Watson, Farley & Williams

Watson, Farley & Williams is a London-based law firm established in 1982 by Martin Watson, Alastair Farley and Geoffrey Williams, three attorneys formerly practicing shipping finance and aviation finance at Norton Rose. Today it employs nearly 200 fee-earners, including 50 equity partners. The firm is well-known for its expertise in maritime and aviation asset finance, energy, especially renewable energy and telecommunications law. Its revenues in 2006 were £54 million.

Potential Mergers

Watson, Farley & Williams has engaged in unsuccessful preliminary merger discussions with a number of firms, including Hunton & Williams, Squire, Sanders & Dempsey, Simmons & Simmons and Chadbourne & Parke.

Notable Recent Representations

*Asian Development Bank in its finance of the US$4.25 billion, 4,000MW Mundra coal fired power plant in India developed by the Tata Power Company. Joint representation alongside Chadbourne & Parke.
*Dexia as lead arranger in finance for Belgium's first offshore wind power facility near Zeebrugge.
*Citigroup as joint bookrunner with Nordea for a $1.058 billion ship finance for a new fleet for Frontline Ltd..
*Monsanto in its divestment of its Asian herbicide investments.
*Tallink Group in its acquisition of rival Baltic ferry line, Silja Line.

Offices

* (2000)
* (1994) (closed in 2000)
* (2005)
* (1982)
* (2008)
* (1993) (closed in 2002)
* (2008)
* (1986) (closed in 1998)
* (1990)
* (1989)
* (2006)
* (2002)
* (1998)

ee also

*List of largest UK law firms
*List of largest European law firms

External links

* [http://www.wfw.com Watson, Farley & Williams official website]