Curtis Expands its International Corporate Practice with Double Hire in London

Curtis is pleased to announce the addition of two UK corporate partners to its London office: Tony Edwards and Marc Hammerson, who have joined from Stephenson Harwood. The announcement is the latest in a series of international hires and reflects the firm’s international focus.

The appointments follow on the heels of the addition of Africa-focused partner Paul Bugingo in September to the firm’s Dubai office, and lateral partner hires in New York, London and Milan, strengthening the firm’s international offering on the transactional side.

• Tony Edwards is a highly experienced corporate lawyer with broad sectoral experience, particularly in energy and natural resources. He has developed a strong Africa focus over the last decade, with particular profile in Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt and Ghana, as well as the Middle East. He has acted for individuals, corporates and state entities in a broad spectrum of transactions, including domestic and cross-border M&A, ECM, venture capital and private equity, joint ventures and structured debt financings. Over his career Tony has acquired significant expertise in a number of other sectors, including shipping, financial services, data and analytics, technology, food and drink and manufacturing.
• Marc Hammerson is a senior corporate lawyer, notable for his international orientation and his experience in emerging markets. He has worked in Dubai, Singapore and Tokyo during his career and advised on deals involving over 100 jurisdictions, with particular knowledge of Africa, the Middle East and Russia. Mr. Hammerson brings a depth of experience in complex transactions in the energy and natural resources sectors. He represents investors, corporates and state-owned entities in a range of transactions including M&A, joint ventures, project finance and project development. Recently, he has acted for governments and national oil companies, making him an excellent fit for Curtis, with its well-known strength in sovereign representation.

Admitted in England & Wales, Mr. Edwards holds a B.A. (Hons.) in History (Exhibition Scholar) and M.A. from the University of Cambridge and CPE and LPC from the College of Law.

Admitted in England & Wales, Mr. Hammerson has been a foreign-registered lawyer in Dubai. He holds an LL.B. (Hons) from Manchester University and a LL.M. (Merit) from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Curtis Chairman George Kahale commented: “Tony and Marc’s sectoral knowledge and international experience is perfectly aligned with our focus, particularly in Africa and the Middle East. We expect them both to play a key role in the continuing development of our international practice.”

Carl Ruggiero, Managing Partner of Curtis London said “We are very pleased to welcome Marc and Tony as a strong team. The breadth of their UK transactional experience will enhance and complement our London office team and their oil and gas and mining experience is a great fit with our energy practice.”

Tony Edwards said: “My clients will benefit greatly from Curtis’ depth of focus in energy and natural resources and their expertise in complex transactions. I look forward to joining forces with a talented and focused team which shares my passion for Africa and the Middle East amongst other international regions.

Marc Hammerson commented: “Curtis combines a strong oil and gas platform with a singular focus on Africa – which is the perfect fit for my practice. I see both opportunities and synergies and am excited to explore them.”