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March 8, 2010
Shawn E. Atkinson
London, UK - The global law firm of Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge today announced that private equity and venture capital lawyer Shawn Atkinson joined the firm on 1 March as the second partner in the firm's Private Equity and Venture Capital practice in London. He was formerly with Kirkland and Ellis's London office.
Atkinson will be the eighth lateral partner to join the firm in the UK since 1 January 2008. The firm’s practice has long been recognized for its private equity and venture capital expertise, being named in 2009 by Dow Jones Private Equity Analyst amongst the top 12 most active firms for venture capital and buyout deals. The addition of Atkinson's expertise is part of the firm's current plan, written in January 2008, to grow both Private Equity and Intellectual Property alongside the existing strengths of the firm in the UK.
"This is an important hire for us in London" said Laurence Harris, Partner-in-Charge of EAPD's London office. "We said we would be looking both to strengthen our existing practices in London, and to add new ones where they reflected the existing US strength of the firm. Private Equity and Venture Capital is a hugely strong area for the firm in the US, and we were delighted when David Ramm joined us last summer to start this practice in London. We are very excited about Shawn's arrival which will help to build international strength for this practice in London. Growing this practice is important to us and we are very pleased that Shawn is going to help us do so,” he added.
Shawn Atkinson's practice ranges widely across the private equity and venture capital sectors. Shawn frequently structures and executes UK, pan-European and US deals, providing opportunities to further integrate and expand the firm's US and London private equity and venture capital practices. He has been extensively involved in private equity and venture capital acquisitions and disposals where he advises leading corporations and private equity investors. Amongst the wide range of clients he has advised have included Bessemer Venture Partners and Columbia Capital. Shawn previously spent some time in both New York and London before joining Kirkland & Ellis's London office in 2006.
"We are delighted to welcome Shawn to our Private Equity and Venture Capital practice" commented Jim Barrett, Co-chair of EAPD's Private Equity and Venture Capital Group. "EAPD has had uncommon depth of experience in this sector for many years, and our clients are increasingly doing deals on all continents. London is a major centre for international private equity and venture capital, and the addition of Shawn Atkinson, together with David Ramm gives us a terrific base upon which to build our global capabilities" he continued.
EAPD currently has over 60 private equity and venture capital lawyers in Boston, New York, other US cities, and London. The firm occupies a pre-eminent position in private equity and venture capital deals in the life sciences and telecommunications industries and is a leading player in middle market buy-outs across multiple industries. In addition to the firm's top 12 private equity ranking by Dow Jones, many of the firm's lawyers have been recognized by Chambers and various other lawyer ranking organizations.
Media Contacts:
UK: Kalai Raj
Marketing Manager
Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge UK LLP
+44 (0)20 7556 4186
US: Jennifer O'Leary
Marketing Communications Manager
Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge LLP
+1 401 276 6419
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