News

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14 Nov 2011

DLA Piper launches international securities group with new hire

Press Release

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DLA Piper today announces the launch of its newly-created International Securities Group and the appointment of George Barboutis as a London-based US securities partner in that group .

DLA Piper's International Securities Group will bring together lawyers advising on equity and debt offerings in the UK and the EMEA region. With George’s recruitment, DLA Piper moves to establish a London-based US capital markets team providing it with US securities law capability to handle equity and debt offerings of issuers in the EMEA region targeted at US investors. In addition, George will focus on helping strengthen the firm’s presence in international/cross-border capital markets transactions, while leveraging the potential of the firm’s strong office network in EMEA and helping further its integration.

George specialises in US securities; he is US-qualified (State of New York), as well as qualified as a solicitor in England & Wales. Prior to joining DLA Piper, George was a partner with Dewey & Leboeuf based in London, having been promoted to partnership in 2007; he joined Dewey Ballantine in 2004 from Shearman & Sterling where he worked with its London US securities group.

George's practice covers a broad 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. He regularly 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, said: "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, added: "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, commented, “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.”

George joins DLA Piper on 16 November.