding performance substantiate Ghellal & Mekerba’s leading law firm status, particularly in the following specialties: investment, commercial, corporate, mining and natural resources, financing and mergers and acquisitions.

One of the partners (Amine Ghellal) is also a leading expert in Algeria on law relating to oil and gas, investment and international commerce, financing and project financing, telecommunications, joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions and international commercial arbitration.

Several of our attorneys have corporate experience at high-level posts. This particular feature has allowed our firm to build an extensive professional network and has ensured its thorough understanding of the Algerian, North African and international business environment.

Our firm’s key practice areas include but are not limited to: mining and natural resources, investment, privatizations, telecommunications, financing construction, international arbitration, litigation, economic regulation, employment, intellectual and industrial property, insurance, exchange control, customs, environment, health and pharmaceutics.

Amine Ghellal, the founding partner of Ghellal & Mekerba, has 44 years of experience and is considered as one of Algeria’s leading law practitioners.

He is said to know the Algerian Business framework “like the back of his hand”.

He has a wide knowledge of all aspects of Algerian law regarding investment, corporate, financing, exchange control, tax and customs law.

He is an international arbitrator and a member of the International Arbitration Institute. He has a perfect knowledge of contractual mechanisms and precautions governing dispute resolution. Dr. Ghellal acts as an arbitrator before the International Chamber of Commerce (CCI) and the Algerian Chamber of Trade and Industry (CACI).

He is also currently seen as one of Africa’s leading gas and oil practitioners and regularly advises major international firms on all the intricacies of energy regulation. Dr. Ghellal has counselled the Algerian Ministry of Energy and has also headed Sonatrach’s “International Legal” and “International Negotiation” departments. Between 1979 and 1981, he was Algeria’s legal expert within the OPEC and the OPAEC. Dr. Ghellal is a graduate in both public and private law and in political sciences. He studied in France and obtained a Higher Diploma in Public law with Magna Cum Laude, a Higher Diploma in Political Sciences with Magna Cum Laude and a PhD with Summa Cum Laude and praises of the examination board. He also taught public law, both in France and Algeria, for many years, and has published many articles. Dr. Ghellal is a member of the Algerian Bar Association, a member of the International Bar Association, a member of the International Arbitration Institute (IAI), a correspondent of the World Bank in Algeria, an honoured Member of the International Who’s Who of Professionals and of Project Finance, a member of the International Lawyers Club (Head Office in France), and a member of the International Lawyers Association “Mackrell International” (Head Office in Great Britain).

Contact Details: Tel: 213 21 91 42 30 E-mail: contact@ghellal.com

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