Ropes & Gray Expands Bank/Bond Team with Partner Transfer to London

Ropes & Gray announced that Jane Rogers has relocated from the firm’s Boston office to join the team in London. Corporate practice partner Rogers’ move advances the firm's strategy to continue expansion of its bank finance and bond team.

Roger focuses her practice on private equity and debt financing transactions. She regularly represents private equity funds and their portfolio companies in a variety of financing transactions, including syndicated credit facilities, high yield debt offerings and subordinated debt and mezzanine financings.

She has also represented companies in merger and acquisition transactions, public and private securities offerings and general corporate advisory matters. In addition, she has advised private investment funds in connection with fund formation, investment activities and other matters.

Recently Rogers has worked on a number of headline European transactions, including acting for Liberty Global in its €2.6 billion high yield offering to finance the acquisition of Unitymedia GmbH and UPCB Finance Limited (a Liberty Global SPV) in its €500 million senior secured notes issuance. She also co-led the team that advised a private equity consortium in its US$1.1 billion leveraged buyout of SkillSoft, an Ireland-based public company.

This high level expansion is in direct response to client needs and the continued growth of the European high yield bond market. According to a September 2, 2010 report by Standard and Poor's, high yield bond volumes in Europe are set to top the record levels set last year. European high yield issuance has already reached €31.8 billion year-to-date 2010 compared to a total of €38 billion last year.

“Given the expected record levels of high yield volume in Europe and Jane's familiarity with European and US deal structures and market practice, her relocation further enhances our client offering in the bank and bond space, and we expect to add more resources to this area shortly," said Mike Goetz, co-head of Ropes & Grays London office.

"Our London office presents a tremendous opportunity to take advantage of the growth in high yield markets and M&A activity in Europe and I am excited to be part of the fantastic team that we have here," said Rogers.

The Ropes & Gray London office is jointly headed by Maurice Allen and Goetz, and since the office opened in January they have been joined by U.S. securities partner Jonathan Bloom, finance partner Matthew Cox, restructuring counsel Dan Martin and finance counsel Tania Bedi, bringing the senior team to eight. With the addition of 16 associates the build-out of the London office continues to progress the firm's plan to have a team of 60-80 lawyers by the end of 2012.