Asset management

The asset management practice at Norton Rose Group consists of lawyers practicing out of Europe, Asia Pacific, Canada, Africa and the Middle East.

We provide advice on all aspects of asset managers’ legal requirements from our corporate, finance, funds, tax, pension, antitrust, regulatory, asset finance, employment and incentives, real estate and environmental specialists, and by world-class litigators. In total 2600 top-drawer lawyers across 39 offices.

We deliver a full range of services to the asset management industry. Our services encompass all aspects of the industry from advising on specific products (investment funds/structured products/ managed account services) through to serving the needs of a business itself (outsourcing, front office documentation, acquisitions and disposals, premises) and include tax and benefits, regulatory and derivatives. We have been involved in some of the largest and most complex M&A deals in the asset management sector and such corporate transactions form a core part of our asset management practice.

We have in-depth sector expertise in asset management organisations of all sizes, including some of the largest players, as well as specifically for alternative managers specialising in most hedge fund strategies, real estate and our headlight areas of expertise of energy, infrastructure and commodities, transport and technology.

Our team and market reputation

We have specialists based in Abu Dhabi, Amsterdam, Bahrain, Dubai, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Johannesburg, London, Milan, Montréal, Paris, Shanghai, Sydney, Singapore, Tokyo and Toronto. The team is recognised as a leading specialist for investment funds work, a status recognised by the legal directories. Chambers & Partners 2010 notes that Norton Rose has “An intuitive understanding of the commercial parameters within which we can operate.” Chambers & Partners 2009 reports “An ‘outstanding’ team gains acclaim for its work advising on the launch, day-to-day operation and restructuring of an extensive range of institutional and retail funds”. 

Key clients and experience

Our clients include leading players in the industry, such as BlackRock, BNP Paribas, Credit Suisse, Europa Capital, F&C Asset Management, Henderson Global Investors, ING Real Estate, Invesco Perpetual, JP Morgan Asset Management, Jupiter Asset Management and Macquarie, Société Générale Asset Management.

Our track record

In the last 12 months:

• We have advised F&C Asset Management plc (F&C) on its acquisition of the Thames River Capital group for consideration of up to £53.6 million (announced 28 April 2010).

• We acted for Europa Capital, the European private equity real estate fund manager, on the sale of a strategic stake to Rockefeller Group, creating a $20 billion (£12.7 billion) fund management group.
• Our team has advised Jupiter Fund Management plc (‘Jupiter’) on its initial public offering (IPO) and London listing. With a market capitalisation of approximately £755 million (based on the offer price), this was one of the largest IPOs of the summer in 2010.
• We are advising SG Private Banking Hambros on the acquisition of the private client investment management business of Baring Asset Management for an undisclosed consideration. The transaction, which is due to close in May 2011, is part of SG Private Banking's strategy to increase the size of its UK business.