Robert Coffey

Partner

Robert’s practice focuses on dispute resolution. This incorporates litigation and alternative dispute resolution, such as mediation.

Robert has significant expertise in advising on product liability, product recall and contractual disputes. Robert has also advised household-name brand owners on multi-jurisdictional marketing and promotions (in-store, on-pack, radio and television). He has provided training to clients and written a number of articles on these topics.

Robert has advised leading companies across a number of sectors, including professional services, manufacturing, franchising and the public sector.

Formerly an associate at Baker & McKenzie’s London office, he was seconded to PepsiCo as in-house counsel and has represented clients such as Deloitte & Touche, Mattel and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Robert was judicial assistant to Lord Justice Kennedy at the Court of Appeal, and has acted as Honorary Legal Advisor at the Citizens Advice Bureau on a pro bono basis.

Rory Graham

Partner

Rory is rated in the top tier for technology lawyers in the UK professional directories, having led practices at Baker & McKenzie and Bird & Bird.

He has acted on over 100 transactions in the UK, US and globally, with a value exceeding USD 50 billion, and is described in the professional directories as “leading the pack” and “tough to come up against.”

Rory acts for both users and providers in complex technology transactions, such as outsourcings and systems procurements.

He has represented Disney in the US and UK in multi-billion dollar MVNO deals (establishing mobile telecoms operations), as well as “3″ and Orange in the UK and Switzerland in ground-breaking technology outsourcings.

Other notable clients include EMC², the UK Department for Work and Pensions, UBS and Citi.

He specialises in business-critical and innovative deals.

Rory was the first legal director of both the National Outsourcing Association in the UK and the European Outsourcing Association. He has lectured and given workshops on technology law and practice across Europe, the US and India, as well as contributing to numerous textbooks and articles.

Anna McConnell

Consultant

Anna is a dispute resolution lawyer, with a strong emphasis on cross-border litigation. She has particular experience of disputes involving the US, Russia, the CIS and France. She will work with Robert, in particular, and greatly strengthens our ability to handle multiple complex disputes.

Grant Powell

Consultant

Grant worked with Rory at Bird & Bird, where he was a senior partner in the technology practice. Grant specialises in big-ticket transactions, especially where there is a corporate finance element.

Grant will work principally with Rory on commercial transactions — procurements, outsourcings, joint ventures etc — and, like Rory, will travel to where the work is. He has a particular interest in working again in the Gulf states and the Middle East/North Africa — the last partly because he owns a Riad (boutique hotel) in Marrakech.

Jonathan Jones

North Star Law LLP

Jonathan has wide ranging expertise and experience across the fields of corporate and commercial law. This includes private acquisitions and disposals, public takeovers and joint ventures, private equity investments, international equity offerings and corporate borrowing, commercial contracts, day-to-day company law and corporate governance advice and financial services regulatory compliance.

In addition to representing public and private companies, entrepreneurs and institutions Jonathan has acted for sports clubs and sports people including County Cricket Clubs, Premiership and Football League Clubs, various golf clubs and a Guiness Premiership Rugby Club advising on matters ranging from financing arrangements, through the protection and exploitation of commercial rights to regulatory and player disciplinary hearings.

Benedikte Malling Bech

North Star Law LLP

Benedikte’s core practice is based on advising non-domiliciaries in the UK. Her main clients include entrepreneurs, high net worth individuals, and individuals/companies connected to the world of sport and fashion. Understanding that the personal interests of the client are often intertwined with the business projects that they are involved in, Benedikte combines the private client legal advice, tax and cross-border specialization (including dispute resolution) which is the focus of her practice with the knowledge of her partners in the corporate & commercial sphere to ensure that her clients’ interests are fully considered and looked after.

Benedikte is Danish and speaks fluent Danish and English. Her international experience started while working for two large City law practices in London and New York. She is qualified to practice in both jurisdictions.

Jeff McGeachie

North Star Law LLP

Jeff has been qualified for over 20 years and has spent most of that time working in large international law firms based in London. He is a company commercial lawyer and specialises in helping entrepreneurs develop and sell their businesses. He has a particular interest in the technology and leisure sectors. He worked with Rory Graham at their first firm and with Grant Powell at Bird & Bird.

Representative transactions include: the acquisition of Crystal Palace FC by Simon Jordan; the acquisitions of Navico and GeoAcoustics by Kongsberg; the sale of Newman Personnel; the sale of Lancaster Office Cleaning Company; and a MBI in relation to SM Contracts Limited.

His work in the ecommerce sphere includes: The launch and sale of the Personal email Company; The launch of Midentity; The launch and subsequent sale (to the ECB) of the website Play-cricket.com

Jeff also advises on commercial contracts and has been a contributor of the UK chapter of the IBA’s Encyclopedia of International Agency and Distribution Agreements.