Global law firm DLA Piper announced the launch of its newly created International Securities Group in recent days. Along with that launch, George Barboutis will act as a London-based US securities partner within the group; he joined the firm on November 16th.
The International Securities Group will bring together lawyers advising on equity and debt offerings in the UK and the EMEA region. With Barboutis’s appointment, DLA Piper moves to establish a London-based US capital markets team providing it with U.S. securities law capability to handle equity and debt offerings of issuers in the EMEA region targeted at US investors. As well, he will concentrate on strengthening the firm’s presence in international/cross-border capital markets transactions. At the same time, he will work to leverage the potential of the firm’s strong office network in EMEA and helping further its integration.
Barboutis specializes in U.S. securities. He is US-qualified (State of New York), as well as qualified as a solicitor in England & Wales. Before joining DLA Piper, Barboutis was a partner with Dewey & Leboeuf based in London. He was promoted to this position in 2007. H joined Dewey Ballantine in 2004 from Shearman & Sterling where he worked with its London US securities group.
Barboutis’s practice covers a wide range of equity, equity-linked and debt securities offerings, including Rule 144A/Regulation S and SEC-registered offerings, US and London listings, as well as M&A and structured finance transactions. On a regular basis, he advises on transactions in the CIS (with a focus on Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan), Poland, Greece, Turkey and the Middle East. George acts for issuers and underwriters with a focus on emerging markets and has worked with major investment banking clients.
Alex Tamlyn, Head of the International Securities Group was quoted as saying in a press release at the firm’s website: “The establishment of the International Securities Group brings together the firm’s expertise across the capital markets space into a single team. This aligns us consistently with the banks and other financial institutions which drive significant securities transactions globally. In an economic environment where access to capital is extremely challenging this allows us to deliver the best possible service to our clients to raise finance across geographies and industries.”
Charles Severs, DLA Piper’s UK Head of Corporate was quoted as saying: “I am delighted that George is joining us. The firm’s international platform and George’s emerging markets focus go hand in hand with one another to strengthen further our corporate offering to both issuers and underwriters globally. We expect to continue to strengthen our US securities capability in London.”
Chris Paci, chair of DLA Piper’s Capital Markets practice in the United States was quoted as saying: “George’s appointment, together with the launch of the International Securities Group, are key milestones in advancing our strategy for delivering global capital markets capability across the major financial centers in the United States, Europe and Asia.”
Global law firm DLA Piper has 76 offices in 30 countries and over 4,200 lawyers.